Title: Can’t delete a draft Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # Can’t delete a draft * [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/) * After uploading a picture I got a web host error message in the upload window and the draft became severely messed up. On my “write a post” page everything under the editor window is no longer there. Everything that should be under the editor window is now inside the window as part of my draft. My problem now is that the “delete this draft” button is now within my draft and it doesn’t work as a delete button anymore. * How can I delete the draft now? Is there another way to delete it? Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 17 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/page/2/?output_format=md) * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586921) * Any suggestions on this? I’m still unable to delete a few drafts like this one. * [fakelvis](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fakelvis/) * (@fakelvis) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586925) * Probably not the easiest way to do it, but you could go straight into the MySQL DB and delete it manually. * [Marcel Brinkkemper](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macbrink/) * (@macbrink) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586926) * it should be on your list of posts when you click on manage, probably at the bottom of the list because it has no date yet. Find it and delete it from the list * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586927) * The post is on the list but the bottom of the posting page has been sucked up into the post itself and the delete button will no longer delete the post. * I’ve never removed anything directly from the database. Any guidance on how to do that? * Thank You for the help! * [Marcel Brinkkemper](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macbrink/) * (@macbrink) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586930) * there is a delete button at the right side on the list isn’t there? No need to go to the Write page. * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586933) * I see what you are talking about, but it won’t work for me. What I’m talking about is a draft and the drafts are listed up at the top of that page. * Any other ideas? * Thank You! * [Marcel Brinkkemper](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macbrink/) * (@macbrink) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586936) * are you sure you are working with version 2.2? it should be **in** the list too. * [fakelvis](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fakelvis/) * (@fakelvis) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586937) * I can try, although the method will vary depending on your host/host’s software. * I usually access my WordPress database using phpMyAdmin. This is accessible through my ‘panel’ on my web host, or by going to [http://mysql.mywebsite.com](http://mysql.mywebsite.com) However, this will undoubtedly be different for you. * Once in your WP database, you need to navigate to the ‘posts’ table (usually ‘ wp_posts’); this is the table containing all the data for your posts and pages. * From there, find the draft post you want to remove and then press the red ‘x’ button to delete it. The ID column corresponds to the WP posts’ ID as visible on the Manage Posts admin page. * That then deletes the post and it no longer will exist. Be careful here though, you can’t ‘undo’! * I’ll try and help more if required, but it may be difficult without knowing your exact set-up. * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586939) * Version 2.2.1 * Something that has been posted is in the list you are talking about but a draft that hasn’t been posted yet is just listed at the top of that page. Non posted drafts are listed there together by title. * [fakelvis](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fakelvis/) * (@fakelvis) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586940) * Same here… * Just tested on my site: if I write a post and ‘Save’ it when the Post Status is set as ‘Draft’, it doesn’t appear in the Manage Posts list. * It’s at the top, without the View, Edit or Delete buttons. * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586941) * fakelvis, I have seen and somewhat understand what you are suggesting. I’ll back up the database and give it a try. Thank you all very much for the help on such a weird problem!! * [Marcel Brinkkemper](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macbrink/) * (@macbrink) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586942) * well, then I call myself lucky to have the only WordPress 2.2.1 installation that **does **display drafts in the manage list. [http://brimosoft.nl/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/latestdraft.jpg](http://brimosoft.nl/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/latestdraft.jpg) * may be you have to scroll down a litlle bit? * Thread Starter [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * (@rylanherring) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586946) * macbrink, I like the look you’ve got. I’m wondering if there is a setting I can change to get a view more like yours?? This is my wife’s blog but I think I need to snoop around and see if I can get the other style of display. * [Marcel Brinkkemper](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macbrink/) * (@macbrink) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586947) * it’s a plain wordpress download… standard installation btw, the picture is just a part of the screen as you have noticed * [fakelvis](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fakelvis/) * (@fakelvis) * [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/#post-586948) * Ah, I stand corrected – it’s at the **very** end of the ‘Posts’ list. * I have around 450 posts, which means it’s 30 clicks of ‘Previous Entries’ away. In fact, thinking of it now, why did I expect it to be at the end of the first page of results? Definitely a ‘Doh!’ moment. Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 17 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Can’t delete a draft’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [upload error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/upload-error/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 17 replies * 3 participants * Last reply from: [rylanherring](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rylanherring/) * Last activity: [18 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cant-delete-a-draft/page/2/#post-586952) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics