Title: Delete old core files
Last modified: June 19, 2022

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# Delete old core files

 *  Resolved [DavidMWright](https://wordpress.org/support/users/davidmwright/)
 * (@davidmwright)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/delete-old-core-files/)
 * WordFence is regularly reporting the presence of large numbers of old core files
   which present a high severity risk. It only seems to be possible to delete these
   one at a time, following a re-scan. This is extremely tedious.
    Why is WordFence
   not able to simply delete these files en masse? There is a plug-in Old Core Files
   which can identify the files but not delete them. Alternatively, is there a straightforward
   way I can directly find and delete these files – safely? Thanks.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/delete-old-core-files/#post-15753062)
 * Hi [@davidmwright](https://wordpress.org/support/users/davidmwright/), thanks
   for reaching out to us.
 * Would it be possible to send me a diagnostics report to **wftest @ wordfence .
   com**? You can find the link to do so at the top of the **Wordfence > Tools >
   Diagnostics** page. Then click on **“Send Report by Email”**. Please add your
   forum username where indicated and _respond here after you have sent it._
 * **NOTE:** It should look as follows – Screenshot of [Tools > Diagnostic > Send by Email](https://www.wordfence.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/diagnosticsendbyemail.png)
 * I ask this as the results of your last scan should be present and I will be able
   to see the file list for myself without you having to publicly list file locations
   here. We’ve never seen more than a few at once as WordPress may only remove core
   files sporadically. If you’ve already started removing them, do you know how 
   many files were originally reported?
 * Thanks,
 * Peter.
 *  Plugin Support [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * (@wfpeter)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/delete-old-core-files/#post-15777227)
 * Hi [@davidmwright](https://wordpress.org/support/users/davidmwright/), I just
   discovered that you sent me your diagnostics but hadn’t replied here first to
   refresh the topic, so I apologize for the delay.
 * Are all the 88 detected files php.ini? This looks like an issue we’ve seen on
   click & build WordPress installations on IONOS that causes these files to be 
   created. This is not ideal as the folders should be left unchanged, hence why
   Wordfence is flagging their presence. You can choose to ignore these for future
   scans as it’s my understanding that deleting them will result in the host recreating
   them.
 * Thanks again,
 * Peter.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Delete old core files’ is closed to new replies.

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 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [wfpeter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfpeter/)
 * Last activity: [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/delete-old-core-files/#post-15777227)
 * Status: resolved