Are you trying to install a theme or plugin and getting the “destination folder already exists” error in WordPress? In this article we are going to show how you can fix this error and successfully install your theme or plugin.
What is the reason for the “destination folder already exists” error in WordPress?
At the time of installation WordPress creates a folder named after the plugin or theme name itself. When trying to install the theme or plugin, if a folder with the same name exists then WordPress will cancel the installation process and show the “destination folder already exists” error.
A folder with the same name could exist due to a previous unsuccessful attempt at uninstalling the plugin or theme. This could have also happened due to any interruption during the uninstallation process.
Steps to fix the “destination folder already exists” error in WordPress
- Using a FTP client or your hosting file manager access the root folder of your server files.
- If the error you are seeing is during a plugin installation then navigate to
/wp-content/plugins/
If the error you are seeing is during a theme installation then navigate to
/wp-content/themes/
- Now find the folder which is named after the theme or plugin you were trying to install and delete it.
- That’s it. You can now try installing the theme or plugin again. The installation process should be successful this time without any errors.
In The End
The error “destination folder already exists” is one of the most common errors faced by website administrators and can be easily fixed with the help of the above steps. To prevent such errors in future it is important that the uninstallation process of a plugin happens without any interruptions.