> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mainwp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Check for Abandoned Plugins and Themes

> MainWP checks for abandoned plugins and themes in the background when their sync data is enabled. Manually trigger checks from Manage Sites or the dedicated Abandoned Plugins and Abandoned Themes pages.

<iframe className="w-full aspect-video rounded-xl" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZIE3yaLrHo" title="Check for Abandoned Plugins and Themes - Video Tutorial" frameBorder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />

MainWP identifies plugins and themes that may be abandoned based on how long since their last update. Abandoned items can pose security risks and compatibility issues since they no longer receive patches or improvements.

## What You'll Accomplish

* Understand what "abandoned" means in MainWP
* Manually check for abandoned plugins across your sites
* Manually check for abandoned themes across your sites
* Review abandoned items and decide on replacements

## Prerequisites

* MainWP Dashboard installed and activated
* At least one child site connected to your Dashboard
* Sites synced recently to have current plugin/theme data

***

## What Does "Abandoned" Mean?

MainWP marks a plugin or theme as "possibly abandoned" when WordPress.org reports no update within the configured tolerance period. The default threshold is 365 days.

<Note>
  MainWP can evaluate only plugins and themes with usable WordPress.org metadata. Delisted items and premium, private, or custom plugins and themes that are absent from WordPress.org cannot be evaluated for abandonment.
</Note>

### Why Abandoned Items Matter

| Risk                     | Description                                    |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Security vulnerabilities | No patches for discovered security issues      |
| Compatibility issues     | May break with newer WordPress or PHP versions |
| Missing features         | No improvements or bug fixes                   |
| Support unavailable      | Developer may no longer provide assistance     |

***

## Automatic Checks

When abandoned plugin and theme data is enabled for sync, MainWP Child schedules daily background checks and processes installed items in batches. Dashboard syncs collect the cached results and can queue a check when the cache is missing or incomplete. These background tasks rely on WordPress cron.

<Note>
  These checks depend on the sync-data settings in **MainWP > Settings > Advanced Settings**. In the **Select data to sync** section, keep **Abandoned plugins information** and **Abandoned themes information** enabled. If either checkbox is cleared, MainWP does not refresh that abandoned-data set during regular automated syncs or manual site syncs.
</Note>

***

## Manual Check from Manage Sites

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Manage Sites">
    Go to **MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select sites">
    Check the boxes next to the sites you want to check.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose action">
    In the **Bulk Actions** menu, select **Check Abandoned Plugins** or **Check Abandoned Themes**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply">
    Click **Apply**.

    MainWP starts the abandoned-item check on the selected sites.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Manual Check from Abandoned Pages

### Check Abandoned Plugins

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Abandoned Plugins">
    Go to **MainWP > Sites > Plugins > Abandoned Plugins**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run check">
    Click **Check for Abandoned Plugins** in the action bar. The action bar remains available even when the results table is empty. This checks all accessible sites without sync errors in the current scope, including sites that may not appear in the abandoned results table.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Check Abandoned Themes

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Abandoned Themes">
    Go to **MainWP > Sites > Themes > Abandoned Themes**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run check">
    Click **Check for Abandoned Themes** in the action bar. The action bar remains available even when the results table is empty. This checks all accessible sites without sync errors in the current scope, including sites that may not appear in the abandoned results table.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Adjust Abandoned Tolerance

Change the number of days before an item is marked as abandoned:

1. Go to **MainWP > Settings**
2. Open **General Settings** and find **Updates Settings**
3. Adjust **Abandoned plugins/themes tolerance** (default: 365 days)
4. Click **Save Settings**
5. Sync the affected sites before running another abandoned check. MainWP Child receives the new tolerance during site sync; without this sync, it may still use the previous value

***

## What to Do with Abandoned Items

When you identify abandoned plugins or themes:

1. **Search for alternatives** - Look for actively maintained plugins with similar functionality
2. **Check last commit date** - Some plugins on wordpress.org may have active GitHub development
3. **Test replacements** - Install alternatives on a staging site first
4. **Plan migration** - Replace abandoned items before they cause issues

***

## Self-Check Checklist

* [ ] Abandoned plugins check completes successfully
* [ ] Abandoned themes check completes successfully
* [ ] Results display in the Updates page
* [ ] Tolerance setting matches your requirements

***

## Related Resources

* [Manage Plugins](/sites/plugins/managing-plugins-with-mainwp) - Full plugin management documentation
* [Manage Themes](/sites/themes/managing-themes-with-mainwp) - Full theme management documentation
* [What Does Possibly Abandoned Mean](/sites/updates/what-does-possibly-abandoned-mean) - Detailed explanation