> ## 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.

# What does "Possibly Abandoned" mean?

> MainWP checks the last updated status of plugins and themes and alerts you if they haven't been updated within a threshold (default 365 days). This helps identify potentially abandoned plugins or themes.

MainWP marks plugins and themes as "Possibly Abandoned" when the author has not released an update for a specified period. By default, this threshold is 365 days. Items without an official release for this duration appear in the Abandoned Plugins and Abandoned Themes sections of your Dashboard.

## Why This Matters

Abandoned plugins and themes can create problems for your sites:

| Risk                     | Impact                                         |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 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     |

## How MainWP Detects Abandonment

MainWP checks the last-updated date on wordpress.org for each plugin and theme. If no update has been released within your configured threshold, the item is flagged as possibly abandoned.

<Note>
  MainWP can only check items listed on wordpress.org. Premium plugins and themes or those delisted from wordpress.org cannot be detected as abandoned.
</Note>

## Where to View Abandoned Items

Find abandoned items at:

* **MainWP > Updates > Abandoned Plugins**
* **MainWP > Updates > Abandoned Themes**

## What to Do with Abandoned Items

1. **Assess the risk** - Consider if the plugin is critical and if alternatives exist
2. **Check GitHub** - Some plugins have active development on GitHub even without wordpress.org updates
3. **Find alternatives** - Search for actively maintained replacements
4. **Plan migration** - Replace abandoned items before they cause issues

## Adjust the Threshold

To change the number of days or disable this check, see [How to change tolerance for Abandoned Plugins and Themes](/sites/updates/how-to-change-tolerance-for-abandoned-plugins-and-themes).

***

## Related Resources

* [Check for Abandoned Plugins and Themes](/sites/plugins/check-for-abandoned-plugins-and-themes) - Manual abandonment checks
* [Change Abandoned Tolerance](/sites/updates/how-to-change-tolerance-for-abandoned-plugins-and-themes) - Adjust the threshold