Archiving or Removing a Site

Overview

When you no longer need a managed site — a project wrapped, a client left, a test site served its purpose — you can request its removal from the control panel. StretchWP verifies that you own the site, then routes an archive request to the Stretch team. Sites are not deleted instantly: this deliberate, ownership-verified flow protects you from accidentally destroying a live site.

How removal works

1. You submit a removal request from the site's control panel.
2. StretchWP verifies ownership — by your email or organization — before accepting the request.
3. The request is routed to the Stretch team as a tracked archive request.
4. The team archives the site. Its status becomes archived, and management actions like one-click login and domain attachment are intentionally blocked on an archived site.

Steps

1. Open the site you want to remove from the Sites launcher.
2. Submit a removal request from the control panel. StretchWP records it and confirms your ownership.
3. Wait for the team to process it. The archive is handled by the Stretch team; you'll see the site's status move to archived once it's done, and the activity is reflected on the Events timeline.
4. Confirm it's archived. An archived site shows the archived status pill; if it's already archived, no further removal request is needed.

What archiving means

• The site moves to an archived state rather than being wiped immediately.
• On an archived site, actions such as one-click login, domain attachment, and staging commands are blocked by design.
• Because there's a review step, an archive can be reconsidered before it becomes permanent — one reason the flow is intentionally not instant.

Example

An agency finishes a campaign microsite, spring-promo.sites.stretchmedia.ca. They open it, submit a removal request, and StretchWP confirms they own it and routes the archive to the Stretch team. Shortly after, the site's status reads archived, it drops out of active views on the launcher, and the removal is recorded on the Events timeline. The agency's fleet stays clean, and nothing was destroyed without a verification and review step.

Tips

• Take a final backup or export first. If there's anything on the site you might want later, ask the Stretch team for an export before you request removal — archiving is meant to be the end of that site's life.
• Detach your domain if you'll reuse it. If you plan to point the domain at a different site, sort that out before archiving, since archived sites can't manage domains.
• Removal is per-site and ownership-checked. You can only request removal for sites your account owns, which is what keeps the flow safe.

Troubleshooting

• The removal request was rejected or blocked. StretchWP only accepts removal requests for sites you own by email or organization. If you believe you should own the site, contact the Stretch team to align ownership first.
• The site is already archived. No further action is needed — archived is the end state. If you actually need it back, contact the Stretch team about restoring it.
• I archived the wrong site. Because archiving goes through the Stretch team rather than deleting instantly, reach out immediately — the review step exists precisely so mistakes can be caught.

FAQ

Is my site deleted the moment I request removal? No. Your request is ownership-verified and routed to the Stretch team, who archive the site. The deliberate flow protects you from accidental deletion.

Can an archived site be brought back? Archiving is intended as an end state, but because it isn't an instant hard delete, contact the Stretch team promptly if you need to reverse it.

Will archiving free up my domain? Manage your domain before archiving if you intend to reuse it elsewhere, since archived sites can't attach or change domains. The Stretch team can advise on releasing a domain.