Taking a live website offline on Hostinger can mean a few different things. You might want to unpublish a site built with the Hostinger Website Builder, delete all the files from your hosting account, or remove a domain so it no longer points to a site. This guide covers all three scenarios.
You’ll learn the exact steps for each method, what to watch out for, and how to avoid accidentally losing data you still need. The whole process takes between 5 minutes and 48 hours depending on which method you choose and whether a domain is involved. Beginner-friendly.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Time required | 5–10 minutes for unpublishing or deleting files; up to 48 hours for domain removal after DNS propagation |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| What you need | Access to your Hostinger account (email and password), the domain name if you want to remove it from the live server, and optionally a backup of your website files |
| What you will achieve | Your website will no longer be accessible online — visitors will see a blank page, an error, or a parked domain page, depending on the method you use |
Before you start
Not every removal method is reversible. Read these points before you begin.
- Back up your website first. If you delete files or unpublish through the Website Builder, you cannot recover them unless you have a backup. Hostinger does not keep deleted files. Use hPanel’s Backup tool or download files via FTP before you start.
- Know which method fits your situation. If you built your site with Hostinger’s drag-and-drop builder (the one inside hPanel), you need the Unpublish option. If you uploaded files manually (WordPress, HTML, etc.), you need to delete the files or delete the hosting plan.
- Check if you have a staging site. If you have a staging version and want to replace the live site with the staging version, that’s a different process, not covered here. This guide is about removing the live site entirely.
- Domain removal takes time. If you remove the domain from the hosting plan, DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate. The site may still appear for some visitors during that window.
How to remove a website from live on Hostinger, step by step
I’ll walk you through the three most common methods. Choose the one that matches your setup.
Method 1: Unpublish a site built with Hostinger Website Builder
Use this method if you created your website using Hostinger’s built-in editor (the one that appears when you click “Website Builder” in hPanel). This unpublishes the site without deleting the builder project, you can republish it later.
Step 1: Log in to hPanel
Go to hostinger.com and sign in with your email and password. You’ll land on the hPanel dashboard.
Step 2: Open the Website Builder
In the left sidebar, click Website Builder. You’ll see a list of any sites you’ve created with the builder. Click Edit next to the site you want to remove from live.
Step 3: Go to the Publish settings
Inside the builder, look for the top toolbar. Click the Publish button (usually a cloud icon or a toggle that says “Published”). A dropdown menu will appear.
Step 4: Select Unpublish
Click Unpublish or Pause (the exact label depends on your plan). A confirmation pop-up will ask if you’re sure. Confirm.
Note: The site will no longer be accessible online. Your builder project and all its content remain saved in your account. You can republish it later with one click.
Step 5: Verify the site is offline
Open a new browser tab and type your domain name. You should see a “Site not found” or “Coming soon” page. If you still see your old site, wait a few minutes and refresh.
Hostinger usually updates the DNS within 5 minutes for unpublishing.
Warning: Do not use the “Delete” button inside the Website Builder unless you want to permanently delete the entire project. Unpublishing is the safe option if you want to keep the ability to bring the site back later.
Method 2: Delete website files from the hosting account (manual upload sites)
Use this method if you uploaded your own files via FTP, cPanel, or the File Manager, for example, a WordPress site, a static HTML site, or a custom PHP application. This permanently removes the files from the server. The site will show a 404 error or a blank page.
Step 1: Back up your files (strongly recommended)
Before deleting anything, download a copy of your website files. In hPanel, go to Files → File Manager. Select all files in the public_html folder (or the folder where your site is stored).
Right-click and choose Download. This can take a few minutes for large sites.
Step 2: Go to the File Manager
In the left sidebar of hPanel, click Files → File Manager. You’ll see a directory tree.
Step 3: Navigate to your website’s root folder
The default location is public_html. If you have multiple domains, look for a subfolder named after the domain (e.g., public_html/example.com). Click into that folder.
Step 4: Select all files and folders
Press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select everything. You can also hold Shift and click the first and last items.
Step 5: Delete the files
Right-click the selected items and choose Delete. A confirmation dialog will appear. Check the box that says “Delete permanently” if you want to skip the Trash.
Click Confirm.
Wait time: Deletion is instant. The files are removed from the server immediately.
Step 6: Check the site
Open your domain in a browser. You should see a “403 Forbidden” or “404 Not Found” error, or a blank page, depending on your server configuration. If you see a default “Coming Soon” page, that means Hostinger’s auto-installer page is showing.
You can remove that by deleting the index.html file in the public_html folder, but that’s optional.
Important: Deleting files does not cancel your hosting plan. You will still be billed unless you also cancel the subscription. See the next section if you want to stop billing.
Method 3: Remove the domain from the hosting plan (stop it from pointing to your site)
Use this method if you want to keep your hosting account active but make a specific domain stop showing your website. This is useful if you want to point the domain elsewhere (e.g., to another host) or let it expire.
Step 1: Go to Domains in hPanel
In the left sidebar, click Domains. You’ll see a list of domains associated with your account.
Step 2: Find the domain you want to remove
Look for the domain that is currently live. Click the Manage button next to it.
Step 3: Change the DNS records (or remove the domain)
You have two options here:
- Option A: Remove the domain from the hosting plan completely. Scroll down to the “Hosting” section. Click Remove or Unassign. This will detach the domain from your hosting account. The domain will no longer resolve to your site.
- Option B: Point the domain away via DNS. If you want to keep the domain registered but show a different site, you can change the A record or nameservers to point to another server. This is more advanced and not covered in detail here.
Wait time: DNS changes can take 24, 48 hours to propagate worldwide. During that time, some visitors may still see your old site.
Step 4: Verify the domain is no longer live
After 24, 48 hours, check your domain from a different device or network. It should show a blank page, a parked domain page, or an error.
Warning: If you remove the domain from the hosting plan, any email accounts tied to that domain will also stop working. Make sure you’ve migrated or backed up your emails before proceeding.
What to do if something goes wrong
Problem: After unpublishing, the site still shows up.
Fix: Clear your browser cache and flush DNS. On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig /flushdns. On Mac, use sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
Wait 30 minutes and check again. If it still appears, contact Hostinger support, they can force a cache refresh on their end.
Problem: I deleted files by mistake and need them back.
Fix: If you have a backup from Hostinger’s Backup tool, go to Files → Backup in hPanel and restore the latest backup. If you don’t have a backup, check your local computer or any previous FTP downloads. Hostinger does not keep deleted files.
If you used the Website Builder, deletion is permanent, you’d have to rebuild the site.
Problem: I removed the domain but the site still loads after 48 hours.
Fix: Check if the domain is still assigned to the hosting plan. In hPanel, go to Domains and see if the domain appears under “Assigned domains.” If it does, repeat the removal step. If it doesn’t, the issue is DNS caching at your ISP’s level.
It can take up to 72 hours in rare cases. You can also try changing your device’s DNS to Google’s (8.8.8.8) to see the updated records faster.
What happens next
After you remove a website from live on Hostinger, the hosting account itself remains active unless you cancel it. If you’re not planning to use Hostinger anymore, you should cancel your subscription to avoid recurring charges. The company’s cancellation policy is straightforward, you can cancel at any time, and refunds are available within the first 30 days for most plans.
If you want to keep the hosting account but use it for a different project, you can upload new files or publish a new site using the Website Builder. The domain you removed can be reassigned to a new hosting plan later.
If you’re unsure about which Hostinger plan to choose for your next project, you can compare options on the main coupon page. The business plan offers more resources for larger sites, while the shared hosting plans are great for personal blogs and small businesses.
Now that your old site is offline, you might be ready to start fresh. If you’re looking for a discount on a new Hostinger plan, check the latest coupon code, it can save you up to 85% on your first billing cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Can I unpublish a website temporarily without losing data?
Yes. If you used the Hostinger Website Builder, click Unpublish instead of Delete. Your project stays in your account and you can republish it later.
For manually uploaded sites, you can rename the index.html file to something like index_offline.html instead of deleting it, that way the site stops loading but you keep the file.
How long does it take for a website to go offline after I remove it?
For unpublishing a Website Builder site, it takes about 5, 10 minutes. For deleting files via File Manager, the change is instant. For removing a domain from the hosting plan, DNS propagation can take 24, 48 hours.
Does removing a website from Hostinger cancel my hosting subscription?
No. Removing a website (whether by unpublishing, deleting files, or removing a domain) does not cancel your hosting plan. You will continue to be billed unless you separately cancel the subscription through the Billing section in hPanel.
What happens to my email accounts when I remove the domain?
If you remove the domain from the hosting plan, any email accounts associated with that domain will stop working. Emails sent to those addresses will bounce. Before removing the domain, back up your emails and set up forwarding or migrate to a new provider.
Can I get a refund if I accidentally deleted my website?
Hostinger offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on hosting plans. If you’re within that window and you deleted the site by mistake, you can cancel the plan and request a refund. However, the refund does not restore your files, you need a separate backup for that.
Will removing the site affect my domain registration?
No. Removing the domain from the hosting plan does not cancel the domain registration. The domain will remain active in your Hostinger account.
You can reassign it to another hosting plan or transfer it to another registrar. If you want to delete the domain entirely, you need to go through the domain cancellation process, which is different from removing it from live.
If you’re setting up Hostinger for the first time, use this coupon to get 85% off your first plan plus a free domain.
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