What causes the Installation Failed: Destination Folder already exists error
The “Installation Failed: Destination Folder Already Exists” error is faced when the theme or plugin you're trying to upload is already present on your site. WordPress may recognize an existing folder for it and fail the installation with the above message.
This issue also occurs if a previous installation attempt failed, leaving behind an empty folder in your website files. Additionally, if you've recently uninstalled a theme or plugin, remnants of the old files or folders may remain.
WordPress shows this error message to prevent a destination folder with the same name and path from being overwritten.
In short, this error happens when WordPress detects a folder with the same name as the one you're trying to upload. To avoid overwriting a destination folder with the same name and path, the error message is generated.
To resolve the issue, you need to delete the existing folder before reinstalling the theme or plugin. The steps are discussed below:
Important:
Backup your WordPress website to avoid losing any data in the event of misconfiguration.
Option 1: Fixing via WordPress dashboard
Installing a plugin or theme in WordPress should be straightforward:
- Go to your WordPress admin area.
- Access the Plugins or Themes Section: Click on Plugins or Themes in the sidebar.
- Click Add New Plugin or Add New Theme button at the top.
- Either upload the plugin/theme file from your computer or search for it in the WordPress repository.
- Select Replace current with uploaded and the “Destination Folder Already Exists” error message should be resolved.
Option 2: Fixing via FTP Client
You can access your website files using an FTP client. After configuring the FTP client that meets your requirements, follow these steps to resolve the "Destination Folder Already Exists" error:
- Use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your website files.
- Depending on whether the issue is with a plugin or theme, navigate to the following directories:
For plugins: /home/wplive/web/wp-live/wp-content/plugins
For themes: /home/wplive/web/wp-live/wp-content/themes - Locate the folder of the plugin or theme you are trying to install under the mentioned directory.
- Rename this folder. You can add a character or number to the end of its name. For example, change plugin_name to plugin_name1.
- Return to your WordPress dashboard and try installing the plugin or theme again.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully install the desired plugin or theme without encountering the "destination folder already exists" error. If you continue to experience issues, consider reaching out to your hosting provider for further assistance.