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How to delete log data from the activity log

In certain situations, you might need to delete log data from the WordPress activity log. For example, you might need to delete data because of compliance requests, delete data about a specific user, or you need to do some spring cleaning.

WP Activity Log includes a specific tool for this. The tool comes with a number of preset filters that allow you to find and delete data that matches specific criteria. To delete specific data from the activity log:

  1. Click on WP Activity Log from the WordPress side menu
  2. Click on Settings from the WP Activity log piano menu
  3. Navigate to the Delete activity log data tab on the Settings page
You can use this tool to delete specific activity log data. For example you can delete all activity log data generated from a specific IP address.

Here you’ll find all filters laid out. These include:

  • Delete activity log data from a specific user – Enter a username to delete all activity log data generated by that user. WP Activity Log uses the usernames as configured in WordPress.
  • Delete activity log data about a specific user – Enter a username to delete all activity log data about that user. This means you are deleting activity log data in which the user is the user affected by a change, and not the user doing the change.
  • Delete activity log data from a specific IP address – Enter an IP address to delete all activity log data that has been generated from a specific IP address. If your WordPress website sits behind a proxy or a firewall, you need to enable the firewall/reverse proxy support setting to filter internal IPs.
  • Delete activity log data about a specific IP address – Enter an IP address to delete all activity log data associated with that IP. If your WordPress website sits behind a proxy or a firewall, you need to enable the firewall / reverse proxy support setting to filter internal IPs.
  • Delete activity log data with a specific severity level – Enter a severity level to delete all activity log data bearing that severity level. For more information on activity log severity levels, refer to the documentation.
  • Delete activity log data about a specific event type – Enter an event type to delete all activity log data for that type of event. For more information on activity log event types, refer to the documentation.
  • Delete activity log data about a specific object – Enter the object name to delete all activity log data for that type of object. For more information on activity log objects, refer to the documentation.
  • Delete activity log data about a specific event ID – Enter the event ID to delete all activity log data for that event ID. For more information on activity log event IDs, refer to the documentation.
  • Delete events from a specific day – Enter the date of the day in question to delete all activity log data generated on that day.

Once you’ve entered the data you are looking for, click the blue button on the right of the placeholder to delete the selected data.

Note: This function allows you to search for and delete activity data that resides on the local or external databases. Data that rests in a log management system or a backup cannot be deleted using this function.

IMPORTANT: Deleted data cannot be retrieved unless you have a backup.