There's an age-old piece of advice for fixing computer issues: reboot the computer. As with computers, simply reinstalling a Joomla extension can fix many bugs.
For example, today one of our OSTraining members was having an issue uninstalling an extension. Reinstalling the extension first was the key to being able to uninstall it.
This tutorial will show you how to reinstall Joomla extensions.
Background Information
Sometimes files get corrupted on a server. This can happen during a site migration, a file permission change, an uninstall, or another process.
Even one file can be essential to having a working extension. So if that one file gets corrupted, it can take down the whole extension.
Reinstalling an extension resets all the core files for the extension and gives it a fresh start. It sometimes even fixes database issues. If the developer has built-in database fixes into its installer, reinstalling can help.
How to Reinstall a Joomla Extension
In Joomla, reinstalling an extension is as easy. In fact, it's as easy as installing it, since it's the same exact process.
- First things first, create a backup of your site.
- Next, download a new version of the extension you want to use.
- Then go to Extensions - > Extension Manager (top menu)
- Click the Browse button and select your file.
- Click the Upload & Install button.
If everything went well, you've just reinstalled your extension! That's all there is to it.
Pro Tip: Check the Extension Documentation
There are still a few extensions that don't use Joomla's easy update/reinstall method. Always check with the developer's documentation first to see if that's the case.
Pro Tip: Upgrade
If you're trying to uninstall an extension and reinstalling didn't help, you can try upgrading. Also, try upgrading in small increments of versions if possible.
What's Next?
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