How can I delete a site template?

Question

I created a site template from one of my sites, and now I want to delete it, but I can't find where to do it.

I have looked everywhere :(

I'm using SharePoint Foundation 2010.

Staford

Did you mean Site template (wsp sort of) or site definition (with ONET.XML etc deployed on Sharepoint root)? – Trull

Answer 1

In the settings page for the site collection that contains the site that you saved as a template, select the "Solutions" option under "Galleries" - there you will see a list of the solutions that have been added to that site collection. In SharePoint 2010 site templates are saved as solutions in the site collection and have to be activated there before they can be used. You will have to deactivate the solution here before you can delete it.

If you do not see the Solutions option under Galleries, make sure you are at the top level site by clicking "Go to top level site settings" under "Site Collection Administration".

Requirement

Thanks Infotekka. typical with Microsoft, you save a template but have to delete a Solution. Oh for an atomic bomb exploding over Redmond. – Staford

Answer 2

Thanks for a helpful post. Thought I'd mention a problem that arose when we saved some sites as a template before applying the SP2010 look (to let some new sites be created with the 2007 UI).

After those templates were deleted in the Solutions Gallery, they were still listed in the Custom group of new site templates, and could still be used - maybe because they were still available in the Recycle Bin.

To hide them from the Create Site options, I restored them from the Recycle Bin, then chose Deactivate from each item's drop-down menu, and then deleted them again. That solved the problem.

Arbor

If I deactivate a template, will it mess up any sites upon which the template is built? – Blockbuster

@BGM no. Sites that have previously created will not be affected. – Guttural

What would happen then if I clicked "Reset to Site Definition" if I have deleted the template? – Blockbuster

Answer 3

The List Template Gallery (also applies to libraries) shows all templates regardless of what version they were created in, and allows deletion. Although I am unable to locate any way to navigate to it through the inbuilt menus, it can be found at the following URI:

http://YourRootSite/_catalogs/lt/Forms/AllItems.aspx

Mady

For me, clicking the checkbox and then pressing the Delete key (not Backspace) allowed me to delete the template. Thank you. – Iglesias

Answer 4

I had the same issue and here the solution on how I manage to delete the saved template:

• GO to Site Actions and then click site settings
• Click on Site Collection Administration and select Go to TOp Level site settings
• On Galleries, click on List Templates, here you will see all the saved templates that you have created and you will the option to delete the one you no longer need.

Taal