Fresh Install Assistant (FIA) is a WordPress plugin designed to streamline the initial setup process of new WordPress installations. It automates common cleanup tasks, creates essential pages, and optionally installs popular themes, significantly reducing the time needed to prepare a fresh WordPress site for development or production.

What This Plugin Does

Essential Cleanup (8 tasks):
* Removes the default “Hello World” post
* Removes the default “Sample Page”
* Changes the name and slug of “Uncategorized” category to “Blog”
* Sets the permalink structure to /%postname%/
* Removes “Hello Dolly” plugin
* Removes “Akismet” plugin
* Disables comments and pingbacks site-wide
* Hides dashboard widgets (Quick Draft, At a Glance, Activity, etc.)

Initial Site Setup (5 tasks):
* Sets custom site title and tagline
* Creates starter pages: Home, Services, About, Contact, and Blog
* Sets the Home page as the front page
* Sets the Blog page as the posts page (optional)
* Creates a main navigation menu with these pages

Theme Installation (Optional):
Choose to install and activate one of these popular themes:
* Astra
* GeneratePress
* OceanWP
* Blocksy
* Neve
* Hello Elementor
* Kadence

Smart Detection

The plugin intelligently checks before making changes:
* Verifies if default posts/pages exist before attempting deletion
* Checks if plugins are present before removal
* Detects if pages already exist before creation
* Confirms current settings before making updates

This prevents errors and provides clear feedback about what actions were actually necessary.

How It Works

Activation: Upon plugin activation, you’ll be automatically redirected to the setup page
Configuration: Select which tasks you want to perform (all are selected by default)
Execution: Click “Run Setup” to start the automated process
Results: View detailed results showing completed, skipped, and failed tasks
Auto-deactivation: The plugin automatically deactivates itself after successful completion

Perfect For

Developers who frequently set up new WordPress installations
Agencies managing multiple client sites
Anyone wanting to quickly clean up and configure a fresh WordPress installation