How Do I Take Down a Squarespace Website?

Taking down a Squarespace website is a process that involves a few steps to ensure that your site is no longer accessible to the public. Here’s a detailed guide on how to achieve this:

1. Logging into Squarespace:

• Open your web browser and go to the Squarespace login page (https://www.squarespace.com/login).
• Enter your email address and password associated with your Squarespace account.
• Click the "Log In" button to access your website’s dashboard.

2. Determining Your Objective:

• Temporary Deactivation: If you want to temporarily make your site unavailable to visitors, you can put it in "Maintenance Mode."
• Permanent Deactivation: If you wish to permanently take down your site, you need to cancel your subscription and unpublish the site.

3. Temporarily Taking Down Your Site:

• Enable Maintenance Mode:
  • In the left-hand panel, click on "Settings."
  • Select "Site Availability."
  • Choose the "Private" option to password-protect your site, or "Coming Soon" if you are preparing for a launch.
  • Save your changes.
• Adding a Password:
  • Still under the "Site Availability" settings, choose "Password Protected."
  • Enter a password that visitors will need to access the site.
  • Save your changes. Now, only those with the password can see your site.

4. Permanently Taking Down Your Site:

• Cancel Your Subscription:
  • Navigate to the “Settings” tab on the left-hand menu.
  • Click on "Billing & Account."
  • Select "Billing," and then “Billing Settings.”
  • Click on "Cancel Site Subscription" and follow the prompts to complete the cancellation.
• Unpublish Your Site:
  • Go to “Settings” in the left-hand menu.
  • Select "Site Availability."
  • Choose the "Private" or "Password Protected" option as a preliminary step for unpublishing.
• Backup Your Content:
  • Export your site’s content (recommended before cancellation).
  • In the Home Menu, click on “Settings,” then “Advanced.”
  • Select “Import/Export” to export your site’s data.
• Disconnect Domain (if applicable):
  • If you have a custom domain, you may need to disconnect it.
  • In the “Settings” tab, select “Domains.”
  • Click on the custom domain and choose “Remove Domain.”

5. Confirm Deletion:

• Deleting a Site:
  • Go to the “Home Menu,” select the site you want to delete.
  • Click on “Settings” and then choose “Advanced.”
  • Select “Delete Site” and confirm the action.
• Additional Confirmation:
  • Squarespace may send an email to confirm the deletion. Follow the instructions in that email to finalize the process.

Considerations:

• Data Backup: Always ensure you have a backup of any important content before permanently removing the site. This ensures you can reuse the content elsewhere or if you decide to reestablish your site in the future.
• Domain Management: If you purchased your domain through Squarespace and intend to use it elsewhere, ensure it’s properly transferred or disconnected before site deletion.
• Refunds: Check the Squarespace refund policy to see if you’re eligible for a refund on any unused portion of your subscription.

Conclusion:

The exact method for taking down your Squarespace website will depend on whether you intend the takedown to be temporary or permanent. By following the appropriate steps mentioned, you can successfully take your site offline and ensure all critical data and domains are managed correctly.