Better guide users when deleting other users in single- and multisites#10502

derpaschi · 2025-11-11T09:59:09Z

This pull request refactors and improves the user deletion workflow in multisite and single site WordPress admin. The main focus is on making the "Delete Users" form more accessible, robust, and user-friendly by ensuring that deletion/reassignment options are explicitly selected for each user, and by modernizing the associated JavaScript and PHP logic.

Key improvements and bug fixes:

1. User Deletion Form Usability and Accessibility

Refactored the "Delete Users" form so that each user now has their own set of radio buttons for deletion or content reassignment, instead of a single global option. This ensures that admins make an explicit choice for each user, reducing the risk of accidental data loss. [1] [2] [3]
The form now disables the submit button until all required options are selected, improving accessibility and preventing incomplete submissions.
Added clearer labeling and structure to the form, including using fieldsets and legends, and updating the page heading to "Delete Users" for clarity.

2. JavaScript Modernization

Removed legacy inline JavaScript (delete_users_add_js) and replaced it with a modern, unobtrusive script in common.js that manages form validation and submit button state. [1] [2] [3]

3. Backend Logic and Data Handling

Updated backend handling to process per-user deletion/reassignment options using associative arrays, ensuring each user's content is handled as intended. [1] [2]
Improved detection of whether users have associated content, both in single and multisite, to determine which options to present in the UI. [1] [2]

4. Code Cleanup and Consistency

Removed outdated code and improved variable naming for consistency and clarity throughout the affected files. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

5. Multisite-Specific Enhancements

In multisite, the form now correctly excludes the users being deleted from the reassignment dropdowns and handles cases where users have no content on a given site.

These changes collectively make user deletion safer, more intuitive, and more maintainable for WordPress administrators.

Screenshots Multisite

Single user deletion without attribution selection

Single user deletion with attribution selected

Multiple user deletion without attribution selection

Multiple user deletion with just one attribution selected

Mutliple user deletion with all attributions selected

Screenshot Singlesite

Test steps

Create up to 3 users (single or multisite)
Add posts and assign posts to the created users as author
Delete one of the users and select the user the content should be assigned to
or
Delete multiple users and select another user for attribution
Deleting users should not be possible if not all users that will be deleted have a selection for their content attribution
You should not be able to select a user for content attribution that will be deleted
No default selection for content attribution, so you have to actively decide what should happen.
When deleting multiple users in single-site installations, you can now select what should happen with their contents individually

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56914

Contributors
@ocean90 @krokodok @velthy @KarinChristen

This Pull Request is for code review only. Please keep all other discussion in the Trac ticket. Do not merge this Pull Request. See GitHub Pull Requests for Code Review in the Core Handbook for more details.

github-actions · 2025-11-11T09:59:17Z

Hi @derpaschi! 👋

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github-actions · 2025-11-11T09:59:20Z

The following accounts have interacted with this PR and/or linked issues. I will continue to update these lists as activity occurs. You can also manually ask me to refresh this list by adding the props-bot label.

Core Committers: Use this line as a base for the props when committing in SVN:

Props ocean90, hubersen, krokodok.

To understand the WordPress project's expectations around crediting contributors, please review the Contributor Attribution page in the Core Handbook.

github-actions · 2025-11-11T10:15:46Z

Test using WordPress Playground

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Test this pull request with WordPress Playground.

src/wp-admin/includes/ms.php

krokodok · 2025-11-11T12:52:49Z

These changes look very good!

…checked in user deletion form

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Refactor the IIFE structure and remove unnecessary code.

…ution selection.

ocean90 · 2026-02-03T09:46:25Z

src/wp-admin/includes/deprecated.php

+ * @access private
+ */
+function delete_users_add_js() {
+	_deprecated_function( __FUNCTION__, '6.9.0' );


Suggested change

_deprecated_function( __FUNCTION__, '6.9.0' );

_deprecated_function( __FUNCTION__, '7.0.0' );

ocean90 · 2026-02-03T09:46:35Z

src/wp-admin/includes/deprecated.php

+ * Was used to add JavaScript to the delete users form.
+ *
+ * @since 3.5.0
+ * @deprecated 6.9.0


Suggested change

* @deprecated 6.9.0

* @deprecated 7.0.0

joedolson · 2026-02-14T22:48:40Z

src/js/_enqueues/admin/common.js

+	const submitBtn = usersForm.querySelector( 'input[type="submit"]' );
+
+	// Disable the submit button until all users radio buttons are checked.
+	submitBtn.disabled = true;


For accessibility, it would be preferable to throw an error if not all radio decisions have been resolved instead of disabling the submit button. Disabled buttons aren't discoverable by assistive technology, so it becomes difficult for a screen reader user to identify what's missing.

The error would need to notify the user with useful information, e.g. how many items still need to be completed, and ideally would also provide easy access to reach the incomplete fields. (Which can be a pain if you have three missing decisions but 100 users to sort through.)

joedolson · 2026-02-14T22:52:22Z

src/wp-admin/includes/ms.php

+							<?php
+						} else {
+							?>
+							<p>


This should be a fieldset with a legend so that screen reader users get the appropriate context for the associated radio inputs.

The fieldset is already present, but:

There is no legend and

The paragraph here does not include the user's username or any other differentiating information

Change the p to a legend and add the user name into the text, e.g. "{username}: What should be done with the content owned by this user?"

It's preferable to place the username first, as that minimizes the discovery and makes the list easier to scan.

joedolson · 2026-02-14T22:53:08Z

src/wp-admin/includes/ms.php

+							</p>
+							<ul>
+								<li>
+									<label>


Avoid using implicit label elements; they can cause problems for voice control users. Instead use an explicit for/id relationship and don't wrap the input inside the label.

joedolson · 2026-02-14T22:59:34Z

src/wp-admin/users.php

+				} else {
+					?>
+					<fieldset>
+					<p><legend><?php _e( 'What should be done with content owned by this user?' ); ?></legend></p>


legend can't be nested inside a paragraph, and must be associated with a fieldset.

Legends need to be unique, so it should also contain a reference to the username in question.

joedolson · 2026-02-14T23:00:41Z

src/wp-admin/users.php

+				if ( ! $user_has_content ) {
+					?>
+					<input type="hidden" name="delete_option[<?php echo esc_attr( $id ); ?>]" value="delete" required />
+					<p><legend><?php _e( 'This user does not have any content.' ); ?></legend></p>


legend should be omitted here, as there is no related fieldset or options to select.

joedolson · 2026-02-14T23:01:47Z

src/wp-admin/users.php

+						</li>
+						<li>
+							<input type="radio" id="reassign_option_<?php echo esc_attr( $id ); ?>" name="delete_option[<?php echo esc_attr( $id ); ?>]" value="reassign" required />
+							<label for="reassign_option_<?php echo esc_attr( $id ); ?>"><?php _e( 'Attribute all content to:' ); ?></label>


This for attribute doesn't match the id attribute specified in wp_dropdown_users()

joedolson · 2026-02-14T23:03:20Z

src/wp-admin/includes/ms.php

+								<li>
+									<label>
+										<input type="radio" id="reassign_option_<?php echo esc_attr( $details->userblog_id . '_' . $delete_user->ID ); ?>" name="delete[<?php echo $details->userblog_id . '][' . $delete_user->ID; ?>]" value="reassign" required />
+										<?php _e( 'Attribute all content to:' ); ?>


This is combining the radio for reassigning & the label for the dropdown into a single field. This is confusing, and leaves the dropdown unlabeled. Separate these into two explicitly separate fields with independent labels.

Avoid using implicit labels, and use an explicit for/id relationship, intead.

ocean90 reviewed Nov 11, 2025

View reviewed changes

src/wp-admin/includes/ms.php Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

ocean90 and others added 20 commits February 3, 2026 10:32

Update heading

342f997

Remove default selected option

58b709f

Typecast allusers parameter and reuse variable

fcb23c1

Add TODO

6328326

Update variable

abc9cc9

Exclude user to delete from reassignment dropdown

1ac17bd

Add ID to submit button

908a25c

Add TODO

c2b7fbd

Disable button if nothing is selected

b366373

Use wp_dropdown_users()

1d4cd34

Use required attribute

87143da

Refactor user deletion form, improve UI.

4e057d0

Implement logic to disable submit button until all radio buttons are …

afe1012

…checked in user deletion form

Check if form exists

9d5385d

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Refactor IIFE in common.js

0add334

Refactor the IIFE structure and remove unnecessary code.

Removed unused function parameter

4fbfce2

Update radio group selection in form validation

271ca0a

When deleting users, check if user has content, otherwise hide attrib…

c3e3a89

…ution selection.

Remove duplicate filter documentation

a2798e8

Fix: added missing comment closing tag

ef2fc0f

ocean90 force-pushed the feature/deleting-users-56914 branch from a997684 to ef2fc0f Compare February 3, 2026 09:32

ocean90 approved these changes Feb 3, 2026

View reviewed changes

joedolson requested changes Feb 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

	_deprecated_function( __FUNCTION__, '6.9.0' );
	_deprecated_function( __FUNCTION__, '7.0.0' );

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derpaschi commented Nov 11, 2025 •

edited by ocean90

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