Why does the Belongs to column show “Not scanned yet!” even though I’m using the Premium version?
Right after installing Advanced Database Cleaner Premium, most items will display “Not scanned yet!” in the Belongs to column.
This is completely normal, the plugin does not assign ownership automatically on installation.
To identify which plugin, theme, or WordPress core component created each item, you must first run a scan.
Once scanned, the plugin can categorize items accurately and reveal which ones are truly orphaned.
How to categorize items (update the Belongs to column)
1. Run a full scan
Click Start a scan for options (or the scan button for other modules).
You will be asked to choose between:
- Local scan only - analyzes your current environment using local detection algorithms
- Local + Remote scan (recommended) - performs the local scan, then compares unknown items with our large cloud database of plugins and themes for maximum accuracy
Once the scan is completed, the “Not scanned yet!” label is replaced with:
- WordPress core (locked items, cannot be deleted)
- Confirmed plugin/theme ownership (100%)
- Percentage-based confidence levels
- Multiple possible owners with the info icon
- Orphaned items when no owner exists
2. Categorize selected items only (optional)
If you prefer not to run a full scan:
- Select one or more items
- Open Bulk actions
- Choose Categorize selected items
- Click Apply
Why is scanning required?
Scanning is essential because ownership cannot be reliably determined from the option name alone.
Some names are generic, shared between many addons, or have short/ambiguous prefixes.
The scan helps identify:
- Exact plugin/theme ownership
- Historical ownership (detecting addons that were installed in the past)
- Items used by multiple plugins
- Performance-heavy autoloaded options
- True leftovers from uninstalled addons
This enables safe, informed, and risk-free database cleanup.