How to Disable a WordPress Plugin Without WPAdmin Access Print

If you're unable to access your WordPress admin dashboard, you can still disable plugins directly from your hosting server or using a file manager. This method is especially helpful if a plugin is causing errors that prevent you from logging in.

Method 1: Disabling Plugins via File Manager

1. Access the File Manager: Log in to your hosting control panel and open the File Manager.
   Alternatively, you can use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your website’s root files.

2. Navigate to the Plugins Folder:

   • Locate the root folder of your WordPress installation. This is often named public_html, www, or similar.
   • Go to wp-content > plugins.

3. Rename the Plugin Folder:

   • Find the folder of the plugin you want to disable. Each plugin has its own folder named after the plugin.
   • Right-click on the plugin folder and choose the "Rename" option.
   • Change the folder name to something like plugin-name-disabled. WordPress will automatically disable any plugin folder it can’t locate.

4. Check Your Website:

   • Try accessing your website or the WordPress admin panel again. If the plugin was causing issues, they should be resolved, and you should be able to log in.

Note: To re-enable the plugin, rename the folder back to its original name.

Method 2: Disabling Plugins via Database (Advanced)

If renaming the plugin folder doesn’t resolve the issue, or if you prefer using the database:

1. Access phpMyAdmin:

   • Log in to your hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin.

2. Find the Active Plugins Entry:

   • Locate your WordPress database in phpMyAdmin.
   • Go to the wp_options table (the prefix wp_ may vary depending on your setup).
   • Search for the active_plugins row in the option_name column.

3. Edit the active_plugins Row:

   • Select Edit on the active_plugins row.
   • This entry contains a serialized array of active plugins.
   • You can clear this field or remove specific plugin entries if you’re comfortable editing serialized arrays.

4. Save Changes and check if you can access the site or admin panel again.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Backup First: Before making changes, always create a backup of your files and database.
• Check for Themes: Occasionally, themes can cause similar issues. Try switching the theme via the database if plugin changes don't work.

By following these steps, you should be able to disable problematic plugins without needing WP-admin access.