If you’re running a WordPress site, you’ll likely handle plugin management tasks such as installation, activation, deactivation, and deletion through the WordPress admin interface.
However, situations can arise where a plugin update causes issues, blocking access to the admin area. In such cases, you can disable plugins by renaming their folders directly in your web hosting account.
This solution may seem intimidating initially, but it’s straightforward to execute if you follow the steps. Learn how to deactivate a WordPress plugin outside of the WP admin in our video and companion guide.
Let’s delve into the process, ensuring you can effectively manage your plugins even without access to the WordPress admin
Deactivate WordPress Plugins from File Manager
Here, we are about to disable the plugins through Cpanel. The process would be the same if you wanted to use any third-party FTP servers like Filezilla, WS_FTP server, or others as well.
And in case you don’t want to install any third-party FTP servers, we can access them from Cpanel as well. Which is the easiest way for any beginner.
- Step 1: Log in to your Cpanel
- Step 2: Find File Manager and click on it. Generally, it will be in the top section. Can vary according to the hosting provider.
- Step 3. Now, look for public_html on the particular domain from which you want to deactivate the plugin, and click on it to open.
- Step 4. Navigate to wp_content > Plugins; you will be able to see all the installed plugins here.
Select the plugin that you would like to disable and right-click on it.
Tip: You can rename even the plugins folder if you would like to deactivate all plugins. Something plugins_deactivated. Consider it when you don’t know which plugin has caused the issue.
- Step 6. Now Rename the plugin; that could be anything; even adding an underscore is also enough to disable the plugin.
If that is the plugin because of which you were not able to log in to your WordPress Amin area, then you might be able to do it now.
Let’s see one more alternate way of deactivating plugins from the WordPress database, phpMyAdmin, as well.