How to disable plugins when locked out of wp-admin Print

Overview

If a plugin breaks your site or prevents access to wp-admin, you can disable it from DirectAdmin.

Method 1 — Disable all plugins (Fast)

1. Open DirectAdmin → File Manager
2. Go to public_html/wp-content/
3. Rename the plugins folder:
   plugins → plugins-off

This disables all plugins instantly.

Method 2 — Disable only one plugin

1. Go to wp-content/plugins/
2. Rename the plugin folder, for example:
   elementor → elementor-off

Method 3 — Disable plugins from the database

1. Open phpMyAdmin
2. Open the wp_options table
3. Find option_name active_plugins
4. Set the value to a:0:{} (disables all plugins)

Method 4 — Softaculous Emergency Mode

1. Open Softaculous → Installations
2. Select your WordPress site
3. Click Disable Themes & Plugins

Final Steps

• Reactivate plugins one by one
• Update or remove the plugin that caused the problem