You’ve installed a pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More. Your site crashes. White screen. Error message. You can’t access the WordPress adminThe admin (administrator) is the highest user role with full... More to deactivate it.

This is a nightmare scenario, but it has a simple solution.

By accessing your databaseWhere all WordPress content, settings, and user data are sto... More through phpMyAdmin, you can disable all plugins at once without logging into WordPress. This guide walks you through the process step by step.

Table of Contents

1. When You Need This Method
2. Before You Start: Backup First
3. Step-by-Step: Disable Plugins via phpMyAdmin
4. Alternative: Rename the Plugins Folder (FTP)
5. Reactivating Plugins Safely

1. When You Need This Method

This technique is useful when:

• A pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More update causes a white screen or fatal error
• You’re locked out of /wp-admin
• Your site shows a “Critical Error” message
• A pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More conflict makes the dashboardThe dashboard, or admin panel, is the backend interface wher... More inaccessible

If you can still access the adminThe admin (administrator) is the highest user role with full... More area, just deactivate the pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More normally. This method is only for when you cannot.

2. Before You Start: Backup First

Always back up your databaseWhere all WordPress content, settings, and user data are sto... More before making any changes.

Most hosting providers offer one-click backups (cPanel, hPanel, etc.). Alternatively, use phpMyAdmin’s export feature:

1. Open phpMyAdmin
2. Select your WordPress databaseWhere all WordPress content, settings, and user data are sto... More
3. Click the Export tab
4. Choose Quick method
5. Click Go and save the file

This ensures you can restore if something goes wrong.

3. Step-by-Step: Disable Plugins via phpMyAdmin

Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin

Log into your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or your host’s custom dashboardThe dashboard, or admin panel, is the backend interface wher... More). Look for phpMyAdmin under “Databases” or similar.

Step 2: Select Your WordPress Database

Click on your WordPress databaseWhere all WordPress content, settings, and user data are sto... More name. If you have multiple databases, look for the one containing your WordPress tables (usually named wp_ or something similar).

Step 3: Find the wp_options Table

Look for the wp_options table. The prefix might be different (e.g., wp2_options, myprefix_options), but it always ends with _options.

Click on it to open.

Step 4: Locate the active_plugins Row

Click the Browse tab at the top. Look for a row with option_name equal to active_plugins.

You may need to click through multiple pages. Use the search bar: search for active_plugins in the option_name column.

Step 5: Edit the option_value Field

Click the Edit button (pencil icon) next to the active_plugins row.

In the option_value field, you’ll see a long string of text like:

text

a:15:{i:0;s:19:"akismet/akismet.php";i:1;s:41:"elementor/elementor.php";...}

This is serialized data, it stores the list of active plugins.

Step 6: Replace the Value to Disable All Plugins

To disable all plugins, replace the entire option_value content with:

text

a:0:{}

This tells WordPress: “I have zero active plugins.”

Then click Go at the bottom to save.

Step 7: Check Your Site

Visit your WordPress site. It should load normally again (though some features that depended on plugins will be missing).

4. Alternative: Rename the Plugins Folder (FTP)

If phpMyAdmin feels intimidating, you can also disable plugins via FTP or your hosting file manager.

Steps:

1. Connect via FTP (FileZilla, etc.) or open your hosting File Manager.
2. Navigate to /wp-content/
3. Rename the /plugins folder to /plugins_disabled
4. WordPress will automatically deactivate all plugins
5. Your site should load
6. Rename the folder back to /plugins
7. Reactivate plugins one by one from the adminThe admin (administrator) is the highest user role with full... More dashboardThe dashboard, or admin panel, is the backend interface wher... More

This method is simpler for many users, but it doesn’t work if file permissions are restricted.

5. Reactivating Plugins Safely

After regaining access to your WordPress adminThe admin (administrator) is the highest user role with full... More:

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. All plugins will appear as “inactive”
3. Reactivate plugins one at a time
4. After each activation, check your site for errors
5. When you find the problematic pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More, leave it deactivated and contact its support

Pro tip: If the same pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More caused the crash, consider replacing it or checking for updates/conflicts.

Final Thoughts

A crashed site due to a bad pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More is stressful. But the fix is simple: disable all plugins via phpMyAdmin or FTP, then reactivate carefully.

Remember these rules:

• Always back up before touching the databaseWhere all WordPress content, settings, and user data are sto... More
• Use a:0:{} to disable all plugins
• Reactivate one pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More at a time to find the culprit
• If a pluginSoftware that adds specific features or functionality to a W... More keeps crashing your site, replace it

Now you can recover from any plugin-related white screen, no panic required.