Deactivate WordPress plugins in phpMyAdmin

WordPress plugins are easiest to manage in WP Admin. However, sometimes you may need to deactivate your plugins in phpMyAdmin, for example if you can't log in to WP Admin.

Deactivating plugins doesn't delete them from your WordPress installation, so if you need them again, you can always activate them in WP Admin.

Note: Be very careful while working in phpMyAdmin, as it is not possible to undo changes. We recommend creating a backup before you make any changes.


Step 1 - Log in to the Control Panel

  1. Log in to the one.com Control Panel.
  2. Click Database settings under Advanced settings.
Screenshot of the Control Panel Dashboard. Database Settings under Advanced Settings is framed and an arrow points to it.

Step 2 - Select a database

Under PhpMyAdmin in the top right, click Select database and choose the database you want to access.

Screenshot showing where to select a database in Control Panel.

Step 3 - Click wp_options

The database in phpMyAdmin opens in a new window. In the left-hand menu, click wp_options to open the options table.

Note: The table can have different prefixes, and in this example the prefix is www_. If you installed WordPress with our 1-click installation tool, the prefix is most likely the location of your WordPress site.

Screenshot showing where to find wp-options in phpMyAdmin


Step 4 - Locate the plugins

Find the row called active_plugins. It is usually located on page 2 in the options table.
Screenshot of the active_plugins row in phpMyAdmin.


Step 5 - Deactivate plugins

  1. Double-click the field option_value for active_plugins.
  2. Remove all content and press enter to save.

Your plugins are now deactivated. If this didn't solve your issue, you may want to manually change your WordPress theme.
Screenshot showing that plugins have been deactivated successfully.


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