How to disable WordPress plugins from phpMyAdmin in cPanel

If your site stops opening after you install or update a plugin, you can disable all plugins from phpMyAdmin without logging in to /wp-admin. This method helps when you see a white screen, error 500, or a dashboard lockout caused by a plugin.

Make this change carefully: you will edit a database value. Before changing it, export a copy so you can return to the previous state if something does not work as expected.

Before you start

• Have access to cPanel for the account where the site is installed.
• Identify the site folder, usually public_html or the domain folder.
• Download a copy of wp-config.php before checking connection details.
• Export the database from phpMyAdmin before editing the active_plugins value.

Steps

1. Log in to cPanel and open File Manager.
2. Go to the folder where the site is installed and open wp-config.php for reference only.
3. Copy the DB_NAME value; that is the name of the database you will edit.
4. Return to cPanel and open phpMyAdmin from the databases section.
5. Select the database that matches DB_NAME in the left panel.
6. Export the database before making changes: use Export, SQL format, and save the file on your computer.
7. Find the table that ends in _options. The prefix can vary, for example wp_options, nh_options, or a custom one.
8. Inside that table, find the active_plugins row in the option_name column.
9. Edit the option_value field for that row and replace its contents with a:0:{}.
10. Save the change and open the site in a private window.
11. If the site loads, log in to /wp-admin/ and reactivate plugins one by one until you find the one that caused the issue.

Final verification

• The site stops showing the white screen, error 500, or plugin-related lockout.
• You can access /wp-admin/ with your administrator user.
• The active_plugins row keeps the a:0:{} value until you reactivate plugins from the site dashboard.
• By reactivating plugins one by one, you can identify which one breaks the site again.

Common errors

• You cannot find the wp_options table → your installation uses another prefix → look for the table that ends in _options inside the correct database.
• The site still shows an error after saving → the problem may come from the theme, PHP memory, or the .htaccess file → check errors from cPanel before changing more values.
• The dashboard fails again when you enable a plugin → that plugin or version is causing the conflict → leave it disabled and update it, replace it, or ask support for help.

Recommended reading

• How to export and import a database with phpMyAdmin in cPanel
• How to use File Manager in cPanel to edit files with a backup
• How to fix error 500 using File Manager in cPanel