Question: What should I do if a plugin crashes my WordPress site? Print

Answer:

This article explains what to do when a WordPress plugin causes your site to break, show errors, or become completely inaccessible. Plugin conflicts are common, but they can be fixed quickly using Plesk tools.

1. Symptoms of a Plugin Crash

A plugin may be causing issues if:

• Your site shows a 500 Internal Server Error

• You see a critical error message

• The admin dashboard won’t load

• Pages load blank (white screen of death)

• The site becomes extremely slow after activating a plugin

2. Step 1: Disable the Problem Plugin Through Plesk File Manager

If the WordPress admin panel is not accessible, you can disable the plugin manually.

Steps:

1. Log in to your Plesk control panel

2. Go to File Manager

3. Navigate to:
   /httpdocs/wp-content/plugins/

4. Find the plugin folder causing the issue

5. Rename the folder (example: plugin-name-disabled)

This instantly disables the plugin and should restore your site.

3. Step 2: Disable Plugins Using WordPress Toolkit (If Available)

Plesk’s WordPress Toolkit allows you to manage plugins even if your site is broken.

Steps:

1. Open WordPress Toolkit

2. Select your WordPress installation

3. Go to the Plugins tab

4. Deactivate the suspected plugin

This is the easiest method and requires no file edits.

4. Step 3: Check PHP Errors (Optional)

If the problem isn’t obvious, check error logs:

1. In Plesk, open Logs for your domain

2. Look for “PHP Fatal Error” messages

3. The error will usually show which plugin caused the crash

This is helpful for debugging.

5. Step 4: Update or Remove the Broken Plugin

After disabling the plugin:

• Try updating it to the latest version

• Check compatibility with your WordPress or PHP version

• Replace it with an alternative plugin if it is no longer maintained

Never reactivate a plugin that repeatedly breaks your site.

6. Step 5: Increase PHP Memory Limit (If Needed)

Sometimes plugins crash due to low memory.

You can increase memory in wp-config.php:

Or ask GHFS Hosting support to adjust server limits.

7. Step 6: Clear Cache Systems

If using any caching layers:

• WordPress cache plugins

• Cloudflare cache

• Browser cache

Clear all caches after disabling or updating plugins.

8. When to Contact GHFS Hosting Support

Contact support if:

• The site is still down after disabling plugins

• You cannot identify the plugin causing the issue

• Plesk WordPress Toolkit does not load

• Error logs contain messages you don’t understand

• PHP version needs adjustment

GHFS Hosting support can restore your site, identify the faulty plugin, and apply the correct fix.