Cannot deactivate all plugins message

Fix the “Please note! We couldn’t deactivate all of your plugins on Safe Mode” error in Elementor by temporarily renaming the mu-plugins folder in your WordPress directory via FTP or cPanel File Manager.
Because Elementor Safe Mode cannot automatically disable server-level Must-Use (MU) plugins, manual renaming bypasses execution so you can safely complete site troubleshooting.

What causes the plugin deactivation error in Elementor Safe Mode?

This error message occurs when Elementor Safe Mode attempts to isolate your WordPress site environment but encounters Must-Use (MU) plugins. MU plugins are forced to load by your hosting provider or server configuration prior to standard WordPress plugins. Because they reside in a specialized system directory (/wp-content/mu-plugins/), standard plugin deactivation hooks used by Elementor Safe Mode cannot disable them.

How do you fix the Safe Mode plugin deactivation error in Elementor?

Follow these steps to manually disable MU plugins and proceed with troubleshooting:

1. Connect to Your Server: Log into your hosting account’s cPanel File Manager or open your preferred FTP client (such as FileZilla).
2. Locate Content Directory: Navigate to the root WordPress directory and open the wp-content folder.
3. Find the MU-Plugins Folder: Locate the folder named mu-plugins.
   
4. Rename the Folder: Right-click the mu-plugins folder and rename it to mu-plugins_old or mu-plugins_disabled. This immediately prevents WordPress from executing forced host plugins.
5. Re-test Safe Mode: Return to your WP Admin dashboard, launch Elementor > Editor > Tools, and enable Safe Mode to debug your issue.
   
6. Contact Hosting Provider (Alternative): If you lack FTP or File Manager access, contact your hosting support team and request that they temporarily disable active MU plugins for troubleshooting.

Who can activate Safe Mode in Elementor?

Safe Mode changes require administrator privileges because the tool temporarily alters plugin execution:

• Single-Site Administrators: Only users assigned the Administrator role can activate Safe Mode. If the option is hidden in WP Admin under Elementor > Editor > Tools, contact your site administrator to run the diagnostic tool.
• Multisite Super Admins: On WordPress Multisite networks, Safe Mode activation is restricted strictly to Super Admins.

Related articles

• For details on debugging Safe Mode, see Debugging With Safe Mode. 
• If debugging with Safe mode does not resolve your issue, see Safe Mode Activation Isn’t Solving My Problem | Elementor.