{"id":214,"date":"2020-04-19T11:01:09","date_gmt":"2020-04-19T08:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elementor.com\/help\/?p=214"},"modified":"2026-08-28T12:05:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:05:03","slug":"ive-activated-safe-mode-and-got-mu-plugin-message-what-can-i-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elementor.com\/help\/ive-activated-safe-mode-and-got-mu-plugin-message-what-can-i-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannot deactivate all plugins message"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fix the “Please note!<\/strong> We couldn\u2019t deactivate all of your plugins on Safe Mode<\/strong>” error in Elementor by temporarily renaming the mu-plugins<\/code> folder<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What causes the plugin deactivation error in Elementor Safe Mode?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This error message occurs when Elementor Safe Mode attempts to isolate your WordPress site environment but encounters Must-Use (MU) plugins<\/a>. 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\/<\/code>), standard plugin deactivation hooks used by Elementor Safe Mode cannot disable them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you fix the Safe Mode plugin deactivation error in Elementor?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Follow these steps to manually disable MU plugins and proceed with troubleshooting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Who can activate Safe Mode in Elementor?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Safe Mode changes require administrator privileges because the tool temporarily alters plugin execution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n