How to disable plugin deactivation in WordPress

Method 3: Restrict plugin access by user role

For more control over who can manage plugins, modify user capabilities. WordPress assigns the ability to activate and deactivate plugins via the activate_plugins capability.

Option A: Use a role editor plugin

Install a plugin like User Role Editor:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New and search for “User Role Editor”
2. Install and activate the plugin
3. Go to Users > User Role Editor
4. Select a role (e.g., Editor)
5. Uncheck activate_plugins and edit_plugins
6. Click Update

Now, users with that role won’t see plugin management options in the dashboard.

Option B: Add custom code to functions.php or a plugin

If you prefer code, you can strip capabilities from roles with:

function remove_plugin_caps() {
    $role = get_role('editor');
    if ($role) {
        $role->remove_cap('activate_plugins');
        $role->remove_cap('edit_plugins');
        $role->remove_cap('delete_plugins');
    }
}
add_action('admin_init', 'remove_plugin_caps');

This example targets the Editor role. You can copy the function and modify it for other roles as needed.

Note: Admin users still retain full plugin access unless you remove those capabilities from the administrator role—which isn’t recommended unless you’re running a multisite or very locked-down setup.