How to Troubleshoot Plugin Conflicts Using cPanel Access and Debugging

How to Troubleshoot Plugin Conflicts Using cPanel Access and Debugging

🔍 What Are Plugin Conflicts?

A plugin conflict occurs when two or more WordPress plugins (or themes) interfere with each other, causing errors, broken layouts, or even site crashes.

🛠️ Step-by-Step: Troubleshooting with cPanel Access

Step 1: Log Into cPanel

• Visit yourdomain.com/cpanel
• Enter your credentials

Step 2: Access File Manager

• Go to File Manager under the “Files” section
• Navigate to public_html/wp-content/plugins

Step 3: Disable All Plugins

Rename the plugins folder to something like plugins_old. This deactivates all plugins at once.

Step 4: Reactivate Plugins One-by-One

• Rename the folder back to plugins
• Individually rename each plugin folder (e.g., seo-plugin → seo-plugin-temp) to isolate the problematic one

Step 5: Check Site Function After Each Activation

Reload your site after enabling each plugin. Once the error appears again, you’ve found the culprit.

🧪 Enable WP_DEBUG Mode (Optional but Helpful)

Step 1: Open wp-config.php

• In File Manager, locate wp-config.php in the root directory
• Right-click → Edit

Step 2: Add Debug Code

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

🧼 Clean Up After Debugging

• Don’t forget to disable debug mode after resolving the issue:

define('WP_DEBUG', false);

🔁 Alternative: Use phpMyAdmin (Advanced)

If you can’t access the file manager:

• Open phpMyAdmin from cPanel
• Select your WordPress database
• Find the wp_options table
• Edit the active_plugins row to disable plugins manually

✅ Conclusion

Plugin conflicts can be tricky, but with cPanel access and debug mode, you can isolate and resolve them without losing access to your site.

Need assistance? Let Hiverift handle your troubleshooting safely and efficiently.