Disable Plugin Updates in WordPress – Working

Disabling plugin updates in WordPress can be risky and is generally not recommended because updates often include security fixes and bug patches. However, there might be situations where you need to temporarily disable updates for a specific plugin, but you should proceed with caution. If you have a good reason for disabling plugin updates, here’s how you can do it:

Option 1: Disable Updates Manually

This method is suitable if you only want to disable updates for a specific plugin and don’t want to modify any core files or install additional plugins.

1. Identify the Plugin:
   • Go to your WordPress admin dashboard.
   • Navigate to “Plugins” > “Installed Plugins.”
   • Find the plugin for which you want to disable updates.
2. Deactivate the Plugin:
   • Before you disable updates, it’s a good idea to deactivate the plugin. This ensures that the plugin’s functionality is not active while you work on disabling updates.
   • Click the “Deactivate” link below the plugin name.
3. Modify Plugin Files:
   • Access your website’s files using an FTP client or a file manager in your web hosting control panel.
   • Go to the “wp-content” folder, then “plugins.”
   • Find the folder for the plugin you want to disable updates for.
   • Look for a file named plugin-name.php (where “plugin-name” is the name of your plugin).
   • Edit this file using a text editor.
4. Disable Update Checks:
   • Add the following code at the top of the plugin file, right after the comment block (the code that describes the plugin):
   add_filter('site_transient_update_plugins', 'disable_plugin_updates');
function disable_plugin_updates($value) {
if (isset($value->response['plugin-folder/plugin-file.php'])) {
unset($value->response['plugin-folder/plugin-file.php']);
}
return $value;
}

   • Replace “plugin-folder/plugin-file.php” with the actual path to the plugin’s main file.
5. Save the File:
   • Save the changes and upload the modified plugin file back to your server.
6. Reactivate the Plugin:
   • Go back to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to “Plugins” > “Installed Plugins.”
   • Find the plugin and click the “Activate” link to reactivate it.

This method should disable updates for the specific plugin you’ve targeted.

Option 2: Use a Plugin to Disable Updates (Not Recommended)

There are plugins available that allow you to disable updates for specific plugins, but these are generally not recommended. They may have compatibility issues and can pose security risks. However, if you decide to go this route, one such plugin is “Easy Updates Manager.”

1. Install and activate the “Easy Updates Manager” plugin from the WordPress Plugin Repository.
2. Go to “Dashboard” > “Updates Options.”
3. Under the “Plugins” section, you can select which plugins to exclude from updates.

Again, please use this method with caution, and only disable updates for plugins when you have a compelling reason to do so. Keeping your plugins and WordPress installation up to date is crucial for security and functionality.