The Hack Repair Guy's Plugin Archiver

बिबरन

Archive any plugin with one click. Archived plugins are hidden from your Plugins list and safely moved out of wp-content/plugins into a dedicated archive directory for easy restore later. Ideal for preventing accidental re-activation, testing different plugin sets, and keeping occasional-use tools out of sight until needed.

Features

  • One‑click Archive link on the Plugins screen
  • Bulk Archive / Unarchive / Delete actions
  • Optional auto‑deactivate before archiving (recommended)
  • Manage multiple archive directories and switch between them
  • “Unarchive All” button on the Archived Plugins tab
  • Non‑destructive: archiving does not remove a plugin’s settings/data
  • Uses the built‑in WordPress Filesystem API with capability and nonce checks

How it works

  • When you Archive a plugin, its folder is moved from wp-content/plugins to your chosen archive directory (e.g., wp-content/plugins-archive-xxxxxx).
  • Archived plugins are removed from the Plugins list, so they can’t be accidentally activated.
  • You may switch the active archive directory or create new ones in Settings Plugin Archiver.

Common use cases

  • Maintain a “toolbox” of favorite utilities you don’t need to see every day
  • Quarantine buggy or compromised plugins to avoid accidental activation
  • Test different plugin stacks by pulling sets into and out of the archive
  • Share management with others while reducing “oops, I clicked Activate” incidents

Installation

Quick install from WordPress

  1. Go to Plugins Add New.
  2. Search for “The Hack Repair Guy’s Plugin Archiver”.
  3. Install and Activate.

Manual installation

  1. Upload the hackrepair-plugin-archiver folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu

Quick start

  1. Go to Plugins Installed Plugins and click “Archive” under any plugin you want to set aside.
  2. Manage archived plugins at Plugins Archived Plugins, or via Settings Plugin Archiver Archived Plugins.
  3. Use “Unarchive” to restore a plugin to wp-content/plugins. Use “Delete” to remove it from the archive.

FAQ

Why was this plugin created?

In my day‑to‑day work cleaning malware from hacked websites, I often saw sites break after a plugin update. Deactivating the problem plugin wasn’t enough—someone would “Activate” it later and take the site down again. Archiving removes the temptation entirely.

If I deactivate or remove this plugin, what happens to archived plugins?

Nothing changes. Archived plugins remain safely in your archive directories until you unarchive them or move them back manually.

Are you planning an “unarchive all on plugin deletion” option?

No. The Plugin Archiver supports multiple archive directories; since duplicates may exist, it wouldn’t know which version to unarchive. However, there is an “Unarchive All” button on the Archived Plugins tab while the plugin is active.

Why not just delete plugins?

Some plugins remove their settings/data on deletion. Archiving keeps everything intact so you can restore later without reconfiguration.

Where are archived plugins stored?

By default in wp-content/plugins-[name] (e.g., plugins-archive-xxxxxx). You can create and switch archives in Settings Plugin Archiver.

Does archiving delete plugin data?

No. Archiving only moves plugin files.

समीक्षा

जुलाई 15, 2021
This plug-in does one very important thing very well… it allows you to “Archive” plug-ins that you infrequently use and you don’t want clogging up your plug-ins list. Kudos to the developer for this simple but useful tool!
दिसम्बर 22, 2016
I use the Archiver for easily tracing down plugin conflicts. This is not the only purpose but one of the most useful. I wish it would get an update, but it works flawlessly anyway.
सितम्बर 3, 2016
Just installed in the latest version of WP – works as advertised – so glad I found this
सितम्बर 3, 2016
That plugin must be a part of wordpress engine. The default WP plugin manager is a piece of crap without these features.
Read all 11 reviews

Contributors & Developers

“The Hack Repair Guy's Plugin Archiver” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

Changelog

3.1.1

  • Removed all debug logging statements to reduce log clutter in production environments
  • Debug logs were only active when WP_DEBUG is enabled but were unnecessary for production use

3.1.0

  • Added PHP 8.3 compatibility by fixing strpos() calls with potential null/false values from realpath()
  • Improved error handling in get_archived_plugins, bulk_remove, and bulk_restore functions
  • Removed debug logging statements to reduce log clutter in production environments
  • No breaking changes; maintains backward compatibility

3.0.2

  • Security hardening: switched to wp_safe_redirect() and added exit after redirects; fortified path traversal defenses and CSRF protection
  • Added nonce to “Unarchive All” action
  • Additional path traversal checks and stricter input validation
  • Output escaping improvements in admin list table
  • Readme updates; no breaking changes

3.0.1

  • Documentation polish and typo fixes; no functional changes

3.0

  • Major version update: Hardened against path traversal and CSRF vulnerabilities from prior versions (up to 2.0.4) through enhanced validation, nonces, and safer filesystem operations
  • Improved compatibility with WordPress 6.8
  • Added support for custom archive directory management
  • Enhanced user interface for better user experience
  • Fixed minor bugs and improved overall performance

2.0.3

  • 4.8.1 Compatible

2.0.1

  • Fixed relative includes error on WordPress 4.4

2.0.0

  • Randomized default plugin archive directory

1.0.9

  • Fixed WP Rocket incompatibility.

1.0.8

  • Fixed iThemes Sync incompatibility.

1.0.7

  • Updated video in description.

1.0.5

  • Updated description.

1.0.0

  • The Hack Repair Guy’s Plugin Archiver is born!