WP Safe Mode
by Marcus (aka @msykes) · Uncategorized
Also makes 13 other plugins · 153.9K+ installs across the portfolio →
Disable plugins or switch themes for just you or the whole site for debugging, troubleshooting or accessing and restoring a broken website.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
B 84/100
Few reviews
Active installs
2K+
≈2.9K estimated
Momentum
+54%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “debug”, “debugging” and “recovery” for “mode”, “switch theme” and “loader”. “debug” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “mode” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “debugging” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “switch theme” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “recovery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “loader” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
84 health vs 58 average across 25,737 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →7.6%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 26.3K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,770 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 37 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.3★ over 8 reviews, smoothed to 4.13★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 25d
19%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 25d
+0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| safe mode your tag | #1 | #4 | 0 |
| safe recovery mode | #1 | #6 | up 1 |
| safe | #5 | #20 | down 1 |
| white screen of death | #3 | #6 | 0 |
| admin recovery mode | #4 | #15 | 0 |
| recovery mode | #4 | #14 | 0 |
| mode | #14 | #21 | down 1 |
| troubleshooting your tag | #23 | #23 | 0 |
| white screen | #14 | #21 | down 2 |
| switch theme | #19 | #22 | up 2 |
| loader | #24 | #17 | down 1 |
| debug your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| debugging your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| recovery your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
18 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 11 listed. 7 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “debug”, “debugging” and “recovery” for “mode”, “switch theme” and “loader”. “debug” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “mode” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “debugging” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “switch theme” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “recovery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “loader” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 545 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
5mo ago
latest release · v1.3 · 23 May 2026
4
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 99% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3.3 years ago; the previous band took 16 months to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 28 Mar 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ colinfroggatt4.2y ago
I run a few sites, most with 40+ plugins (eeek!). When a supplier says “disable all your plugins and retest the problem” I groan. This plugin makes it so easy to disable all plugins or just keep a couple of key ones activated. You can also just do it for your user, so it is possible to trouble shoot on a live site … not recommended but sometimes you have no choice. Thanks Marcus for your work here, it’s a great contribution to the WP community.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Martin Sauter4.5y ago
Resolving conflicts is never fun, but this plugin makes it as easy as possible. There is not much more to say about it – it just works. Thanks for developing this!
Read on wp.org ↗ - Read on wp.org ↗★★★★★ mkovcu5.6y ago
- ★★★★★ blunoa5.6y ago
My network site crashed and couldn’t find the problem. I’ve installed the plugin managed to access the crashed network admin site disabled all plugins and themes, found the error, and all back to normal. Thank you so much
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ rtc357.1y ago
As soon as I activated this plugin, I got a 500 error. I tried to disable it by renaming it via FTP and that didn’t help. Then I noticed my wp-config.php file had suddenly become 0 bytes. Luckily I had a backup. I’ve never seen anything like it. EDIT: Because the developer acted so quickly to resolve the issue, I upgraded my rating. This topic was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by rtc35. This topic was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by rtc35.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ yahtzee17.3y ago
Me only mode changed the whole website! This topic was modified 6 years, 12 months ago by yahtzee1.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ htchr7.6y ago
Helped me to find plugin conflicts easy. Thnx!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Marc7.8y ago
This plugin makes troubleshooting plugin compatibility really easy. Thanks Marcus!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.3 added toggle for adding all plugins in one go to activate or keep active in safe mode 1.3
- — Version 1.2 fixed fatal errors on environments where wp-config.php is not in root folder, added double-check that wp-config.php has content to overwrite in event there’s a symlink or something odd like that fixed minor php warning u 1.2
- — Version 1.1 added failsafe check for some edge case WSOD (e.g. mu-plugins using hardcoded directory path includes) before installing loader 1.1
- — Version 1.0 First Release 1.0
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.4
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 5 languages, 2 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 2 headings and 3 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,485 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "recovery" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2023-07-17 1K+ → 2K+ up after 484 days in tier
- 2022-03-20 900+ → 1K+ up after 216 days in tier
- 2021-08-16 400+ → 900+ up after 363 days in tier
- 2020-08-18 200+ → 400+ up after 203 days in tier
- 2020-01-28 100+ → 200+ up after 75 days in tier
- 2019-11-14 50+ → 100+ up after 196 days in tier
- 2019-05-02 40+ → 50+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Debug Log Viewer 1K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
WP PHP Console 500+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags D -
Ray 400+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags B -
WP Output Log File 100+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
WP Email Debug 70+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags C -
Quick debug.log Viewer 20+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP Safe Mode into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-safe-mode" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP Safe Mode — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP Safe Mode: 2K+ active installs, 4.3★ (8 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-safe-mode
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