How to disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress

Sometimes you do not wish to get updates and their notification for a plugin on the WordPress updates page. In this article, we will see how to disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress when an update is crashing your site. Although, it is important to keep updated plugins for better security and new features. We will be using the WordPress–PHP hooks method.

This article is not promoting any statement about using cracked plugins. It is only to stop updates on the website if any plugin is breaking your website upon update. You should always use the original plugins downloaded from the authors. The authors should be paid so that they may continue doing the amazing work.

Disclaimer

Problem Statement

However, there may be a case when updating a plugin may crash your site. This way, you have to roll back the update and keep that version.

There is a simple fix that will not only disable updates for a particular plugin, but you will also not see any updates in the updates pages of WordPress.

The WordPress filter which we will use is site_transient_update_plugins.

Why need to disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress

At times, you may prefer not to be bothered with notifications about plugin updates on the WordPress updates page. And to Disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to stay on top of plugin updates for enhanced security and to enjoy exciting new features. But you might not need the updates notification due to certain reasons.

Solution: Example – Divi Builder

In this article, we will see how to disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress. We are taking an example of the DIVI Builder plugin.

Add the following PHP snippet to the Child theme’s functions.php file.

<?php
	// in following snippet we are stopping updates for divi builder plugin
	function filter_plugin_updates( $value ) {
	    unset( $value->response['divi-builder/divi-builder.php'] );
	    return $value;
	}
	
	add_filter( 'site_transient_update_plugins', 'filter_plugin_updates' );
?>

Here “divi-builder” is the name of the plugin’s directory and “divi-builder.php” is the main plugin file where it has plugin information.

So, the syntax is:

$value->response['pluginFolderName/mainPluginFile'];

In the following screenshot, you will see Divi Builder version 2.27.1 and its update was visible on the updates page:

After adding the above PHP snippet in functions.php, the update notification was removed.

Although it is not a recommended way. Disable updates for a specific plugin in WordPress may lead to security risks and you will also not get the latest features that were introduced in the updates.

Note

We recommend using premium themes and plugins and always keep them up-to-date. This will make your website secure from vulnerabilities.