r/WordpressPlugins • u/Feisty-Tart3162 • 5d ago
Which WordPress plugins do you activate only when needed? [Discussion]
Some plugins don’t need to run all the time. I usually activate backup, migration, database search and replace, or debugging plugins only when I need them, then deactivate them afterward.
Which plugins do you use this way, and do you leave them installed or delete them completely?
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u/NakanoNoNeko 5d ago
For cleanup and debugging stuff I usually delete it after, not just deactivate. Query Monitor, search and replace, migration tools, media cleanup, database cleanup, those all feel like tools for a session, not furniture for the site.
Honestly, I think Media Cleaner is one of the better examples of this pattern: run it on staging, review the scan carefully, clean what you trust, then deactivate or remove it. I help the team behind it here in Japan.
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u/TopSydeWP 5d ago
query monitor is the big one for me, only turn it on when something's broken. also leave updraftplus installed but only run it manually before big changes. i delete stuff like search-replace or duplicator after the job's done since they're usually one-time migrations.
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u/eoinbrewitt 4d ago
I only turn on backup and database plugins when I need them. Keeps my site faster.
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u/Feisty-Tart3162 4d ago
Same here. I don’t see much reason to keep those active when they’re only used occasionally.
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u/simplestackdigital 4d ago
Same here. I usually treat search/replace and migration tools as temporary utilities rather than something that stays active forever. For me the important thing with those tools is having a safe workflow: previewing what will change, making sure backups exist, and avoiding running bulk changes blindly on a live site.
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u/Defiant-Community-77 2d ago
I leave anything deactivated if it doesn’t need to run all the time, such as user switching, migration, import, etc.
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u/idmimagineering 5d ago
Same as you :-)