Disable WYSIWYG
Disable WYSIWYG sets user_can_richedit to false that disable TinyMCE Visual Editor (WYSIWYG editor) totally completely permanently forever. This plugin also works fine with multisite enabled WordPress (aka. WordPress…
Consider an alternative
Disable WYSIWYG shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 40+ sites, is rated 4.6/5 and was last updated 5 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (40+ active installs)
- No update in 5 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Disable WYSIWYG stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| admin | >100 |
| administration | >100 |
| content | >100 |
| contents | >100 |
| excerpt | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.6 from 5 reviews
About Disable WYSIWYG
From the official readme · v1.0.9Description
Disable WYSIWYG sets user_can_richedit to false that disable TinyMCE Visual Editor (WYSIWYG editor) totally completely permanently forever. This plugin also works fine with multisite enabled WordPress (aka. WordPress Mu).
More information please visit my site.
Installation
WordPress:
- Upload the extracted files to the
/wp-content/plugins/directory - In ‘Plugins’ page, choose ‘Activate’
Multisite enabled WordPress:
- Upload the extracted files to the
/wp-content/plugins/directory - In ‘Site Admin’ mode (You need log in as site admin), go to ‘Plugins’ page, choose ‘Network Activate’
- Just FYI, you can also activate this plugin individually for different sites.
Old-styled WordPress Mu:
- Upload the extracted files to the
/wp-content/mu-plugins/directory - That’s all.
Changelog
Compatibility check for 5.8, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
1.0.9
- Compatibility check for 5.8, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
1.0.8
- Starting from WordPress 5.0, you need an additional plugin Classic Editor by Automattic to disable Gutenberg first.
1.0.7
- Compatibility check for 4.6 and 4.7, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
1.0.6
- Compatibility check for 4.5, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
1.0.5
- Compatibility check for 4.4, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
1.0.4
- Compatibility check for 4.3, nothing new, just bump version to tell everyone this plugin still works.
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Disable WYSIWYG alternatives
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FAQ
Disable WYSIWYG: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 2, 2026
Is Disable WYSIWYG free?
Yes. Disable WYSIWYG is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Disable WYSIWYG safe to use in 2026?
Disable WYSIWYG shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 40+ sites, is rated 4.6/5 and was last updated 5 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Disable WYSIWYG?
Disable WYSIWYG is active on 40+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 6,187 times since it launched in September 2014. It was downloaded 61 times in the last 30 days.
Does Disable WYSIWYG work with WordPress 7.1?
Disable WYSIWYG is officially tested up to WordPress 5.8.17, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Disable WYSIWYG last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.9, was released on August 11, 2021 (5 years ago).
Who makes Disable WYSIWYG?
Disable WYSIWYG is developed and maintained by Sparanoid.
What are the best alternatives to Disable WYSIWYG?
The most popular alternatives to Disable WYSIWYG are Loginizer (1M+ installs), Redux Framework (900K+ installs) and Admin Menu Editor (300K+ installs).
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