DisableMU
Redefines the location of the /mu-plugins directory to ensure that no code published to the default location will automatically run on your website.
Consider an alternative
DisableMU shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 years ago, and scores 30/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.4 (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 DisableMU stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| admin | >100 |
| mu-plugins | >100 |
| security | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
About DisableMU
From the official readme · v1.1Description
Redefines the location of the /mu-plugins directory, via writing constants to your wp-config.php file, to ensure that no code published to the default location will automatically run on your website.
Since many site administrators are not using /mu-plugins, we want to be sure that no mu-plugins “suddenly” appear on our website due to their nature: auto-activation is BAD when you didn’t intend for code to be there!
DisableMU is not for every website. Many development houses, system admins, and hosting companies have very legitimate uses for /mu-plugins and have built business plans around utilizing this feature of WordPress. By installing and activating DisableMU on your website, you may break things. Please exercise caution and only utilize this plugin if you know what you are doing. As with most plugins, DisableMU is written with the intent of being helpful but you are responsible for its use or actions on your own website.
Installation
- Upload the
disablemudirectory to the/wp-content/plugins/directory via FTP - Alternatively, upload the
disablemu_v#.#.zipfile to the ‘Plugins->Add New’ page in your WordPress admin area - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Changelog
Strongly recommended upgrade since many installations were not properly overriding values using version 1.0 of the plugin.
1.1
- Moved where definitions live inside wp-config.php, to ensure it is always ABOVE the wp-settings.php include
- Updated CONST definitions to be proper directory/url paths instead of partials
- Updated CONST definitions to remove the “if isDefined()” checks. We want to ensure that WE always take precedence.
1.0
- Initial Release
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.
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FAQ
DisableMU: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 10, 2026
Is DisableMU free?
Yes. DisableMU is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is DisableMU safe to use in 2026?
DisableMU shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 years ago, and scores 30/100 on our health check.
How many websites use DisableMU?
DisableMU is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,366 times since it launched in August 2014. It was downloaded 46 times in the last 30 days.
Does DisableMU work with WordPress 7.1?
DisableMU is officially tested up to WordPress 4.4.34, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was DisableMU last updated?
The latest version, 1.1, was released on February 9, 2016 (11 years ago).
Who makes DisableMU?
DisableMU is developed and maintained by Dave McHale.
What are the best alternatives to DisableMU?
The most popular alternatives to DisableMU are Loginizer (1M+ installs), Redux Framework (900K+ installs) and Admin Menu Editor (300K+ installs).
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