The Hack Repair Guy's Plugin Archiver

Archive any plugin with one click. Archived plugins are hidden from your Plugins list and safely moved out of wp-content/plugins into a dedicated archive directory for easy restore later. Ideal for preventing accidental re-activation, testing different plugin sets, and keeping occasional-use tools out of sight until needed.

Features

• One‑click Archive link on the Plugins screen
• Bulk Archive / Unarchive / Delete actions
• Optional auto‑deactivate before archiving (recommended)
• Manage multiple archive directories and switch between them
• “Unarchive All” button on the Archived Plugins tab
• Non‑destructive: archiving does not remove a plugin’s settings/data
• Uses the built‑in WordPress Filesystem API with capability and nonce checks

How it works

• When you Archive a plugin, its folder is moved from wp-content/plugins to your chosen archive directory (e.g., wp-content/plugins-archive-xxxxxx).
• Archived plugins are removed from the Plugins list, so they can’t be accidentally activated.
• You may switch the active archive directory or create new ones in Settings → Plugin Archiver.

Common use cases

• Maintain a “toolbox” of favorite utilities you don’t need to see every day
• Quarantine buggy or compromised plugins to avoid accidental activation
• Test different plugin stacks by pulling sets into and out of the archive
• Share management with others while reducing “oops, I clicked Activate” incidents

Quick install from WordPress

1. Go to Plugins → Add New.
2. Search for “The Hack Repair Guy’s Plugin Archiver”.
3. Install and Activate.

Manual installation

1. Upload the hackrepair-plugin-archiver folder to /wp-content/plugins/
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu

Quick start

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and click “Archive” under any plugin you want to set aside.
2. Manage archived plugins at Plugins → Archived Plugins, or via Settings → Plugin Archiver → Archived Plugins.
3. Use “Unarchive” to restore a plugin to wp-content/plugins. Use “Delete” to remove it from the archive.

3.1.1

• Removed all debug logging statements to reduce log clutter in production environments
• Debug logs were only active when WP_DEBUG is enabled but were unnecessary for production use

3.1.0

• Added PHP 8.3 compatibility by fixing strpos() calls with potential null/false values from realpath()
• Improved error handling in get_archived_plugins, bulk_remove, and bulk_restore functions
• Removed debug logging statements to reduce log clutter in production environments
• No breaking changes; maintains backward compatibility

3.0.2

• Security hardening: switched to wp_safe_redirect() and added exit after redirects; fortified path traversal defenses and CSRF protection
• Added nonce to “Unarchive All” action
• Additional path traversal checks and stricter input validation
• Output escaping improvements in admin list table
• Readme updates; no breaking changes

3.0.1

• Documentation polish and typo fixes; no functional changes

3.0

• Major version update: Hardened against path traversal and CSRF vulnerabilities from prior versions (up to 2.0.4) through enhanced validation, nonces, and safer filesystem operations
• Improved compatibility with WordPress 6.8
• Added support for custom archive directory management
• Enhanced user interface for better user experience
• Fixed minor bugs and improved overall performance

2.0.3

• 4.8.1 Compatible

2.0.1

• Fixed relative includes error on WordPress 4.4

2.0.0

• Randomized default plugin archive directory

1.0.9

• Fixed WP Rocket incompatibility.

1.0.8

• Fixed iThemes Sync incompatibility.

1.0.7

• Updated video in description.

1.0.5

• Updated description.

1.0.0

• The Hack Repair Guy’s Plugin Archiver is born!