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Resolving Common Issues with the Disable Comments Plugin

63 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Disable comments – remove comments & stop spam [multi-site support]

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The Disable Comments plugin is a powerful tool for managing and removing the comment system from your WordPress site. However, like any software, users may occasionally encounter issues. This guide compiles the most common problems reported by the community and provides clear, step-by-step solutions to get your site back on track.

1. Update and Installation Failures

Users sometimes report errors during plugin installation or updates, such as "Plugin update failed" or "Could not remove the old plugin."

Why it happens: This is almost always a file permissions issue on your web server. The WordPress application does not have the necessary rights to delete the old plugin files or write the new ones.

Solution: The most reliable fix is to contact your web hosting provider and ask them to correct the file permissions for your WordPress installation. Alternatively, if you have server access, you can use an FTP client (like FileZilla) or your hosting control panel's file manager to manually delete the wp-content/plugins/disable-comments/ folder. You can then install a fresh copy of the plugin.

2. PHP Errors and Warnings

Errors such as "Trying to get property 'post_type' of non-object" or "array_unshift() expects parameter 1 to be array" may appear in your server logs or on-screen.

Why it happens: These notices often occur when the plugin code expects a certain variable to be an object or array, but it is instead null or a different data type. This can happen on pages that are dynamically generated by other plugins or themes.

Solution: The development team for Disable Comments is typically very responsive to these reports and releases patches quickly. First, ensure your plugin is updated to the latest version, as the fix may already be available. If the error persists on the latest version, check the plugin's official support forum for any existing threads or patches related to the specific error.

3. Conflicts with Other Plugins or Themes

The plugin might sometimes conflict with other elements of your site, such as causing a calendar plugin's menu item to disappear, breaking a syntax highlighter in the editor, or interfering with a payment form's functionality.

Why it happens: WordPress has many interconnected parts. A plugin that modifies core behaviors, like the admin menu or post types, can sometimes have unintended side effects on other code.

Solution: The standard troubleshooting process is key here:

  1. Disable all other plugins. Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-One).
  2. Check if the problem persists. If it stops, you know a conflict exists.
  3. Re-enable elements one by one, checking each time, until you find the specific plugin or theme causing the conflict.
Once identified, you can report the specific conflict in the plugin's support forum. Many conflicts are resolved in subsequent updates.

4. Comments or Spam Still Getting Through

Even with comments disabled, some spam may still arrive via email notification or appear in the database.

Why it happens: Spambots can attempt to submit comments through other channels beyond the standard web form, primarily XML-RPC and the WordPress REST API.

Solution: Within the Disable Comments settings, navigate to the "Extra" section. Ensure you have enabled both "Disable Comments via REST API" and "Disable Comments via XML-RPC". These options are crucial for blocking all avenues of comment submission.

5. Gravatar Requests Continue

Even in persistent mode, your site may still make requests to gravatar.com, slowing down page loads.

Why it happens: WordPress uses Gravatars for more than just comments; they are integrated into user profiles, post author bios, and the admin area. Disabling this core functionality is beyond the scope of the Disable Comments plugin.

Solution: To block Gravatar requests, you will need a dedicated solution. Consider using a separate plugin designed for this purpose, such as "Disable User Gravatar" or "Add New Default Avatar."

6. Persistent Admin Notifications

A feedback request message ("Want to help make Disable Comments even better?") may reappear frequently after dismissal.

Solution: This is a known bug that has been addressed by the plugin's developers. Simply updating the Disable Comments plugin to the latest version should permanently resolve this recurring notification.

General Troubleshooting Tips

  • Clear Your Cache: If you use a caching plugin or server-level cache, clear it entirely after making any changes to your settings. A stale cache is a common cause of unexpected behavior.
  • Check Error Logs: For critical errors (like a 500 Internal Server Error after an update), your server's PHP error log is the most important source of information. Your web host can help you access these logs.
  • Manual Plugin Removal: If your site crashes and you cannot access the admin dashboard, use FTP or your host's file manager to delete the disable-comments folder from wp-content/plugins/. This will immediately deactivate the plugin and often restore site access.

By following these steps, you can resolve the vast majority of issues encountered with the Disable Comments plugin. For more specific or persistent problems, the WordPress.org support forums are an excellent resource where the plugin's team and community actively provide help.

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