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Troubleshooting the 'Disable Built-in File Editors' Feature in Really Simple SSL

14 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Really simple security

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Why Your Theme and Plugin Editors Are Missing (And How to Get Them Back)

A common issue reported by users of the Really Simple Security plugin is the sudden disappearance of the WordPress Theme and Plugin file editors. The menu items vanish from the Appearance and Plugins menus, leaving users unable to make quick code changes. If you've encountered this, the cause is almost certainly a specific security feature within the plugin, not a bug.

What Causes the File Editors to Disappear?

The 'Disable the built-in file editors' hardening feature is designed to protect your website. The built-in theme and plugin editors are a potential security risk; if a malicious actor gains admin access, they could use these editors to inject harmful code directly into your site's files. This feature proactively disables them to prevent such attacks.

Based on community reports, the feature can be triggered in a few ways:

  • You manually enabled it under Settings > SSL > Settings (tab) > Hardening.
  • The feature was enabled as part of a 'Recommended' or automatic hardening setup.
  • A constant in your wp-config.php file is overriding the plugin's setting.
  • Another security plugin or your theme is conflicting with the setting.

How to Restore the File Editors

If you need to use the editors for development, follow these steps to safely re-enable them.

Solution 1: Disable the Feature in the Plugin Settings

  1. Navigate to SSL > Settings > Hardening in your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Find the option labeled 'Disable the built-in file editors'.
  3. If the toggle switch is active (green), click it to disable the feature.
  4. Scroll down and click 'Save'.
  5. Refresh your dashboard. The 'Theme File Editor' and 'Plugin File Editor' menu items should now be visible again.

Solution 2: Check for a Conflicting Constant in wp-config.php

If you cannot change the setting in the plugin, or if it reverts after saving, a constant in your site's wp-config.php file is likely enforcing the rule. This is often a leftover setting from a previously installed security plugin.

  1. Access your website's files via FTP or your hosting provider's file manager.
  2. Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
  3. Edit the file and look for this line: define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
  4. If you find it, you can either delete the line entirely or change true to false.
  5. Save the file and upload it back to your server. The plugin's toggle switch should now be usable again.

Solution 3: Rule Out Other Conflicts

In some cases, other factors can cause the editors to remain hidden:

  • Block Themes: Modern WordPress block themes (e.g., Twenty Twenty-Two and newer) disable the theme file editor by default, regardless of plugin settings.
  • User Role: Ensure your user account has Administrator privileges. The menu items are not visible to users with lower permissions.
  • Other Plugins: Temporarily deactivate all other plugins to see if a conflict is causing the issue.

Important Security Note

While it's convenient to have the file editors available, the Really Simple Security team recommends keeping this feature enabled on live, production sites. If you need to edit code, consider using a child theme and making changes via SFTP or a secure file manager. This provides a much more secure and reliable method for development.

If you continue to experience issues where the setting cannot be toggled or the editors do not return, the problem may be a more complex conflict with your theme or another plugin. In these cases, standard troubleshooting steps like checking for JavaScript errors in your browser console or enabling WordPress debug logging can help identify the root cause.

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