Title: Extension Profiles Author: David Towoju Published: February 16, 2026 Last modified: February 16, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://ps.w.org/extension-profiles/assets/banner-772x250.png?rev=3462939) ![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/extension-profiles_2c40c3.svg) # Extension Profiles By [David Towoju](https://profiles.wordpress.org/davexpression/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/extension-profiles.1.0.0.zip) * [Details](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/#description) * [Reviews](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/#reviews) * [Installation](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/#installation) * [Development](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/extension-profiles/) ## Description Extension Profiles lets WordPress administrators create named “profiles” that define which plugins should be active. When a profile is activated, only the plugins in that profile are loaded for your session. Other plugins are filtered out without actually being deactivated in the database. This is ideal for: * **Development and testing** – Quickly switch between different configurations without activating/deactivating plugins one by one. * **Troubleshooting** – Isolate conflicts by creating minimal profiles. * **Performance testing** – Compare site performance with different plugin sets. #### How It Works Extension Profiles uses a Must-Use (MU) plugin that intercepts the active plugins list before WordPress loads them. This approach: * Never actually deactivates plugins in the database. * Only affects the current user’s session (via a secure cookie). * Has zero overhead when no profile is active. * Preserves all plugin settings and data. #### Features * **Taxonomy-style admin page** – Familiar interface for creating and managing profiles under the Plugins menu. * **Admin bar switcher** – Quickly activate or deactivate profiles from the WordPress admin bar. * **Dependency support** – Automatically includes required plugins when WordPress 6.5+ “Requires Plugins” headers are present. * **Per-session isolation** – Each user can activate their own profile independently. * **Plugins page notice** – Clear warning banner on the Plugins page when a profile is active. #### Requirements * WordPress 6.5 or higher (for dependency resolution). * PHP 7.4 or higher. * Write access to the `wp-content/mu-plugins/` directory. ## Installation 1. Upload the `extension-profiles` folder to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory. 2. Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” menu in WordPress. 3. The plugin will automatically install a Must-Use plugin file to `wp-content/mu- plugins/`. 4. Navigate to **Plugins > Profiles** to create your first profile. ## FAQ ### Does this actually deactivate plugins? No. Plugins remain active in the database. Extension Profiles filters which plugins are loaded per user session using a cookie-based mechanism, similar to how WordPress Health Check’s troubleshooting mode works. ### Will other users be affected when I activate a profile? No. Profiles are per-session and only affect the user who activated them. Other users and site visitors will continue to see all normally active plugins. ### What happens if I deactivate Extension Profiles? The MU-plugin filter file is automatically removed, all active sessions are cleared, and your site returns to its normal configuration immediately. ### What if a profile plugin causes a fatal error and locks me out? Extension Profiles includes an emergency disable mechanism. If a profile plugin causes errors: 1. **Admin Bar Method** – If you can still access the admin bar, click “Extension Profiles” > “Emergency: Force Disable” (shown in red) to immediately disable the active profile. 2. **URL Parameter Method** – Add `?ep_disable=1` to any admin URL (e.g., `yoursite. com/wp-admin/?ep_disable=1`) to bypass profile filtering and disable your active profile. This works even if the admin bar doesn’t load. Both methods immediately clear your session and return you to the normal plugin configuration without requiring file system access. ### Does it work with Multisite? Yes. Extension Profiles hooks both `pre_option_active_plugins` and `pre_option_active_sitewide_plugins` to support network-activated plugins. ### What about plugin dependencies? Extension Profiles is aware of the WordPress 6.5+ “Requires Plugins” header. When you select a plugin that depends on another, the dependency is automatically included in the profile. You will also receive a warning if you try to deselect a required dependency. ## Reviews There are no reviews for this plugin. ## Contributors & Developers “Extension Profiles” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ David Towoju ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/davexpression/) [Translate “Extension Profiles” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/extension-profiles) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/extension-profiles/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/extension-profiles/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/extension-profiles/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/extension-profiles/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 1.0.0 * Initial release. * Create and manage profiles. * Admin bar profile switcher. * Dependency resolution (WordPress 6.5+). * Per-session filtering via MU-plugin. * Plugins page active profile notice. * Emergency disable mechanism (URL parameter + admin bar link) for profile lockout recovery. ## Meta * Version **1.0.0** * Last updated **2 months ago** * Active installations **Fewer than 10** * WordPress version ** 6.5 or higher ** * Tested up to **6.9.4** * PHP version ** 7.4 or higher ** * Language * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/) * Tags * [development](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/development/)[profiles](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/profiles/) [switching](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/switching/)[testing](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/testing/) [troubleshooting](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/troubleshooting/) * [Advanced View](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/extension-profiles/advanced/) ## Ratings No reviews have been submitted yet. [Add my review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/extension-profiles/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/extension-profiles/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ David Towoju ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/davexpression/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/extension-profiles/)