Activate WPBakery via phpMyAdmin: Steps and Alternate Ways

WPBakery is a powerful page builder, but what if you suddenly find it deactivated or missing from your WordPress admin dashboard? It can disrupt your website editing and updating process. If you can’t activate WPBakery from WordPress, you won’t be able to make changes to your website.

Manually reinstalling the plugin doesn’t always fix the issue, and waiting for support can be time-consuming. So, what’s the solution to this issue? Using phpMyAdmin to activate WPBackery in WordPress.

In this blog, we’ll understand what might be the reason that can compel you to use phpMyAdmin to activate WPBacker. We’ll learn how professional WordPress development services providers activate WPBakery in phpMyAdmin. Plus, we’ll explore alternate ways to activate WPBakery in WordPress. With that said, let’s begin!

What is WPBakery Page Builder?

WPBakery Page Builder (formerly known as Visual Composer) is a popular drag-and-drop website builder plugin for WordPress. It allows users to create website content and layouts without needing to write any code.

WPBakery is a popular choice for developing websites and is used by over 5,800,000 websites worldwide. It provides an intuitive visual editor where users can add, move, and style elements such as text, images, buttons, and columns easily.

Key Features of WPBakery Page Builder

• Front-End and Back-End Editing: Users can design pages in real-time (front-end) or use the back-end editor for structured layout creation.
• Pre-Built Templates: Comes with a collection of ready-to-use templates to speed up website design.
• Extensive Add-ons: Offers a variety of content elements, including sliders, tabs, galleries, and social media widgets.
• Responsive Design Controls: Ensures that pages look great on all devices with mobile-friendly settings.
• WooCommerce Compatibility: Can be used to design eCommerce pages seamlessly.
• Third-Party Plugin Support: Works with many WordPress themes and plugins, including SEO and caching plugins.

Overall, WPBakery Page Builder is a tool for creating websites with ease, making it a popular choice among WordPress users.

Why Use phpMyAdmin to Activate WPBakery?

Activating WPBakery Page Builder via phpMyAdmin is necessary in situations where you cannot access the WordPress dashboard to enable the plugin manually. Here are the key reasons why you might need to use phpMyAdmin for this process:

Lost Access to WordPress Admin Panel

If your website crashes or displays the white screen of death, you may be locked out of the WordPress dashboard. This makes it impossible to activate WPBakery through the usual plugin settings. Using phpMyAdmin, you can directly modify the database and enable the plugin.

Plugin Conflicts Preventing Activation

Sometimes, WPBakery may not activate due to conflicts with other plugins or themes. These conflicts can prevent the plugin from loading properly or even cause errors in the WordPress admin panel. By using phpMyAdmin, you can force activation without needing to disable other plugins first.

Accidental Deactivation or Corrupted Settings

Sometimes, WPBakery may be accidentally deactivated due to changes in plugin settings. Corrupt database entries can also cause the plugin to stop working properly. Using phpMyAdmin, you can modify the active_plugins field in the database and reactivate it. It ensures WPBakery functions normally without losing customizations.

These are the key reasons why you may need to activate WPBakery using phpMyAdmin. If you want help troubleshooting any issues of building a website, consult with our WordPress development company.

Prerequisites for Activating WPBakery in phpMyAdmin

Before making any changes in phpMyAdmin, it’s essential to follow certain steps to ensure a smooth and error-free activation process. Below are the key prerequisites:

1. Access to phpMyAdmin

You need phpMyAdmin access to modify your WordPress database. This is typically available through your hosting provider’s control panel (such as cPanel or DirectAdmin). If you’re unsure how to access it, check your hosting documentation or contact support.

2. Identify Your WordPress Database

Every WordPress website has a unique database, and you must work with the correct one. If you have multiple databases, open the wp-config.php file (located in your WordPress root folder) and look for the DB_NAME value. This will confirm which database you need to edit in phpMyAdmin.

3. Backup Your Website

Before making any changes, always take a full WordPress website backup to prevent data loss. You can do this using phpMyAdmin’s Export feature or a WordPress backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or WPVivid. If anything goes wrong, you can restore the backup to avoid breaking your site.

4. Locate the wp_options Table

Once inside phpMyAdmin, you must find the wp_options table (it may have a prefix like wp_abc_options depending on your setup). This table stores site settings, including active plugins, and is crucial for manually enabling WPBakery.

5. Understanding Serialized Data

The active_plugins option in the wp_options table is stored as serialized data (a structured format that WordPress uses). If you modify this incorrectly, it can break other plugins. It’s important to edit carefully and only add WPBakery’s activation entry without disrupting the structure.

6. Ensure WPBakery is Installed

Manually activating WPBakery in phpMyAdmin only works if the plugin files are already present in the wp-content/plugins/ directory. If WPBakery is missing, you’ll need to upload and install it manually before activation.

By following these prerequisites and steps, you can activate WPBakery Page Builder via phpMyAdmin safely and effectively. If you encounter any issues, consider seeking assistance from an expert WordPress development services provider.

Steps to Activate WPBakery in phpMyAdmin

If you are unable to activate WPBakery from the WordPress admin panel, you can manually enable it using phpMyAdmin. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth activation process.

Step 1: Log in to phpMyAdmin

Start by logging into your hosting account and navigating to phpMyAdmin. This tool is available in most control panels like cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin. Once inside, you will see a list of databases associated with your hosting account.

Step 2: Select the Correct WordPress Database

Locate the database that your WordPress site is using. If you have multiple databases and are unsure which one to select, open the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory. Inside this file, look for the DB_NAME entry, which will show the correct database name to select in phpMyAdmin.

Step 3: Open the wp_options Table

After selecting the correct database, find and open the wp_options table. If your database has a prefix (e.g., wp_abc_options), locate the corresponding options table. This table contains important WordPress settings, including the list of active plugins.

Step 4: Locate the active_plugins Row

Inside the wp_options table, search for the row with the option_name value active_plugins. If you don’t see it immediately, use the Search tab in phpMyAdmin and enter active_plugins. Once found, click on the Edit (pencil) icon to modify the entry.

Step 5: Add WPBakery to the Active Plugins List

The option_value field contains serialized data, which stores a list of all active plugins. If WPBakery (js_composer) is missing, you need to add it manually while keeping the data structure intact. Ensure you don’t delete or misplace any characters, as improper formatting can cause errors on your website.

Step 6: Save Changes

Once you have added WPBakery to the active plugins list, click the Go button to save the changes. It’s important to double-check that the serialized format remains correct to prevent any site issues. After saving, phpMyAdmin will update the database, and WPBakery should now be activated.

Step 7: Verify WPBakery Activation

Now, return to your WordPress admin panel and check if WPBakery is listed as an active plugin. If the plugin does not appear, try clearing your WordPress cache and refreshing the page. You may also need to log out and log back in to see the changes.

Step 8: Troubleshooting (If Needed)

If your site encounters any errors after making the changes, you can restore the database backup you created earlier. If WPBakery is still missing, check if the plugin files exist in the wp-content/plugins/ directory. If they are missing, manually upload the plugin via FTP or the File Manager in your hosting panel.

By following these steps, you can successfully activate WPBakery via phpMyAdmin without accessing the WordPress dashboard.

Alternative Methods to Activate WPBakery in WordPress

If you prefer a different approach other than phpMyAdmin, there are alternative methods to activate WPBakery in WordPress. Below are two reliable ways to enable WPBakery using FTP and WP-CLI. These methods ensure that the plugin is activated without depending on the WordPress admin panel.

Method 1: Enabling WPBakery Manually via FTP

Using FTP to activate WPBakery is a practical method when the plugin is installed but not appearing in the WordPress dashboard. This method involves uploading the plugin files manually and ensuring WordPress recognizes them.

Step 1: Use an FTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP to access your website. Enter your FTP credentials, including the host, username, password, and port, which you can find in your hosting account.

Step 2: Once connected, go to your WordPress root directory (usually named public_html or www). Then, navigate to /wp-content/plugins/ and check if the js_composer folder (WPBakery’s plugin folder) is present.

Step 3: If the js_composer folder is missing, download the WPBakery plugin .zip file from your purchase source. Extract it on your computer and upload the entire js_composer folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory via FTP.

Step 4: Ensure that the WPBakery folder and its files have the correct permissions. Right-click the js_composer folder in your FTP client, select File Permissions, and set it to 755 for folders and 644 for files.

Step 5: Log into your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Plugins, and check if WPBakery appears. Click Activate, and the plugin should now be functional.

Step 6: If the plugin is still not active, try refreshing your WordPress cache and reloading the dashboard.

Ideal For: Users who don’t have access to phpMyAdmin but can access their hosting files.

Method 2: Activating Using WP-CLI

WP-CLI (WordPress Command Line Interface) is a powerful tool that allows you to manage WordPress via terminal commands. If you have SSH access, you can quickly activate WPBakery using WP-CLI.

Step 1: Connect to your server via SSH using a terminal or an SSH client like PuTTY. Enter your SSH login credentials provided by your hosting provider.

Step 2: Navigate to your WordPress installation directory. You can do this using the command:

cd /path/to/your/wordpress/

Step 3: Run the following WP-CLI command to activate WPBakery:

wp plugin activate js_composer

This will immediately activate WPBakery if it is installed correctly.

Step 4: To confirm that WPBakery is active, run the command:

wp plugin list

Look for js_composer in the list, and check if its status is active.

Step 5: If WPBakery doesn’t activate, try reinstalling it using:

wp plugin install js_composer --activate

It will download and activate the latest version of WPBakery.

Ideal For: Developers and advanced users comfortable with command-line interfaces.

These alternative methods provide flexibility for activating WPBakery, depending on your available access and technical expertise.

FAQs About Activating WPBakery in phpMyAdmin

Let’s Summarize

Activating WPBakery through phpMyAdmin is a reliable solution when the standard methods fail. By directly modifying the database, you can restore access without needing the WordPress admin panel. This approach is especially useful if the plugin deactivates unexpectedly or if login issues prevent access to the dashboard.

Aside from phpMyAdmin, other methods like FTP and WP-CLI offer alternative ways to enable WPBakery. A smoothly functioning WPBakery Page Builder is essential for maintaining a well-designed WordPress site. Keeping regular backups before making database changes is always a good practice to prevent data loss.

If you want to build a robust and scalable WordPress website that aligns with your needs, contact us today!