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/ Widget Disable

Widget Disable

By required

Site Administration & Utilities / Admin Interface Customization

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Widget Disable Review - In-Depth Analysis

Disable sidebar and dashboard widgets with an easy to use interface.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.05/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 24+ reviews)

Active Installations

10,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This simple plugin allows you to disable any sidebar and dashboard widget for the current WordPress site you are on. It provides a simple user interface available to users with edit_theme_options capabilities (usually Administrator role) available under Appearance -> Disable Widgets.

After saving the settings, the sidebar and dashboard widgets are removed from and the user can’t see those widgets anymore.

Have a look at the filters we provide: wp_widget_disable_default_sidebar_widgets allows you to exclude certain sidebar widgets from being disabled. wp_widget_disable_default_dashboard_widgets allows you to exclude certain dashboard widgets from being disabled.

If you would like to contribute to this plugin, report an issue or anything like that, please note that we develop this plugin on GitHub.

Developed by required.

Comparing to Alternatives

Widget Disable is a straightforward plugin focused on disabling widgets, with several alternatives offering similar or expanded functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and effective at disabling widgets.
Lightweight with minimal impact on performance.
Highly rated with positive user feedback.
No known security vulnerabilities.
Easy to use for quick fixes.

Weaknesses

Limited functionality compared to some alternatives with advanced visibility options.
Does not support all themes equally, e.g., issues with Storefront theme.
No pro version or additional premium features.
Lacks customization beyond disabling widgets.

User Sentiment Analysis

The plugin enjoys overwhelmingly positive reviews with a 4.8 rating from 24 users, mostly 5-star ratings, indicating strong user satisfaction.

Positive highlights

"So useful and nice plugin" - mikhak
"Very useful" - Daniel
"A wonderful plugin, you can't even imagine how happy I am that I found it" - fightingships
"Quick and easy fix to admin dashboard" - twohills
"Does the job right and removes the pesky and somewhat useless widgets" - danielepais

Common complaints

Does not work properly with the Storefront theme.

Weaknesses

Limited compatibility with certain themes.
No advanced widget control features.
No premium support or updates beyond the free version.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who want a simple, no-frills plugin to disable widgets quickly and easily, especially for improving admin dashboard performance.

Not ideal for

Users needing advanced widget visibility controls, compatibility with all themes like Storefront, or premium features and support.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes all core functionality to disable widgets effectively without additional costs.

Final Verdict

Widget Disable is a highly rated and reliable plugin for users seeking a straightforward solution to disable widgets, with excellent user satisfaction and no known security issues. It is especially useful for quickly improving admin dashboard performance by removing unwanted widgets.

However, it lacks advanced features and has limited compatibility with some themes like Storefront. Users requiring more control or theme support may want to consider alternatives with broader functionality. Overall, it offers great value as a free, simple widget disabling tool.