Title: Disable Builder Last modified: April 29, 2026 --- # Disable Builder * [Gnodesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gnodesign/) * (@gnodesign) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/) * Hi there, * Would it be possible to add an option/hook/filter to fully disable the builder? * Some of us have been using the plugin mainly as a customizer framework within our themes for years. This new builder feature will just confuse our customers and create more support issues. * A hook or filter to disable the builder programmatically would be really helpful for us developers. I hope we can get this sorted out. Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) * Plugin Support [Rashed Hossain](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/) * (@wprashed) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894507) * Hi there, * Thanks for sharing your feedback—this is a very valid use case. * At the moment, there isn’t an option or hook available to fully disable the builder. That said, I’ve shared your request with our team so they can consider adding this flexibility for developers like you in future updates. * Don’t worry—if any of your users run into issues related to the builder or Kirki, our support team will be there to help. * [Joe Siegler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joe-siegler/) * (@joe-siegler) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894586) * I presume this would apply to the “Design with Kirki” button that has appeared in the editor? I have no need of that, and wanted to disable it. I’m guessing it’s connected to what the OG poster asked about here? * Plugin Support [Rashed Hossain](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/) * (@wprashed) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894599) * Hello [@joe-siegler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joe-siegler/) * The new Kirki plugin includes a Page Builder with 100+ themes. Unfortunately, there isn’t an option available right now to disable it. * [Joe Siegler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joe-siegler/) * (@joe-siegler) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894606) * Right, I understand that, but… * in the message to Gnodesign it was implied that it could be a possibility in a future update – that’s what I was referring to. * Plugin Support [Rashed Hossain](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/) * (@wprashed) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894618) * Hello, * Got it, thanks for clarifying. * I understand what you’re referring to. I’ll make sure to pass your feedback along to our team so they can consider it for a future update. * Appreciate you taking the time to share this—it really helps. * [Joe Siegler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joe-siegler/) * (@joe-siegler) * [4 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18894637) * A few years back I installed a theme on my blog which included a handful of plugins– one of which was yours. It just “came with” the theme I use, so the design aspects of all this are of little interest to me. Link: [https://joesiegler.blog/](https://joesiegler.blog/) * [Michael Travan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michael-travan/) * (@michael-travan) * [3 weeks, 6 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18895078) * Hello [@joe-siegler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joe-siegler/), * Kirki was used as a customizer framework by many themes, I am myself into your very same situation. It looks like the plugin has been taken over by other authors( or maybe same authors, I don’t remember), that (rightfully) decided to turn it into a fully fledged builder. It is annoying, because if you needed to use Kirki just like a customizer framework, you don’t need that at all. That’s what [@gnodesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gnodesign/) was asking, if an option to completely deactivate the builder will be available in the future. * [@wprashed](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/), even if I get your reasons, you need to understand that a lot of Kirki users will be annoyed by this move. It is okay to have an updated and secured plugin in the future, but we just don’t need all the bloats of a full website builder, if the only use of Kirki was as customizer framework. If you pursue this road, I won’t be surprised if “someone” decided to fork this to offer a lightweight solution, as it used to be. I’m confident you will think about it. * Plugin Support [Rashed Hossain](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/) * (@wprashed) * [3 weeks, 6 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18895096) * Hi [@michael-travan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michael-travan/) * Thanks for sharing your thoughts—we understand your concern. Kirki has been widely used as a lightweight framework, and we know not everyone needs the builder. * Right now, there’s no option to disable it, but this feedback has been noted and shared with our team for consideration. * That said, the builder can be helpful for end users to design their websites with a modern approach, and it’s built to be faster than many existing WordPress page builders. * Appreciate you raising this. * [Michael Travan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michael-travan/) * (@michael-travan) * [3 weeks, 6 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18895138) * See you, [@wprashed](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/). * [Bence Szalai](https://wordpress.org/support/users/grapestain/) * (@grapestain) * [3 weeks, 6 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18895798) * It is clearly one of those decisions that ignores what the users want. * Which is okay, you can do that, it is free software, we have no rights to complain. * But be bold enough to admit that your product has pivoted and existing users concerns are ignored as a deliberate decision. There is no need to be wishy-washy with “At the moment, there isn’t an option or hook available to fully disable the builder.”. Whoever made this decision to turn a plugin that had purpose A to a completely different plugin serving purpose B must have made this decision knowing that it’ll put existing users into a situation they did not choose to end up in. * Again, it is fine, you can do that. But don’t pretend it is a fair thing to do. * I can tell you what it looks like: You had this plugin, installed on large number of sites, because it was a go to Customizer extension for developers for many years. It was obvioulsy not installed by end-users, it was used by devs. So looking at the large install base you just decided to effectively hijack all those sites and try to push you new and completely unrelated product onto those websites, hoping the end users would pick it up. * Again, you can do that, but don’t create this deeply unjust discussion suggesting the builder cannot be disabled “At the moment”. We all know what is going on. * You may be polite with your words, but is it really polite to think we are all blind / dumb to not see what you did? I don’t think so… * You can do whatever you want with your software, but you cannot at the same time expect us to pretend we don’t see what you did and to not speak up when you make a fool out of us all… - This reply was modified 3 weeks, 6 days ago by [Bence Szalai](https://wordpress.org/support/users/grapestain/). - This reply was modified 3 weeks, 6 days ago by [Bence Szalai](https://wordpress.org/support/users/grapestain/). * [neralex](https://wordpress.org/support/users/neralex/) * (@neralex) * [3 weeks, 1 day ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18900047) * [@wprashed](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wprashed/): after reading all those complainings, I just have one question: Why I have since the last updates in my dashboard now a link named “Kirki” and can’t reach it as admin-user “Sorry you are not allowed to access this page”? wtf what are you doing here? * Kirki was a part of a theme, which I’m using since some years. I guess like all other here in this thread. Can you please explain, what’s going on here and why plugins got installed and restricted on the same way without any information? - This reply was modified 3 weeks, 1 day ago by [neralex](https://wordpress.org/support/users/neralex/). * [Nafiz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/urnafiz/) * (@urnafiz) * [3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18900289) * Hello [@neralex](https://wordpress.org/support/users/neralex/), * Sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this has caused. * With new update, we introduced builder feature in Kirki, which is why you are now seeing **Kirki** menu item in your dashboard. The plugin itself has not been restricted. Its a temporary permission issue. To resolve this, please deactivate Kirki plugin and then activate it again. This should restore proper access. We are already working on a fix and plan to include it in an upcoming release to prevent this from happening again. * Thread Starter [Gnodesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gnodesign/) * (@gnodesign) * [1 week, 3 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18910012) * Any updates on this? * Could you please prioritize this for the next update, or at least let us know if this is not something you plan to implement so we can explore alternative solutions. * Our themes use Elementor, and the new page builder integration in Kirki adds unnecessary bloat to the theme, negatively affects performance, and is not something our users are using. Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) You must be [logged in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Fdisable-builder%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US) to reply to this topic. * ![](https://ps.w.org/kirki/assets/icon-256x256.jpg?rev=3518366) * [Kirki – Freeform Page Builder, Website Builder & Customizer](https://wordpress.org/plugins/kirki/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/kirki/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/kirki/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/kirki/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/kirki/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/kirki/reviews/) * 14 replies * 7 participants * Last reply from: [Gnodesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gnodesign/) * Last activity: [1 week, 3 days ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/disable-builder/#post-18910012) * Status: not resolved