Title: You should remove inactive plugins?
Last modified: January 14, 2024

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# You should remove inactive plugins?

 *  [Sean](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sean-h/)
 * (@sean-h)
 * [2 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/you-should-remove-inactive-plugins/)
 * What if it’s a reputable premium plugin I intend using soon enough?
 * Here’s my situation. We are working on a site we may want to fully translate,
   at some point. In the meantime, WPML is installed and some pages are translated
   but none of the translations are currently published.
 * However, Google Search Console is showing some weird errors about the secondary
   language directory, as in 404 not found. Maybe this is because some secondary
   language pages were briefly published, then un-published, and in the meantime
   they got indexed, but now G can’t find them anymore.
 * So, I have thought to just disable WPML until we are ready to start translating,
   which will pretty much double our workload, hence the pause.
 * This then raises the ‘issue’ that prompted this post. WordPress Site Health is
   now saying I should remove inactive plugins if I don’t intend using them as they
   are a target for hackers? So active plugins are safer than inactive ones, even
   if they are not maintained?
 * I always thought _all_ plugins were targets, inactive or not, _if they are poorly
   maintained_. I’d like to think WPML is maintained well enough. I also believe
   plugins will still be updated even if they are inactive.
 * My suggestion/feedback is if WordPress could consider the wording used in Site
   Health to perhaps say something more along the lines of: “You should remove _any_
   plugins that have not been recently updated.” Or, when about to deactivate a 
   plugin, perhaps a warning banner to say inactive plugins are bigger targets, 
   you should think before deactivating.
 * So basically, can I safely leave WPML inactive indefinitely, or are the hackers
   now on their way en masse?
    -  This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/).

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Moderator [Yui](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fierevere/)
 * (@fierevere)
 * 永子
 * [2 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/you-should-remove-inactive-plugins/#post-17341839)
 * th decisions are still on you. If you’re planning to use it, there’s no reason
   to remove.
 * however i have seen many cases sites been hacked due to old premium inactive 
   themes, plugins also can allow hackers attacki, especially if they are not updated,
   thats executable code and sometimes can execute even withoutbeing activated
 *  [Svetoslav Marinov](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lordspace/)
 * (@lordspace)
 * [2 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/you-should-remove-inactive-plugins/#post-17346848)
 * yeah, if you are definitely going to be using WPML there’s no point of keeping
   it deactivated. It’s better to check with the WPML support why you’re getting
   errors otherwise you’re just delaying stuff.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘You should remove inactive plugins?’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Everything else WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/miscellaneous/)
 * 2 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Svetoslav Marinov](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lordspace/)
 * Last activity: [2 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/you-should-remove-inactive-plugins/#post-17346848)
 * Status: not resolved

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