This small utility plugin adds missing plugins to your WordPress plugins list and provides a "Remove Notice" link, allowing you to safely clean up invalid plugin entries with one click.

Note: This plugin doesn't have a settings page. Its functionality is limited to running on the WordPress admin plugins page only.

Key Features

Adds missing plugins directly to your plugins list
Provides a simple "Remove Notice" action link
Works with both single site and multisite WordPress installations
Includes helpful notifications explaining how to fix plugin errors
One-click auto-scroll to find missing plugins in large sites
Clean, user-friendly interface following WordPress design patterns
Integrated Git Updater branch fix (changes 'master' to 'main' for proper updates)

How It Works

When WordPress detects a plugin file that no longer exists but is still referenced in the database as active, it displays an error notice. This plugin:

Detects all missing plugin references in your database
Adds them to your plugins list with "(File Missing)" indicators
Provides a "Remove Notice" link to safely remove them
Shows clear notifications guiding you through the cleanup process
Safely removes the missing active plugin reference from your database using standard WordPress functions
Leaves all remaining plugins installed and active

Use Cases

You've accidentally deleted a plugin via FTP
A plugin was removed by another admin but references remain
You've migrated from another site and have leftover plugin references
Your hosting provider removed a plugin but didn't clean the database

Installation

From WordPress.org:

Visit Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin
Search for "Fix 'Plugin file does not exist.' Notices"
Click "Install Now" and then "Activate"

Manual Installation:

Download the plugin ZIP file
Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
Upload the ZIP file
Activate the plugin

Usage

After activation, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
If you have missing plugin errors, you'll see them in your plugins list with "(File Missing)" markers
Click the "Remove Notice" link next to any missing plugin
The reference will be removed, and the error notification will disappear

Using with Git Updater

If you've installed this plugin from GitHub or Gitea, you'll need Git Updater to receive updates:

Install the Git Updater plugin from git-updater.com/git-updater/
Go to Settings > Git Updater > Remote Management
Click the "Refresh Cache" button to ensure Git Updater recognizes the latest version
Updates will now appear in your WordPress dashboard when available

Choosing Your Update Source

This plugin allows you to choose where you want to receive updates from:

In the Plugins list, find "Fix 'Plugin file does not exist' Notices"
Click the "Choose Update Source" link next to the plugin
Select your preferred update source:
- WordPress.org: Updates from the official WordPress.org repository (has a version update delay due to the WP.org policy review and approval process, best for unmonitored auto-updates)
- GitHub: Updates directly from the GitHub repo main branch for the latest stable release (requires Git Updater plugin, best for monitored updates where the latest features and fixes are needed immediately)
- Gitea: Updates directly from the Gitea repo main branch for the latest stable release (requires Git Updater plugin, best for monitored updates and independence from big-tech)
Click "Save" to apply your preference

Note: If no preference is set, the plugin will automatically use the source it was installed from.

Note: GitHub and Gitea options require the Git Updater plugin to be installed and activated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to remove plugin references?

Yes, this plugin only removes entries from the WordPress active_plugins option, which is safe to modify when a plugin no longer exists. It doesn't modify any other database tables or settings.

What happens after I remove a reference?

The plugin entry will be removed from your active plugins list, and the corresponding error notification will no longer appear after you refresh the page.

Can I use this plugin on a multisite installation?

Yes, the plugin works on both single sites and multisite installations. It properly handles network-activated plugins as well.

How do I know which plugin references should be removed?

The plugin will only show "Remove Notice" links for plugins that are listed in your database but don't actually exist in your plugins directory. These are safe to remove.

Will this break my site?

No. Since the plugin is only removing references to plugins that no longer exist, removing these references won't affect your site's functionality. In fact, it's cleaning up remnants that might be causing issues.

What if I accidentally remove a reference I shouldn't have?

If you remove a reference to a plugin that you later want to reinstall, simply install the plugin again and activate it normally.

Do I need to keep this plugin installed and active after notices are cleared?

Although this plugin consumes minimal disk space, and doesn't run unless you are on the /wp-admin/plugins.php page, you don't need to keep it active or installed if you don't have this notice to clear — but it is safe to, if you just want it as a part of your overall WordPress stack of enhancements and conveniences.

How do I fix the "Plugin file does not exist" error in WordPress?

This error occurs when WordPress has a reference to a plugin in its database, but the actual plugin files are missing. Our plugin provides a simple one-click solution: it adds these missing plugins to your plugins list with a "Remove Notice" button that lets you safely remove the database reference.

Why do I see "The plugin has been deactivated due to an error: Plugin file does not exist"?

This error appears when you've deleted a plugin's files (via FTP or file manager) without properly deactivating it first through the WordPress admin. WordPress still thinks the plugin should be active but can't find its files. Our plugin helps you clean up these references.

Can this plugin fix errors after migrating a WordPress site?

Yes! After migrating a site, you might see plugin errors if some plugins weren't transferred correctly. This plugin will help you identify and clean up those references without having to edit the database directly.

Is it safe to remove plugin references that show "Plugin file does not exist"?

Absolutely. If WordPress is showing this error, it means the plugin files are already gone, and you're just cleaning up a database reference. Our plugin uses WordPress's standard functions to safely remove these references without affecting other plugins or site functionality.

How is this different from manually editing the database?

Manually editing the WordPress database is risky and requires technical knowledge. Our plugin provides a safe, user-friendly way to remove plugin references directly from the WordPress admin interface without any SQL knowledge or database access.

Screenshots

Plugin in action - showing error message, explanation notification, and "Remove Notice" link

Support

If you need help with this plugin, there are several ways to get support:

Reviews

This utility plugin is released under the GPLv2 license as free open source software.

If you find this plugin helpful, please consider leaving a review on WordPress.org.

Your experience and feedback helps others discover the plugin, and encourages continued community-driven, open-source development and support.

Developers

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps to set up a development environment:

Install LocalWP and create a clean site called "Plugin Testing" using the "Preferred" setup option
Run "Site shell" once from the LocalWP page on the site's settings to ensure wp-cli is enabled
Run "Add Run Configurations to VS Code" to update site configuration files in: ~/Local/plugin-testing/conf/
Clone this repository to your local machine, in ~/Git/ or wherever you keep your Git repositories.
Use the build.sh and deploy-local.sh scripts to build and deploy the plugin for testing

AugmentCode.com is recommended as a good all-in-one AI IDE for plugin development and testing.

Please feel free to submit a Pull Request with your improvements.

Fork the repository
Create your feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
Commit your changes: git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature'
Push to the branch: git push origin feature/amazing-feature
Submit a pull request

AI-Powered Development

This repository is configured to work with various AI-powered development tools. You can use any of the following AI IDEs to contribute to this project:

Augment Code - AI-powered coding assistant
Cursor - AI-first code editor
v0 - AI-powered design and development tool
Windsurf - AI coding assistant
Cline - AI terminal assistant
Roo Code - AI pair programmer
Loveable - AI development environment
Bolt - AI-powered code editor
Cody - Sourcegraph's AI coding assistant
Continue - Open-source AI coding assistant

The repository includes configuration files for all these tools to ensure a consistent development experience.

Technical Details

The plugin works by:

Filtering the all_plugins array to add missing plugins
Adding a custom "Remove Notice" action link via plugin_action_links
Adding helpful notifications near error messages
Providing a secure method to remove plugin references from the database

Git Updater Integration

This plugin is designed to work seamlessly with the Git Updater plugin for updates from GitHub and Gitea. To ensure proper integration:

Required Headers: The plugin includes specific headers in the main plugin file that Git Updater uses to determine update sources and branches:

* GitHub Plugin URI: wpallstars/wp-fix-plugin-does-not-exist-notices
* GitHub Branch: main
* Primary Branch: main
* Release Branch: main
* Release Asset: true
* Gitea Plugin URI: https://gitea.wpallstars.com/wpallstars/wp-fix-plugin-does-not-exist-notices
* Gitea Branch: main

Tagging Releases: When creating a new release, always tag it with the 'v' prefix (e.g., v2.2.0) to ensure GitHub Actions can create the proper release assets.
GitHub Actions: The repository includes a GitHub Actions workflow that automatically builds the plugin and creates a release with the .zip file when a new tag is pushed.
Update Source Selection: The plugin includes a feature that allows users to choose their preferred update source (WordPress.org, GitHub, or Gitea).

For more information on Git Updater integration, see the Git Updater Required Headers documentation.

Changelog

2.4.0

Added: Comprehensive documentation for working in multi-repository workspaces
Added: Guidelines to prevent feature hallucination in multi-repo environments
Added: New .ai-workflows/multi-repo-workspace.md file with detailed best practices
Improved: AI assistant documentation with repository context verification
Improved: Wiki documentation to accurately reflect plugin functionality

2.3.1

Updated: Tested compatibility with WordPress 6.8
Improved: Documentation to reflect WordPress 6.8 compatibility

2.3.0

Added: Improved time-efficient development workflow documentation
Added: New git workflow guidelines for better branch management
Added: Comprehensive incremental development approach
Improved: Documentation for local vs. remote testing
Improved: Version management process for more efficient development

2.2.5

Added: Documentation for the developer preferences memory file in .ai-workflows/
Improved: AI assistant instructions for maintaining developer preferences
Updated: Version numbers across all files for consistency

2.2.4

Added: Developer preferences memory file for AI assistants
Improved: AI assistant documentation with instructions for maintaining developer preferences
Updated: WordPress.org documentation with correct plugin slug and version numbers

2.2.3

Improved: Moved admin-specific files to admin/lib directory for better organization
Improved: Updated namespaces to reflect the new file locations
Added: Comprehensive folder structure documentation
Fixed: File references in the main plugin file

2.2.2-stable

Changed: Renamed includes files to lowercase for consistency with the rest of the codebase
Removed: Redundant Git Updater patches and version-fix.js as they're no longer needed
Improved: Documentation for Git Updater integration and release process
Fixed: Token-efficient documentation with references to .ai-workflows files
Added: Comprehensive release process documentation with emphasis on merging to main branch

2.2.1

Changed: Commented out version-fix.js script as it's no longer needed after refactoring
Fixed: Version consistency across all files

2.2.0

Added: Completely refactored plugin to use OOP best practices
Added: New class structure with proper namespaces
Added: Improved code organization and maintainability
Added: Better separation of concerns with dedicated classes
Changed: "Choose Update Source" link to just "Update Source"
Fixed: Close button in the update source modal
Added: Links to the main page for each update source in the modal
Changed: Replaced all instances of "WP ALLSTARS" with "WPALLSTARS"

2.1.1

Added: New "Choose Update Source" feature allowing users to select their preferred update source (WordPress.org, GitHub, or Gitea)
Added: Modal dialog with detailed information about each update source option
Added: Visual indicator showing the currently selected update source
Fixed: Updated heading styles in CHANGELOG.md for better readability
Fixed: Corrected dates in changelog to use 2025 instead of 2024
Improved: Documentation improvements for better clarity
Improved: Enhanced Git Updater integration with user-selectable update sources

2.1.0

Minor version bump for Git Updater compatibility
Improved error handling for Git Updater integration
Enhanced type checking in branch fix functions
Updated documentation for Git Updater installation and cache refreshing

2.0.13

Fixed: Critical error when Git Updater passes an object instead of a string to API URL filter
Fixed: Type checking in branch fix functions to handle both string and object inputs
Improved: Error handling for Git Updater integration
Improved: Documentation for Git Updater installation and cache refreshing

2.0.12

Fixed: Integrated Git Updater branch fix directly into main plugin
Fixed: Removed separate "GU Branch Fix" plugin (no longer needed)
Added: Documentation explaining branch fix integration
Improved: Compatibility with Git Updater plugin
Improved: Deploy script to remove separate branch fix plugin

2.0.11

Added: Created separate "GU Branch Fix" plugin to fix Git Updater branch issues
Added: Deploy script for local testing
Fixed: Git Updater branch issues with 'main' vs 'master' branch names
Improved: Compatibility with Git Updater plugin

2.0.10

Fixed: Plugin details popup version display issue with Git Updater integration
Added: JavaScript-based solution to ensure correct version display in plugin details
Improved: Version consistency across all plugin views
Improved: Cache busting for plugin information API

2.0.9

Fixed: Plugin details popup now correctly shows version and author information
Added: Support for both old and new plugin slugs to fix caching issues
Improved: Cache clearing mechanism to ensure plugin details are always up-to-date
Improved: Version display in plugin details popup

2.0.8

Fixed: Plugin details popup now correctly shows version and author information
Added: Cache-busting mechanism to ensure plugin details are always up-to-date
Improved: Author and contributor information display in plugin details
Improved: Added WordPress 6.5 compatibility indicator

2.0.7

Changed: Additional text improvements and minor fixes

2.0.6

Changed: Text improvements and minor fixes

2.0.5

Fixed: Display correct version in plugin details popup

2.0.4

Fixed: Display actual plugin version instead of 'N/A' for missing plugins in plugin details view

2.0.2

Consolidated WordPress.org assets into .wordpress-org directory
Improved organization of assets for WordPress.org submission
Updated .wordpress-org/README.md with comprehensive information

2.0.1

Added Contributing section to readme.txt
Updated "tested up to" version to WordPress 6.7.2
Added reference-plugins directory for plugin development inspiration
Improved .gitattributes with comprehensive file handling
Enhanced documentation organization

2.0.0

Major version release for WordPress.org submission
Added note clarifying that the plugin has no settings page
Clarified that functionality is limited to the admin plugins page only
Finalized all assets and documentation for public release

1.6.28

Consolidated asset documentation into a single comprehensive guide
Clarified that -rtl suffix is for Right-to-Left languages, not dark mode
Updated all asset README files to point to the main documentation
Improved file organization and documentation structure

1.6.27

Clarified RTL support in WordPress.org asset documentation
Corrected information about -rtl suffix for assets (for right-to-left languages, not dark themes)
Consolidated asset files and improved documentation

1.6.26

Updated screenshot references to use a single comprehensive screenshot
Fixed asset directory paths in documentation
Improved ImageMagick conversion commands for icon generation
Clarified WordPress.org SVN repository structure

1.6.25

Consolidated asset files into their respective directories
Created comprehensive WordPress.org submission guide
Clarified SVN repository structure and asset requirements
Improved organization of asset files

1.6.24

Added properly named icon PNG files for WordPress.org submission
Created icon-256x256.png and icon-128x128.png files
Updated asset preparation documentation

1.6.23

Prepared assets for WordPress.org plugin submission
Added properly named icon, banner, and screenshot files
Created comprehensive guide for WordPress.org asset requirements
Fixed file naming to comply with WordPress.org standards

1.6.22

Enhanced support section with multiple support channel options
Added encouragement for users to leave reviews on WordPress.org
Improved documentation with clearer support instructions

1.6.21

Added support for more AI-powered development tools (Roo, Gemini, Loveable, Bolt, Cody, Continue)
Updated documentation with links to supported AI IDEs
Enhanced SEO with additional FAQs and keywords
Made documentation more generic for boilerplate use
Updated AI configuration files with modern models and better explanations

1.6.20

Added explanations about the ! prefix in ignore files
Moved WordPress-specific patterns to .gitignore
Further improved organization of ignore patterns
Added examples of how to include files excluded by .gitignore

1.6.19

Consolidated common ignore patterns into .gitignore
Simplified AI IDE configuration files to only include tool-specific patterns
Improved organization of ignore patterns for better maintainability
Added more file types to .gitignore for comprehensive coverage

1.6.18

Optimized AI IDE configuration files to only include patterns not in .gitignore
Improved efficiency of ignore files for better AI context management
Enhanced compatibility with various AI-powered development tools

1.6.17

Added .augmentignore file with best practices
Added configuration files for Cursor, Windsurf, v0, and Cline IDEs
Added more design file formats to .gitignore
Added .aiconfig file for general AI IDE compatibility

1.6.16

Updated CI configuration files with correct plugin slugs
Updated CHANGELOG.md with all recent versions
Fixed outdated references to plugin-reference-cleaner

1.6.15

Moved AI workflow documentation to root directory for better visibility
Consolidated duplicate workflow files
Improved organization of development documentation

1.6.14

Updated documentation to consistently use "Remove Notice" instead of "Remove Reference"
Added design file extensions to .gitignore (.pxd, .afdesign, .afphoto, .afpub)
Improved explanation of how the plugin works
Ensured consistent terminology across all documentation

1.6.13

Code cleanup and optimization
Improved Git Updater integration
Fixed author display in plugin information
Ensured compatibility with WordPress 6.4

1.6.12

Added WPALLSTARS as a co-author
Updated author information and links
Added author websites to plugin description
Fixed issue with multiple author URLs

1.6.11

CRITICAL FIX: Completely removed auto-deactivation prevention code that was causing fatal errors
Simplified plugin functionality to focus on core features only
Improved compatibility with various WordPress configurations
Ensured plugin works correctly when other plugins are deleted

1.6.10

Fixed critical error that could occur when a plugin folder is deleted
Improved error handling with try/catch blocks
Added more specific checks for the plugins page
Enhanced compatibility with various WordPress configurations
Made the code more defensive to prevent potential issues

1.6.9

Fixed issue with notices not appearing below WordPress error messages
Improved JavaScript detection of WordPress error notices
Prevented WordPress from automatically clearing error notices on page refresh
Added multiple timing attempts to ensure notices appear correctly
Enhanced error notice targeting for better compatibility

1.6.8

Fixed notice positioning to appear directly below WordPress error messages
Improved notice width to match WordPress error messages
Updated explanatory text for better clarity
Fixed issue with notices not appearing in some cases
Improved JavaScript detection of WordPress error messages

1.6.7

Fixed duplicate notices issue by removing PHP-generated notice
Simplified notice system to only show one notice below WordPress error
Ensured consistent terminology with "Remove Notice" text
Optimized plugin detection with caching to improve performance
Fixed JavaScript to correctly handle multiple error messages

1.6.6

Fixed issue with "Remove Notice" link not appearing on missing plugin rows
Fixed issue with automatic removal of plugin references without user action
Fixed notice positioning to ensure it appears below error messages
Restored pointer triangle to indicate relationship with error message
Improved detection of missing plugins in the plugin list
Enhanced scroll functionality to work with all plugin types

1.6.5

Fixed duplicate notices issue - now only one notice appears below error messages
Changed notice heading to "Fix Plugin Does Not Exist Notices ☝️"
Updated explanatory text to be more clear about the removal process
Changed "Remove Reference" link text to "Remove Notice" for better clarity
Made "(File Missing)" text bold and red for better visibility
Fixed scroll functionality to work with all plugin rows
Improved JavaScript to prevent multiple notices from appearing

1.6.4

Updated version management to ensure consistent patch version increments
Improved documentation for version update process
Enhanced AI workflow files with detailed version increment instructions

1.6.3

Fixed Git Updater repository URLs to use full repository paths
Corrected Update URI configuration for proper update detection
Improved version management following semantic versioning
Updated organization name from 'WP All Stars' to 'WPALLSTARS'
Updated namespace from 'WPAllStars' to 'WPALLSTARS'

1.6.2

Updated POT file version for consistency
Improved JavaScript localization with proper fallbacks
Enhanced code quality for WordPress.org submission
Added Git Updater configuration with Update URI
Added update server URL configuration

1.6.1

Added AI assistant guide and workflow documentation
Added detailed release process documentation
Added feature development guidelines
Added bug fixing procedures
Added code review standards

1.6.0

Added full translation support with POT file
Added JavaScript localization for better multilingual support
Added plugin constants for improved code organization
Added Git Updater support for updates from GitHub and Gitea
Updated code to follow WordPress internationalization best practices
Improved asset loading with version constants
Added smart update detection based on installation source

1.5.0

Improved compatibility with WordPress 6.4
Enhanced error detection for plugin references
Minor UI improvements for better visibility
Accessibility enhancements for screen readers

View full changelog

License

This project is licensed under the GPL-2.0+ License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Description

Have you ever deleted a plugin directly from the server or database and then been stuck with annoying error notifications that can't be cleared? "The plugin folder-name/file-name.php has been deactivated due to an error: Plugin file does not exist." This small utility plugin adds missing plugins to your WordPress plugins list and provides a "Remove Notice" link, allowing you to safely clean up invalid plugin entries with one click. **Note:** This plugin doesn't have a settings page. Its functionality is limited to running on the WordPress admin plugins page only.

https://www.wpallstars.com

Readme GPL-2.0 832 KiB

Releases 15

Release v2.4.0 Latest

2025-04-17 03:29:14 +00:00

Languages

PHP 69%

JavaScript 18%

Shell 5.6%

CSS 4.2%

Gettext 3.2%