How to use deactivated_plugin action in WordPress

Ever faced a situation where you need to know when a plugin gets deactivated in WordPress? That’s where the deactivated_plugin action hook comes into play. It’s super useful for developers who want to perform specific tasks when a plugin is deactivated. But hey, remember, if a plugin is silently deactivated during an update, this hook won’t fire. So, make sure you register it properly.

To get started with the deactivated_plugin action, you need to register it using add_action. You can do this in your theme’s functions.php or, even better, in a custom WordPress Plugin. At WePlugins, we always suggest creating a custom plugin for hooks to keep your theme updates smooth and hassle-free.

Example 1: Basic Hook Usage

Here’s a straightforward example to get you started with the deactivated_plugin action hook.

    function weplugins_execute_on_deactivated_plugin_event($plugin, $network_deactivating){
        // Code to execute when this action occurs in WordPress
    }
    // Add the action
    add_action("deactivated_plugin", "weplugins_execute_on_deactivated_plugin_event", 10, 2);
    

Example 2: Removing the Hook

If you ever need to remove a registered hook, use remove_action like this.

    remove_action("deactivated_plugin", "weplugins_execute_on_deactivated_plugin_event", 10, 2);
    

Example 3: Using Parameters

Below is how you can use the parameters with this hook.

    function weplugins_execute_on_deactivated_plugin_event($plugin, $network_deactivating){
        // Implement custom functionality using $plugin and $network_deactivating
    }
    add_action("deactivated_plugin", "weplugins_execute_on_deactivated_plugin_event", 10, 2);
    

If you need any customization or run into issues, feel free to Contact Us for expert assistance.