Disable or uninstall an add-on (and what gets deleted)

XenForo gives you two ways to stop using an add-on. Disabling switches it off and keeps everything, so you can switch it back on later exactly as it was. Uninstalling removes the add-on and the data it created, for good. When in doubt, disable. You can always uninstall later, but you cannot undo an uninstall without a backup.

Disable: switch it off, keep everything

A disabled add-on stops working immediately. Its features, widgets and page changes disappear. Its settings, permissions and data stay in the database untouched.

1. In the Admin CP, open Add-ons and find the add-on under Installed add-ons.
2. Click the cog icon next to it (More options) and choose Disable.
3. Confirm.

To bring it back, use the same menu and choose Enable. Over SSH, php cmd.php xf:addon-disable DC/Thumbnail and xf:addon-enable do the same. More command-line tools.

Disabling is the right first step when you are troubleshooting. If a problem goes away with an add-on disabled, you know where to look.

Note: While an add-on is disabled, its option group still shows in Setup > Options with a message that the add-on is disabled. Its settings are kept, not lost.

Uninstall: remove it and its data

Uninstalling runs the add-on's own clean-up. It removes its options, permissions, phrases and templates, and usually drops the database tables it created. Anything stored in those tables is gone.

1. Take a backup first. How to back up your forum.
2. In Add-ons, open the add-on's cog menu and choose Uninstall.
3. Confirm, and keep the tab open until it finishes.
4. Remove the add-on's files. After uninstalling, it moves back to Installable add-ons. If your server lets XenForo write to its add-ons folder, a Delete files button removes the files for you. Otherwise, delete them by FTP: the src/addons/DC/Name folder and, if there is one, js/DC/Name.

What gets deleted: some examples

• Thumbnail drops its thumbnail tables. Thread thumbnails disappear, but your posts and attachments are untouched.
• Unique Field removes its settings from your custom fields. The fields themselves, and the values members entered, stay.
• Advanced Tag View removes the tabs and gallery settings you added to each tag. Your tags stay.
• Story deletes all stories, highlights and streaks.

Warning: Google Drive Attachments must be migrated back first. Uninstalling it does not move files back from Google Drive, so attachments stored there would stop loading. Run its "migrate to local" tool and wait for it to finish before you uninstall. Set up Google Drive Attachments explains the tool.

If uninstall refuses to run

"This add-on cannot be uninstalled. This is likely because required files are missing." means XenForo cannot find the code it needs to run the clean-up, usually because the files were already deleted. Upload the same version's files again, then uninstall. The file health check shows what is missing.

If another add-on depends on the one you are removing, remove the dependent one first. Add-ons that need another add-on first lists them.

Still stuck? Open a support ticket and tell us which add-on you are removing and what you saw. If you are not sure whether to disable or uninstall, ask us first.