Have you ever updated a WordPress theme or plugin, only to find your website suddenly broken or showing the dreaded “critical error”? You’re not alone. In many cases, a theme or plugin update introduces a bug, conflicts with another component, or is simply incompatible with your WordPress version.
If you can’t access your admin dashboard to fix it, don’t panic you can roll back the plugin or theme manually using cPanel, without losing your content.
This article post will walk you through each step safely and clearly, from identifying the cause to restoring the previous version manually.

Why Roll Back a Theme or Plugin?

Rolling back a theme or plugin means restoring an older, working version of the item. It’s useful when:

• Your site crashes after a recent update

• You get a “critical error” message

• Specific functions (sliders, widgets, forms) stop working

• You can’t access wp-admin anymore

Unlike disabling a plugin, rolling it back restores its previous stable state making your site function as it did before.

Step-by-Step: How to Roll Back a Plugin or Theme via cPanel

Step 1: Log in to Your cPanel Account

Visit:

Enter your username and password provided by your hosting company.

Step 2: Open File Manager

Once inside cPanel:

• Scroll to Files

• Click on File Manager

• Navigate to the folder where WordPress is installed (usually public_html/)

Inside, open:

You’ll see two important folders:

• plugins/

• themes/

Step 3: Identify the Faulty Plugin or Theme

Think back to what you updated recently:

• Was it a contact form plugin?

• A theme update?

If you’re unsure, check your email or hosting error logs, or temporarily rename the plugin folder (explained below) to isolate the issue.

Step 4: Rename or Delete the Faulty Version

To disable the faulty plugin or theme:

• Go to:

  • wp-content/plugins/plugin-name/

  • Or wp-content/themes/theme-name/

• Right-click the folder and choose Rename

• Add something like -disabled at the end

This prevents WordPress from loading it, effectively deactivating it.

Example: Rename elementor to elementor-disabled

Now visit your site. If it loads again, you’ve found the culprit.

Step 5: Download the Previous Version

Now you’ll need the older version of the plugin or theme:

• For plugins: Go to the WordPress Plugin Directory

  • Search the plugin

  • Click Advanced View

  • Scroll to Previous Versions

  • Download the ZIP of the older version

• For themes: Visit the theme’s official page or GitHub repository

Save the ZIP file on your computer.

Step 6: Upload the Old Version via cPanel

Back in cPanel’s File Manager:

1. Go to:

   • public_html/wp-content/plugins/

   • Or public_html/wp-content/themes/

2. Click Upload

3. Upload the ZIP file you just downloaded

4. Once uploaded, go back and Extract the ZIP file

5. This creates a fresh folder with the old version

Tip: Before extracting, delete the renamed or broken version folder (after backup, if needed) to avoid conflicts.

Step 7: Test Your Website

After extraction:

• Refresh your website

• Try logging into wp-admin

If the rollback worked, your site should be restored and functioning properly with the older plugin or theme version.

Optional: Prevent Auto-Updates (For That Item)

If you want to prevent WordPress from automatically updating that theme or plugin:

• Log in to the WordPress dashboard (if it’s working now)

• Go to Plugins or Themes

• Disable Auto-Update next to the item you just rolled back

Alternatively, use a plugin like Easy Updates Manager once the dashboard is accessible.

Final Thoughts

Rolling back a broken theme or plugin manually via cPanel gives you control when WordPress crashes and the admin panel is out of reach. Whether it’s a compatibility issue, a buggy update, or a conflict with another plugin, restoring a previous version often gets your site back online quickly.
With cPanel’s File Manager, even non-technical users can fix the problem without needing FTP or terminal access.
And remember always keep backups, and test updates on staging environments if possible.