Getting locked out of your own website can feel stressful, especially if you are the site owner and need immediate access. If the lockout was caused by the Shield security plugin, there is a safe way to temporarily turn off the plugin’s restrictions so you can get back into your WordPress admin area and fix the problem.
Are You the Site Owner?
Before continuing, confirm whether you are the owner or administrator of the website.
If you are the site owner, continue with the steps below.
If you are not the site owner, you will need to contact the owner directly. We are not the owner of the site, and we do not manage the website. Only the site owner, administrator, or web host can help restore access.
What Is FTP or File Manager?
When the term FTP is used, it refers to a way of accessing your website files directly on your hosting account. FTP access allows you to browse, upload, edit, and rename files on your website server.
If you are not familiar with FTP, you may also be able to use a File Manager tool provided by your web hosting company. Many hosting dashboards include a File Manager that lets you manage your website files without using separate FTP software.
If you do not know how to access FTP or File Manager, contact your web hosting provider for help.
Continue Only If You Own the Site and Have FTP or File Manager Access
Using the Shield plugin assumes that you have full administrator rights to the website. This includes access to your WordPress admin area and access to your website files through FTP or File Manager.
FTP is often considered the highest level of administrator access for a website. If something goes wrong and you are unable to access WordPress normally, FTP or File Manager is often the best way to fix the problem.
If Shield has locked you out of your own site, you can use FTP or File Manager to force the plugin to temporarily stop enforcing its security restrictions.
How to Temporarily Turn Off Shield Restrictions
To regain access to your site, follow these steps:
- Log in to your FTP account or open the File Manager provided by your web host.
- Browse to the Shield plugin folder:
/wp-content/plugins/wp-simple-firewall/
- Create or upload a file named exactly:
forceoff
The file name must be exactly forceoff.
It must not have any extension. Do not name it forceoff.txt, forceoff.php, or anything similar.
- Reload your website.
Once the forceoff file is detected, Shield will automatically stop enforcing its security rules. This should allow you to log back into your WordPress site and correct the setting that caused the lockout.
What If the Forceoff File Does Not Work?
If creating the forceoff file does not work, you can disable the plugin completely by renaming the plugin folder.
Using FTP or File Manager, rename this folder:
wp-simple-firewall
You can rename it to something like:
wp-simple-firewall-disabled
When WordPress can no longer find the original plugin folder name, it will automatically disable the plugin.
This should only be used if the forceoff method does not solve the problem.
Important: Forceoff Is Temporary
Creating the forceoff file does not change your Shield settings. It only temporarily disables the enforcement of Shield’s security rules.
This means the original problem may still exist.
After creating the forceoff file, log into your WordPress admin area and update the settings that caused the lockout. Once the issue is fixed, remove the forceoff file.
If you remove the file before correcting the problem, the lockout may happen again.
How to Remove the Forceoff File
You can remove the forceoff file manually using FTP or File Manager.
You may also be able to remove it from inside your WordPress admin area. Once you are logged in, go to the Shield admin area and look for the notification at the top of the page. Click the link that says:
Delete 'forceoff' File
This will remove the temporary override and allow Shield to resume normal protection.
Final Reminder
The forceoff file is designed to help site owners regain access when they are locked out by Shield. It should only be used by someone who owns or manages the website and has proper administrator access.
Once you are back inside your site, fix the setting that caused the lockout, then remove the forceoff file so Shield can continue protecting your website.
