Plugins menu doesn't appear in the admin panel

Question

I'm having a very simple problem. I'm new to WordPress and I'm trying to install a plugin.

Everyone says there's a "plugins" option on the sidebar-menu in the admin panel, but I don't see one! I've looked for it in all the sub-menus too.

Whenever I try to search for this problem, I get results about creating a plugin to show on the admin menu.

Anyway, how can I get the plugins menu to show up?

Answer 1

I have never seen that problem before. However, try either expanding all the current menu items to see if "plugins" are listed there, or try deactivating some/all of your plugins to see if one of the plugins are conflicting somehow and making your plugins menu not display.

Answer 2

This what I found looking for the same problem, I guess this is your situation also:

If your site is hosted on WordPress.com:

Plugins: Plugins are tools used to extend the functionality of the WordPress platform. However, they are only applicable to self-hosted blogs and web sites using the WordPress.org software. Plugins are not permitted here at WordPress.com for various security reasons.

Answer 3

I found this post searching for help with a similar issue with a self-hosted WordPress installation -- in this case it was a site that a friend had paid someone to make, but then took them off the work and asked me to help out.

There were several regular menu options missing -- it turned out to be down to a plugin called Admin Menu Editor that the previous web guy had installed to limit the options available to my friend, so they wouldn't mess with things.

In this case I could access the options for Admin Menu Editor by going to http://www.example.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=menu_editor

Answer 4

On wordpress.com hosted sites, you don't have permission to install plugins. You must have an own wordpress installation to do that.

Answer 5

If you install a local WordPress the Plugins sub menu will not appear for any of the sites you work. Click My Sites area at the top of the page then click Network Admin and then click Dashboard. The Plugins sub menu will appear there. Then install new plugins and use it on sites on which you are working. Good luck.

Answer 6

In one of my cases it turned out to be strictly file permission thing so apache users could not access the plugins directory.