Safe Mode

Safe Mode

Safe Mode is an emergency recovery mechanism that temporarily disables Admin UX Cleaner (AUC) restrictions.

It is designed for situations where an incorrect AUC configuration prevents normal administrative access and the Recovery URL is unavailable or cannot be used.

Unlike Recovery URL, Safe Mode can be enabled outside the WordPress admin area by adding a constant to your WordPress configuration file.

This makes Safe Mode an important fallback when normal AUC recovery methods are not available.

When to Use Safe Mode

In most situations, you should use the Recovery URL first.

Safe Mode is intended as a fallback when:

• You cannot access Admin UX Cleaner normally.
• Your account is unexpectedly affected by Page Locks or other AUC restrictions.
• Your Recovery URL is unavailable.
• Recovery Mode cannot be activated normally.
• You need to bypass AUC restrictions before you can correct the configuration.

Safe Mode should be used temporarily for troubleshooting, not as part of your normal AUC setup.

Enable Safe Mode

To enable Safe Mode, you need access to your WordPress files.

You can usually access them through:

• Your hosting control panel.
• FTP or SFTP.
• SSH.
• A file manager provided by your hosting provider.

Open the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.

Caption: Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.

Add the AUC Safe Mode constant before the line:

/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

Add:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', true);

Your configuration should look similar to:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', true);

/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

Save the file.

Caption: Add the AUC_SAFE_MODE constant to wp-config.php to temporarily enable Safe Mode.

Return to your WordPress admin area after saving the change.

What Safe Mode Does

When AUC detects:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', true);

Safe Mode becomes active and AUC stops applying its normal restrictions.

This allows a trusted WordPress administrator to regain access to the admin area and correct the problematic configuration.

Safe Mode can temporarily bypass restrictions associated with supported AUC features, allowing you to troubleshoot without uninstalling the plugin or manually modifying its stored configuration.

Safe Mode does not modify or delete your existing AUC settings.

Your configuration remains stored while Safe Mode is active.

Safe Mode Does Not Change WordPress Permissions

Safe Mode affects AUC restrictions only.

It does not change:

• WordPress user roles.
• WordPress capabilities.
• User passwords.
• Plugin permissions outside AUC.
• WordPress authentication.

A user must still log in with a valid WordPress account and have the appropriate WordPress permissions.

Safe Mode is not an authentication bypass.

Its purpose is simply to stop an AUC configuration from preventing a trusted administrator from correcting that configuration.

Correct the Problem

Once Safe Mode is active, log in to WordPress and open Admin UX Cleaner.

Identify the configuration that caused the access problem.

Start by reviewing:

1. Audience to confirm which roles and users are affected.
2. Page Locks for pages that may have been restricted incorrectly.
3. Menu Cleaner if important navigation was hidden.
4. Owner & Manager Access to verify trusted administrative accounts.
5. Other AUC features involved in the affected workflow.

Correct the problematic configuration and save your changes.

Do not disable Safe Mode until you have identified and corrected the issue.

Caption: Review and correct the problematic AUC configuration while Safe Mode is active.

Disable Safe Mode

After correcting the configuration, return to wp-config.php.

Remove:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', true);

Alternatively, change it to:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', false);

Save the file.

AUC will return to normal operation and your saved configuration will be applied again.

After disabling Safe Mode, test the affected admin area immediately.

Confirm that:

• Your trusted administrator can access AUC.
• The intended Audience receives the correct configuration.
• Important admin pages remain accessible to the appropriate users.
• Page Locks affect only the intended audience.
• Normal workflows continue to work.

Do Not Leave Safe Mode Enabled

Safe Mode is intended only for temporary recovery and troubleshooting.

While Safe Mode is active, normal AUC restrictions are bypassed.

Leaving it enabled means the admin cleanup and access restrictions configured through AUC may not be applied as intended.

Once the problem has been corrected and tested, disable Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is an emergency recovery tool, not a permanent operating mode.

Safe Mode Does Not Delete Your Configuration

Enabling Safe Mode does not reset AUC.

Your existing:

• Audience settings.
• Menu Cleaner configuration.
• Page Locks.
• Notice Cleaner settings.
• Dashboard Cleaner settings.
• Admin Bar Cleaner settings.

remain stored.

When Safe Mode is disabled, AUC can resume using the saved configuration.

This makes Safe Mode safer than manually deleting settings while troubleshooting an access problem.

Safe Mode vs. Deactivating AUC

If you have access to the WordPress plugin management screen, deactivating AUC may also stop its functionality.

However, Safe Mode is specifically designed for recovery and does not require you to deactivate or remove the plugin.

It is especially useful when the problematic configuration prevents you from reaching the plugin management screen normally.

You should generally use the available AUC recovery mechanisms before attempting to manually remove plugin files.

Safe Mode vs. Recovery URL

Recovery URL and Safe Mode provide two different recovery paths.

The normal recovery order is:

AUC configuration problem
        ↓
Try Recovery URL
        ↓
Recovery unavailable?
        ↓
Enable Safe Mode
        ↓
Correct the configuration
        ↓
Disable Safe Mode
        ↓
Test normal access

If You Cannot Edit wp-config.php

If you do not have access to your WordPress files, contact the person or provider responsible for managing the website.

This may be:

• Your hosting provider.
• Your website developer.
• Your agency.
• Your server administrator.

Ask them to add the following constant to wp-config.php:

define('AUC_SAFE_MODE', true);

Once access has been recovered and the AUC configuration has been corrected, the constant should be removed or set to false.

Recommended Recovery Order

If an AUC configuration causes an access problem:

1. Confirm that you are using the correct WordPress account.
2. Try the Recovery URL.
3. Correct the problematic AUC configuration.
4. If Recovery URL is unavailable, enable Safe Mode.
5. Correct the configuration while Safe Mode is active.
6. Disable Safe Mode.
7. Test the affected role or user again.
8. Create a backup once the configuration is working correctly.

Avoid deleting AUC settings or plugin files as your first troubleshooting step.

The built-in recovery mechanisms are designed to let you regain access while preserving your existing configuration.

Next Step

Once you understand AUC's recovery mechanisms, continue with Reset & Factory Reset to learn how to remove selected configuration data or return AUC to its initial state.