---
title: Troubleshooting Downloads That Do Not Work
description: WordPress plugin or theme download not starting? Check the plugin is active, your user capabilities, and your cache.
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/fix-dashboard-downloads/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: Troubleshooting
tags:
  - Download Plugins and Themes from Dashboard
---

# Troubleshooting Downloads That Do Not Work

If a download does not start in Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard, first confirm the plugin is active under Plugins > Installed Plugins and that your role has the activate_plugins or switch_themes capability. Then clear your caches, check for a server requirements notice, and deactivate other plugins to rule out a conflict.

### 1. Confirm the plugin is active

Go to **Plugins > Installed Plugins** and make sure **Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard** is activated. If you run the Pro version, activate only the Pro plugin.

### 2. Check your user capabilities

The download actions are capability-gated:

- Downloading a **plugin** requires the `activate_plugins` capability.
- Downloading a **theme** requires the `switch_themes` capability.

Both are part of the Administrator role. If you are on a lower role, ask an administrator, or have your role granted those capabilities.

### 3. Clear your cache

Cached admin pages can hide freshly added links. Clear your caching plugin and your browser cache, then reload the Plugins or Themes screen.

### 4. Check the server requirements

The plugin needs the `RecursiveIteratorIterator` class and the `zlib` extension (`gzopen`) to build a ZIP. It checks these when you click a download and shows an admin notice if either is missing. If you see such a notice, ask your host to enable the missing component. As a workaround, try switching the **ZIP library** to **PclZip** under **WPFactory > Download plugins and Themes > Advanced Settings**.

### 5. Rule out a conflict

An admin-UI or security plugin can strip action links from the Plugins and Themes lists. Temporarily deactivate other plugins (and admin-theme plugins), then check again. Re-enable them one at a time to find the culprit.

### Still stuck?

Collect your WordPress version, plugin version, active plugins, theme and user role, and open a ticket on the [Download Plugins and Themes support forum](https://wpfactory.com/support/item/download-plugins-and-themes-from-dashboard-wordpress-plugin/).

Related articles

- [Fix: Download All Fails or Times Out on Large Sites](https://wpfactory.com/docs/fix-download-all-large-sites/)
- [Fixing Download Failures Caused by Server Errors](https://wpfactory.com/docs/fix-download-server-errors/)
- [Using Download Plugins and Themes on a WordPress Multisite Network](https://wpfactory.com/docs/plugin-not-working-on-wordpress-multisite-network/)
- [Bulk Download Plugins and Adding the Version to the ZIP Name](https://wpfactory.com/docs/bulk-download-plugins-themes/)
- [Download ZIP Link Not Showing on the Plugins or Themes Screen](https://wpfactory.com/docs/download-zip-button-not-showing/)

 

[![Download Plugins and Themes from WordPress Dashboard](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Download-Plugins-and-Themes-from-Dashboard.webp)](https://wpfactory.com/item/download-plugins-and-themes-from-dashboard-wordpress-plugin/)