---
title: "Enable and disable an administrative tool"
slug: "enable-and-disable-an-administrative-tool"
abstract: "How to disable Sitecore administrative tools on production instances."
---
# Enable and disable an administrative tool

| **Applies to** | Content Management and Content Delivery. |
| --- | --- |
| **Sitecore Installation Framework** | Most administrative tools are *not* disabled by default. In Sitecore 9.0.2 and later, `SqlShell.aspx` is disabled by default. |
| **Azure Toolkit** | Most administrative tools are *not* disabled by default. In Sitecore 9.0.2 and later, `SqlShell.aspx` is disabled by default. |

You can use the Sitecore administrative tools to troubleshoot issues in a production environment, but for security reasons you must:

- Always disable them as part of the deployment process.
- Always disable them when you are not using them.
- Never enable them on the Content Delivery, xDB Reporting, and xDB Processing roles. You can safely delete the administrative tools folder on these roles.
- Only enable them on Content Management roles that are not exposed to the internet.

The administrative tools are ASPX files with `.aspx` extensions. You find them in the `<webroot>\sitecore\admin\` folder and its subfolders.

## Disable an administrative tool

To disable an administrative tool:

1. In the administrative tools folder, click the tool you want to disable.
2. Add `.disabled` to the tools filename. For example, rename `cache.aspx` to `cache.aspx.disabled`.

## Enable an administrative tool that is disabled by default

To enable the `SqlShell.aspx` tool:

1. Go to the administrative tools folder.
2. Create an empty file named `enabled`. The `SqlShell.aspx` tool checks for the presence of this file.

To enable the `unlock_admin.aspx` tool:

1. Go to the administrative tools folder.
2. Open the `unlock_admin.aspx` file.
3. Locate the `enableUnlockButton` property.
4. Change the value from `false` to `true`.

    ```text
    private bool enableUnlockButton = true;
    ```

5. Save the `unlock_admin.aspx` file.