WordPress Errors – Complete Troubleshooting Guide

WordPress errors are an inevitable part of running a website. From cryptic white screens to database connection failures, we’ve all been there. The good news? Most WordPress errors are fixable and they don’t require technical know-how to implement. 

However, before diving into any troubleshooting, create a complete backup of your website. This can save you hours of headaches if something goes wrong during the repair process.

We’ve compiled a list of the most common WordPress errors in this article. We’ll talk about what the error means and how to fix it. So, if you’ve got a problem, this article will have the solution. 

TL;DR: Most WordPress errors can be resolved by making changes to your WordPress site. Always take a backup and create a staging site before you start. 

There are a lot of WordPress errors but we’ve put together a list of the top 30 that most people face. However, before we start, let’s go over some precautions we should take.

1. Create a Complete Backup: Start with a full backup of your WordPress files, database, themes, plugins, and any custom content. You can use backup plugins like BlogVault to do this in minutes. This serves as a safety net, if something goes wrong.

2. Set Up a Test Site: A test site is an exact copy of your live website that visitors can’t see, giving you a safe environment to test fixes without affecting your actual site. You can use staging plugins like Blogvault to whip one up in a few clicks. 

3. Enable WordPress Debug Mode: WordPress debug mode reveals detailed error messages that are normally hidden from view. These messages can provide valuable clues about what’s causing your problem. To enable debug mode, add these lines to your wp-config.php file:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

Over the years, we’ve also learnt that there are some things you could do to troubleshoot most WordPress errors. Here’s an image breaking that down:

1. The White Screen of Death (WSOD)

The White Screen of Death is exactly what it sounds like – instead of your website, visitors see nothing but a blank white page. The page appears to load normally, but displays only white space where your content should be. It could affect certain pages or the entire site, including your admin panel. 

Common Causes of the White Screen of Death

How to Fix the White Screen of Death?

1. Check your error logs
2. Deactivate all plugins
3. Switch to a default theme
4. Increase memory limit
5. Replace WordPress core files if needed

2. 500 Internal Server Error

The 500 Internal Server Error is one of the most common and frustrating WordPress errors you’ll encounter. This generic error message appears when something has gone wrong on your website’s server, but the server itself can’t identify or communicate the specific problem. You might see variations like “The website is temporarily unable to service your request” or simply “Internal Server Error.” 

Common Causes of 500 Internal Server Error

How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error?

1. Check your error logs
2. Regenerate your .htaccess file
3. Increase PHP memory limit
4. Disable all plugins and switch themes

3. Error Establishing a Database Connection

The Error Establishing a Database Connection message is one of the most serious WordPress errors because it means your website is completely inaccessible to visitors. Without database access, WordPress has no content to display, leaving visitors with nothing but an error message.

Common Causes of Database Connection Errors

How to Fix Database Connection Errors?

1. Verify your database credentials
2. Repair your WordPress database
3. Contact your hosting provider

4. Critical Error on This Website

The Critical Error on This Website message is WordPress’s way of telling you that a fatal PHP error has occurred that completely breaks your site’s functionality. This error was introduced in WordPress 5.2 as part of the “Site Health” feature to provide more user-friendly error reporting. When this happens, WordPress typically sends an email to your admin email address with details about what went wrong, if you have debug mode enabled

Common Causes of Critical Errors

How to Fix Critical Errors?

1. Enable debug mode for detailed information
2. Check your error logs
3. Disable the most recent changes via FTP

5. This Site Can’t Be Reached / WordPress Not Loading

When you see “This site can’t be reached” or similar browser messages, it means your browser cannot establish any connection to your website’s server. This is different from other WordPress errors because the issue occurs before WordPress even has a chance to load. Your website might be completely unreachable, or visitors might see generic browser error pages like “ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED” or “Server not found.” This type of error affects everyone trying to visit your site, not just specific users or browsers.

Common Causes of Connection Issues

How to Fix Connection Issues

1. Flush DNS and clear browser cache
2. Check your hosting provider’s status
3. Verify domain and nameserver settings

6. WordPress Loading Slow

WordPress loading slowly isn’t technically an error, but it’s a serious problem that frustrates visitors and damages your search engine rankings. When your pages take more than a few seconds to load, users will abandon your site, and search engines like Google will rank you lower in results. Slow loading can affect your entire website or just specific pages, and the problem often gets worse over time as you add more content, plugins, and features to your site.

Common Causes of Slow Loading

How to Fix Slow Loading WordPress Sites

1. Install a caching plugin
2. Optimize and compress images
3. Upgrade your hosting or implement a CDN

7. 404 Error – Page Not Found

The 404 “Page Not Found” error appears when someone tries to access a page or post that doesn’t exist at the requested URL. While occasional 404 errors are normal (especially for old or mistyped URLs), frequent 404 errors indicate underlying issues with your site’s structure or content management. These errors hurt user experience and can negatively impact your search engine rankings if not addressed properly.

Common Causes of 404 Errors

How to Fix 404 Errors

1. Reset your permalinks
2. Check for URL typos and broken links
3. Set up proper redirections

8. Plugin and Theme Conflicts

A theme or plugin conflict occurs when different pieces of code interfere with each other. It can cause your WordPress site to crash, display errors, or behave unexpectedly. These conflicts often happen after installing new plugins, updating existing ones, or switching themes. 

Common Causes of Plugin and Theme Conflicts

How to Fix Plugin and Theme Conflicts?

1. Deactivate plugins to identify problem one
2. Switch to a default WordPress theme
3. Enable debug mode for detailed diagnostics

9. Locked Out of WordPress Admin

Being locked out of your WordPress website is one of the most panic-inducing situations for website owners. This can happen suddenly, even if you were able to log in just hours earlier. The lockout prevents you from managing content, installing updates, or making any changes to your site, essentially leaving you helpless until the issue is resolved.

Common Causes of Admin Lockouts

How to Fix Admin Lockouts

1. Reset your password through phpMyAdmin or email
2. Disable security plugins via FTP:
3. Restore from a recent backup if your site was hacked

10. Login Page Redirecting Issue

The login page redirect loop is a frustrating problem for everybody. You enter your correct username and password but instead of accessing your dashboard, you’re sent right back to the login page. This creates an endless cycle where you can never actually log in.

Common Causes of Login Redirect Issues

How to Fix Login Redirect Issues?

1. Clear cookies and browser cache
2. Check and correct your site URLs in the database
3. Rename .htaccess file and regenerate it

11. 503 Service Unavailable

The 503 Service Unavailable error indicates that your web server is temporarily unable to handle requests. It indicates a more serious underlying issue that needs immediate attention. This error affects all visitors to your site and can significantly impact your search engine rankings if not resolved quickly.

Common Causes of 503 Errors

How to Fix 503 Service Unavailable Errors

1. Wait and refresh the page
2. Deactivate plugins via FTP
3. Contact your hosting provider

12. PHP Memory Limit Exhausted

The PHP Memory Limit Exhausted error occurs when WordPress tries to use more memory than your hosting server allows for PHP operations. This causes your site to crash mid-process, often displaying error messages like “Fatal error: Allowed memory size exhausted” or simply resulting in white screens or 500 errors. 

Common Causes of Memory Limit Issues

How to Fix PHP Memory Limit Issues

1. Increase memory limit in wp-config.php
2. Deactivate memory-heavy plugins
3. Contact your hosting provider for server-level increases

13. Secure Connection Error

A secure connection error occurs when your browser cannot establish a secure HTTPS connection with a website, preventing the encrypted communication that protects sensitive data. This happens when there are problems with the website’s SSL/TLS certificate or security configuration. Visitors will see messages like “Your connection is not private,” “This site can’t provide a secure connection,” or “SSL connection error” along with warnings about potential security risks.

Common Causes of Secure Connection Errors

How to Fix Secure Connection Errors?

1. Renew or reinstall SSL certificates
2. Update browser and clear cache
3. Check system date and time settings

14. Broken Links

Broken links are links on your website that lead to pages that no longer exist or are inaccessible, resulting in error pages when visitors click on them. These can be internal links pointing to deleted pages on your own site or external links to other websites that have moved or removed their content. Visitors will typically see “404 Not Found” or similar error messages when encountering broken links.

Common Causes of Broken Links

How to Fix Broken Links

1. Use link checker tools to scan your website
2. Set up 301 redirects for moved pages
3. Update or remove broken external links

15. 401 Unauthorized Error

A 401 unauthorized error occurs when a visitor tries to access a page that requires authentication but hasn’t provided valid credentials or has provided incorrect login information. This error is specifically related to authentication issues, not general access restrictions. Visitors will see messages like “401 Unauthorized” or “Access denied” when encountering this error.

Common Causes of 401 Unauthorized Errors

How to Fix 401 Unauthorized Errors

1. Verify login credentials are correct
2. Clear browser cache and cookies
3. Check user permissions and authentication settings

16. Connection Timed Out

A connection timeout error occurs when your website takes too long to respond to a visitor’s request, causing the browser to give up waiting and display an error message. This is different from slow loading because the connection actually fails completely rather than just being sluggish. Visitors might see messages like “The connection has timed out” or “This site can’t be reached” with timeout-related details. 

Common Causes of Connection Timeouts

How to Fix Connection Timeout Errors

1. Deactivate plugins and switch themes
2. Upgrade your hosting plan
3. Increase PHP execution time limits

17. Max Execution Time Exceeded

The “Max Execution Time Exceeded” error appears when a PHP script runs longer than the server’s allowed time limit and gets forcibly stopped. This typically happens during resource-intensive operations like importing large amounts of data or migrating content. The error protects servers from scripts that might run indefinitely, but it can interrupt legitimate processes that simply need more time to complete.

Common Causes of Execution Time Limits

How to Fix Max Execution Time Exceeded Errors?

1. Increase execution time in your configuration files
2. Break large operations into smaller chunks
3. Contact your hosting provider

18. HTTP Error During Image Upload

The HTTP error during image upload happens when you try to upload an image through the media library. Instead of a successful upload, you see a generic “HTTP error” message with no additional details about what went wrong. This error can occur with specific images or affect all image uploads, making it impossible to add visual content to your posts and pages.

Common Causes of Image Upload HTTP Errors

How to Fix HTTP Image Upload Errors

1. Resize and optimize images before uploading
2. Increase PHP memory limit
3. Temporarily disable image optimization plugins

19. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

When WordPress gets stuck in maintenance mode, your entire website displays a message like “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” This is supposed to be a temporary state during plugin or WordPress core updates, but sometimes the process doesn’t complete properly, leaving your site permanently inaccessible to visitors. The maintenance mode is controlled by a hidden file that should automatically delete itself when updates finish.

Common Causes of Stuck Maintenance Mode

How to Fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

1. Delete the .maintenance file via FTP
2. Clear any caching
3. Complete any interrupted updates

19. WordPress Not Sending Emails

When WordPress isn’t sending emails, critical site functions break down completely. Password reset emails never arrive. Contact form submissions disappear into the void. WooCommerce order confirmations don’t reach customers. User registration emails fail to send. 

Common Causes of Email Delivery Issues

How to Fix WordPress Email Delivery Issues

1. Install and configure an SMTP plugin
2. Set up a dedicated email service
3. Check spam folders and test email delivery

20. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

When WordPress gets stuck in maintenance mode, your entire website displays a message like “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.” This is supposed to be a temporary state during plugin or WordPress core updates, but sometimes the process doesn’t complete properly. It ends up leaving your site permanently inaccessible to visitors. 

Common Causes of Stuck Maintenance Mode

How to Fix WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

1. Delete the .maintenance file via FTP
2. Clear any caching
3. Complete any interrupted updates

21. WordPress Permalinks Not Working

When WordPress permalinks stop working, your beautifully structured URLs suddenly return 404 errors, even though the content exists and should be accessible. This typically affects your posts and pages while leaving your homepage intact, creating a confusing situation where your site appears to work partially. Visitors trying to access specific content through search engines or bookmarks will encounter error pages, severely impacting your site’s usability and search engine performance.

Common Causes of Permalink Issues

How to Fix Permalink Problems

1. Reset permalinks through WordPress admin
2. Manually rebuild .htaccess with default rules
3. Check server requirements and permissions

22. “The Editor Has Encountered an Unexpected Error”

“The editor has encountered an unexpected error” appears in WordPress’s block editor (Gutenberg) when something prevents the editor from loading or functioning properly. Instead of the familiar editing interface, you’re greeted with an error message that makes it impossible to create or edit content. This can be particularly frustrating because it affects your ability to manage your website’s most basic function – creating and updating content.

Common Causes of Block Editor Errors

How to Fix Block Editor Errors

1. Clear your browser cache and cookies
2. Deactivate recently added plugins
3. Switch to Classic Editor as a temporary workaround

23. “Loaded Over HTTPS, But Requested an Insecure Script”

The “Loaded over HTTPS, but requested an insecure script” error is a mixed content warning.it appears when your WordPress site is loaded over a secure HTTPS connection, but some elements on the page are still being loaded over insecure HTTP connections. Modern browsers block or warn about this mixed content because it creates security vulnerabilities, potentially breaking functionality and displaying warning messages to your visitors.

Common Causes of Mixed Content Issues

How to Fix Mixed Content Errors

1. Update HTTP links to HTTPS in your database
2. Install and configure an SSL plugin
3. Manually edit theme and plugin files

24. ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

The ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR occurs when there’s a problem with your website’s SSL certificate or HTTPS configuration, preventing browsers from establishing a secure connection. Visitors will see error messages like “This site can’t provide a secure connection,” “ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR,” or “SSL connection error” when trying to access your WordPress site. This error can make your entire website inaccessible and severely impact user trust, as modern browsers prominently display security warnings for SSL issues.

Common Causes of SSL Protocol Errors

How to Fix SSL Protocol Errors

1. Check certificate expiration
2. Fix mixed content issues
3. Reinstall SSL certificate
4. Clear browser cache and cookie
5. Update WordPress URLs
6. Disable firewall/antivirus temporarily
7. Contact your hosting provider
8. Check CDN settings

25. Error Occurred in the Upload. Please Try Again Later

“Error occurred in the upload” problem appears when you’re trying to upload images, videos, documents, or other media files to your WordPress Media Library. Instead of successfully adding your files, you’re greeted with the generic message “Error Occurred in the Upload. Please Try Again Later.” This error can occur whether you’re uploading through the Media Library, adding images to posts, or trying to upload files through the Customizer. The error might affect all file types or only specific formats, and can happen sporadically or consistently.

Common Causes of Upload Errors

How to Fix Upload Errors

1. Check file size and format
2. Increase upload limits
3. Check folder permissions
4. Deactivate security plugins temporarily
5. Reset .htaccess file
6. Contact your hosting provider

26. WordPress Update Failed

The “An Automated WordPress Update Has Failed To Complete” error occurs when WordPress cannot complete an automatic update to its core files, plugins, or themes. You might see messages like “Update Failed,” “The update cannot be installed because we will be unable to copy some files,” or “Installation Failed.” This can happen during manual updates through your dashboard or automatic background updates, leaving your site potentially vulnerable or stuck on an outdated version.

Common Causes of Update Failures

How to Fix Update Failures

1. Check available disk space
2. Update file permissions
3. Temporarily deactivate plugins
4. Contact your hosting provider

27. This File Type is Not Permitted for Security Reasons

The “This file type is not permitted for security reasons” is a security error that appears when you try to upload a file format that WordPress doesn’t recognize as safe. You’ll see this message in the Media Library when attempting to upload files like SVG images, PDF documents, ZIP archives, or other file types that aren’t included in WordPress’s default allowed list. While frustrating, this restriction exists to protect your site from potentially malicious files that could compromise security.

Common Causes of File Type Restrictions

How to Fix File Type Restrictions

1. Use the File Upload Types plugin
2. Convert to supported formats
3. Check with your hosting provider
4. Review security plugin settings

28. High CPU Usage in WordPress

The high CPU usage performance issue occurs when your WordPress site consumes excessive server resources, potentially causing slow loading times, timeouts, or even temporary suspensions by your hosting provider. You might notice sluggish performance, receive warnings from your host about resource usage, or see your site become temporarily unavailable during traffic spikes. 

High CPU usage can affect both frontend visitors and backend administrative functions.

Common Causes of High CPU Usage

How to Fix High CPU Usage

1. Install a heartbeat control plugin
2. Implement security measures
3. Enable caching solutions
4. Optimize your database
5. Audit and disable resource-heavy plugins
6. Contact your hosting provider

29. WordPress CSS Not Loading

The WordPress CSS not loading error makes your WordPress dashboard appear broken, unstyled, or completely unusable. Instead of the familiar WordPress admin interface, you’ll see plain text, misaligned elements, or a completely white page with basic HTML structure. The functionality might still work, but the interface becomes difficult or impossible to navigate properly.

Common Causes of Admin CSS Loading Issues

How to Fix Admin CSS Loading Problems

• Clear all caches
• Check for mixed content issues
• Regenerate .htaccess file
• Temporarily disable plugins
• Force refresh admin styles

30. 403 Forbidden Error

The 403 Forbidden error occurs when your server understands your request but refuses to authorize access to a specific page or resource. Unlike a 404 error where the page doesn’t exist, a 403 error means the page exists but you don’t have permission to view it. This error can affect your entire website, specific pages, or just the WordPress admin area. Visitors will see messages like “403 Forbidden,” “Access Denied,” or “You don’t have permission to access this resource.”

Common Causes of 403 Forbidden Errors

How to Fix 403 Forbidden Errors

• Reset file permissions
• Regenerate .htaccess file
• Deactivate security plugins
• Check plugin conflicts
• Clear security plugin logs
• Contact your hosting provider
• Verify file ownership

How to Prevent WordPress Errors

While knowing how to fix WordPress errors like the White Screen of Death, upload failures, update problems, and security blocks is essential, prevention is always better than cure. A well-maintained WordPress site not only runs more smoothly but also provides better security, performance, and reliability for both you and your users.

• Regular backups: Schedule automated daily or weekly backups of your entire website, including files and database. Store backups in multiple locations (cloud storage, external drives) so you can quickly restore your site if any errors cause significant damage or data loss. Use methods like the 321 backup strategy to make sure you will always have a backup. 
• Use a staging site: Create a staging environment where you can safely test updates, new plugins, theme changes, and modifications before implementing them on your live site. This prevents errors from affecting real visitors and gives you a safe space to troubleshoot.
• Keep WordPress core, plugins, and themes updated: Install updates promptly to patch security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, and maintain compatibility. However, always test updates on your staging site first to ensure they don’t introduce new conflicts or issues.
• Limit plugin and theme use: Only install plugins and themes you actually need, and regularly audit your site to remove unused extensions. Each additional plugin increases the potential for conflicts, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues that can lead to various errors.
• Monitor site health and performance: Use WordPress’s built-in Site Health tool and monitoring plugins to track your site’s performance, identify potential issues early, and receive alerts about problems before they become critical errors.
• Implement comprehensive security measures: Install reputable security plugins, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and regularly scan for malware. Many WordPress errors stem from security breaches or malicious attacks that proper security measures can prevent.

• Use proper hosting: Choose a hosting provider that specializes in WordPress, offers adequate resources for your site’s needs, and provides good support. Poor hosting is often the root cause of memory errors, timeouts, and server-related issues that manifest as various WordPress errors.
• Optimize for speed and resources: Implement caching, optimize images, clean up your database, and monitor resource usage. Resource overuse leads to memory issues, crashes, and 503/504 errors that can severely impact your site’s availability and user experience. 
• Enable error logging and debug mode: Configure WordPress to log errors and enable debug mode during development or troubleshooting. This provides valuable information about issues before they become visible errors, allowing you to address problems proactively.

• Audit your site regularly: Perform monthly reviews of your plugins, themes, user accounts, and overall site health. Regular audits help you identify outdated components, unnecessary elements, and potential security risks before they cause problems.

Final Thoughts

WordPress errors are inevitable, but they don’t have to be disasters. After years of troubleshooting WordPress errors, the most important lesson is simple: always have a backup you can restore. I further recommend that you use a backup plugin to do so to reduce human error. 

Tools like BlogVault have been game-changers for my workflow – their automated backups and staging sites let me test fixes safely and restore quickly when things go wrong. I’ve saved myself countless hours because of it.

FAQs

How do I fix a WordPress error?

The approach depends on the specific error, but follow this systematic process: First, identify the exact error message and check your error logs for details. Start with simple solutions like clearing your cache, deactivating all plugins, and switching to a default theme. If the error persists, check file permissions, increase memory limits, or restore from a recent backup. Always work on a staging site when possible and tackle one potential cause at a time rather than making multiple changes simultaneously.

How do I check for errors in WordPress?

Enable WordPress debug mode by adding define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true); and define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true); to your wp-config.php file. This creates error logs in your /wp-content/ folder that show specific issues. You can also check your hosting control panel’s error logs, use WordPress’s built-in Site Health tool under Tools > Site Health, or install plugins like Query Monitor to identify errors in real-time. Browser developer tools (F12) can also reveal JavaScript errors and failed resource requests.

What is a 404 error in WordPress?

A 404 error means “page not found” – visitors are trying to access a page that doesn’t exist on your website. This commonly happens when URLs change, pages are deleted, or permalink structures are modified. To fix 404 errors, go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to refresh your URL structure, check for typos in your URLs, restore deleted pages, or set up proper redirects from old URLs to new ones using plugins like Redirection.

Why do WordPress errors occur?

WordPress errors typically stem from several common causes: plugin or theme conflicts when different code doesn’t work well together, server resource limitations like memory or storage limits, outdated software creating compatibility issues, corrupted files from incomplete updates or server problems, security breaches or malicious attacks, incorrect configurations in settings or server setup, and hosting provider issues. Most errors are preventable through regular updates, proper backups, resource monitoring, and following WordPress best practices.