How to Troubleshoot 50 Common WordPress Errors: A Simple Guide

December 23, 2024
Kishor Parmar
Plugins, Themes, Tips & Tricks, WordPress
0 Comments

Introduction

WordPress is a powerful platform, but like any technology, it’s not immune to errors. From blank screens to broken links, WordPress users often encounter issues that can be frustrating. The good news is that most of these problems are easy to solve! In this guide, we’ll walk you through 50 common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

Backup Your Website Before Proceeding

Before making any changes, take a complete backup of your website. This precaution ensures you can restore your site if anything goes wrong.

1. Internal Server Error (500)

Problem: Your site returns a “500 Internal Server Error” when you try to access the page.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Rename the plugins folder to deactivate all plugins and check if the issue resolves.
Switch Theme: Temporarily switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three).
Increase PHP Memory: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to your wp-config.php file.

2. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

Problem: Your WordPress site shows a blank white screen with no error message.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Rename the plugins folder to deactivate all plugins.
Switch to Default Theme: Change to a default WordPress theme.
Enable Debugging: Set WP_DEBUG to true in wp-config.php to see error details.

3. Error Establishing a Database Connection

Problem: You see a “Database Connection” error on your WordPress site.
Solution:

Check Database Credentials: Verify the database username, password, and database name in wp-config.php.
Verify Database Server: Contact your hosting provider to check if the database server is down.

4. 404 Not Found Error

Problem: WordPress pages return a “404 Not Found” error after updating permalinks.
Solution:

Reset Permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes.”
Check .htaccess File: Ensure that the .htaccess file is configured correctly.

5. Connection Timed Out

Problem: Your WordPress site takes too long to load and results in a timeout error.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Deactivate plugins and themes that may be causing conflicts.
Increase PHP Limits: Increase your PHP memory limit and maximum execution time.

6. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Problem: Your site is stuck in maintenance mode after an update.
Solution:

Delete .maintenance File: Check your WordPress root directory and delete the .maintenance file.
Manually Complete Updates: If the site is stuck during updates, complete them manually.

7. Plugin Conflict Error

Problem: A plugin conflict is causing errors on your site.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Deactivate all plugins and reactivate them one by one to find the conflicting plugin.
Check Plugin Compatibility: Ensure all plugins are updated and compatible with your WordPress version.

8. The Site is Experiencing Technical Difficulties

Problem: You see the error message: “The site is experiencing technical difficulties.”
Solution:

Check Error Logs: Review the error log to identify the cause.
Deactivate Plugins/Themes: Deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme.

9. 403 Forbidden Error

Problem: You receive a 403 Forbidden error when trying to access your site.
Solution:

Check File Permissions: Ensure your file permissions are correct.
Check .htaccess File: Reset your .htaccess file to default settings.

10. Database Connection Lost

Problem: WordPress cannot connect to your database, causing a “Connection Lost” error.
Solution:

Verify Database Credentials: Check the username and password in wp-config.php.
Contact Hosting: If the issue persists, contact your hosting provider for assistance.

11. Maximum Execution Time Exceeded

Problem: Your site returns a “Maximum Execution Time Exceeded” error.
Solution:

Increase max_execution_time: Modify the php.ini file to increase the time limit.
Deactivate Plugins: Disable resource-heavy plugins that could be causing the issue.

12. Fatal Error: Allowed Memory Size Exhausted

Problem: WordPress runs out of memory and returns a fatal error.
Solution:

Increase PHP Memory: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); in your wp-config.php file.
Deactivate Plugins: Disable memory-intensive plugins.

13. Failed Auto-Update

Problem: WordPress fails to auto-update to the latest version.
Solution:

Manually Update: Download the latest WordPress version and upload it via FTP.
Check Hosting: Ensure your hosting provider allows automatic updates.

14. Missing Stylesheet Error

Problem: You receive an error indicating that the theme’s stylesheet is missing.
Solution:

Upload Theme Correctly: Ensure that the theme folder contains the style.css file and is uploaded correctly.
Reinstall Theme: Download and reinstall the theme from a trusted source.

15. WordPress Login Redirect Loop

Problem: You are stuck in a login redirect loop when trying to log into WordPress.
Solution:

Clear Browser Cookies: Delete cookies and cache in your browser.
Check Site URL: Ensure your WordPress and Site URLs are correct in Settings > General.

16. Too Many Redirects Error

Problem: You receive a “Too Many Redirects” error when accessing your site.
Solution:

Clear Browser Cache: Clear your browser’s cookies and cache.
Reset .htaccess: Delete or reset your .htaccess file to fix redirect issues.

17. Cannot Modify Header Information

Problem: WordPress throws an error when trying to modify header information.
Solution:

Check for White Spaces: Ensure there are no extra spaces before <?php in wp-config.php and other files.
Deactivate Plugins: Disable any plugin that might be modifying headers.

18. Theme Installation Failed

Problem: You see an error when trying to install a theme.
Solution:

Check Theme File: Ensure the theme is a valid .zip file and compatible with your WordPress version.
Check Permissions: Verify the file and folder permissions on your server.

19. Plugin Installation Failed

Problem: WordPress fails to install a plugin.
Solution:

Check File Size: Ensure the plugin’s file size doesn’t exceed the maximum upload limit.
Check Permissions: Ensure the wp-content/plugins folder has write permissions.

20. Invalid JSON Error in REST API

Problem: You see an error related to the REST API when trying to interact with the WordPress dashboard.
Solution:

Disable Plugins: Deactivate all plugins and check if the issue resolves.
Check Site URL: Ensure your WordPress URL is correct in Settings > General.

21. Image Upload Error

Problem: You receive an error when uploading images to the media library.
Solution:

Check File Permissions: Ensure the wp-content/uploads folder has the correct write permissions.
Increase Upload Limits: Increase the upload_max_filesize in your php.ini file.

22. WordPress Admin Panel Not Accessible

Problem: You cannot access the WordPress admin dashboard.
Solution:

Clear Browser Cache: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
Check Site URL: Make sure your WordPress URL is set correctly in Settings > General.

23. 500 Internal Server Error During Plugin Activation

Problem: You see a 500 error when activating a plugin.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Deactivate all plugins and try reactivating the one causing the issue.
Check for PHP Errors: Enable debugging in wp-config.php to identify the source of the error.

24. Too Many Login Attempts

Problem: Your site locks you out after several failed login attempts.
Solution:

Install a Login Limit Plugin: Use a plugin like Limit Login Attempts to limit retries.
Reset Password: Use the “Lost Password” link to reset your login details.

25. Unable to Update WordPress

Problem: WordPress cannot complete an update process.
Solution:

Manually Update: Download the latest version of WordPress and update it via FTP.
Check Permissions: Verify that your file and folder permissions are correct.

26. WordPress Not Sending Emails

Problem: WordPress fails to send emails (password resets, notifications).
Solution:

Install SMTP Plugin: Use an SMTP plugin to configure email sending.
Check Hosting Email Settings: Ensure email services are enabled with your hosting provider.

27. Maintenance Mode Error

Problem: Your site is stuck in maintenance mode after an update.
Solution:

Delete .maintenance File: Remove the .maintenance file from the WordPress root directory. This file is created during updates and can sometimes cause the site to remain in maintenance mode after the update is complete.
Check Database: Verify if the update process was interrupted. If so, you may need to resume or complete the update manually.
Re-run the Update: If necessary, manually trigger the update again via the WordPress dashboard.

28. Can’t Add New Users

Problem: You cannot add new users through the WordPress admin dashboard.
Solution:

Check User Permissions: Ensure the user role has the correct permissions to add new users.
Check Database: Check the database for any inconsistencies.

29. WordPress Content Not Updating

Problem: Changes to content are not reflecting on the live site.
Solution:

Clear Cache: Clear your browser and site cache.
Disable Caching Plugins: Temporarily disable caching plugins to test changes.

30. WordPress Site Loading Slowly

Problem: Your WordPress site is running very slowly.
Solution:

Use Caching: Install a caching plugin to improve site speed.
Optimize Images: Compress images to reduce loading time.

31. 404 Error on Custom Post Types

Problem: Custom post types return 404 errors.
Solution:

Reset Permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks and save changes again.
Check Custom Post Type Settings: Verify the rewrite settings in your theme or plugin.

32. Redirect Loop Error

Problem: You’re stuck in a redirect loop when trying to access your site.
Solution:

Clear Cookies: Delete your browser cookies and cache.
Check .htaccess: Reset your .htaccess file to default settings.

33. Unable to Install Plugins

Problem: WordPress won’t allow you to install plugins.
Solution:

Check File Permissions: Ensure the wp-content/plugins folder has correct permissions.
Check PHP Limits: Increase the max_upload_size and memory_limit in php.ini.

34. 504 Gateway Timeout Error

Problem: You see a 504 error when trying to load your site.
Solution:

Check Server Status: Verify your server is not down and contact your host if necessary.
Deactivate Plugins: Deactivate plugins that may be causing the timeout.

35. Memory Exhausted Error

Problem: WordPress returns a “Memory Exhausted” error.
Solution:

Increase Memory Limit: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); in wp-config.php.
Deactivate Plugins: Disable plugins that are memory-intensive.

36. WordPress Keeps Logging Me Out

Problem: WordPress automatically logs you out of your admin account.
Solution:

Check Cookie Settings: Ensure your browser accepts cookies from your site.
Disable Conflicting Plugins: Disable security or session-related plugins temporarily.

37. XML Parsing Error

Problem: You receive an XML parsing error when uploading files.
Solution:

Deactivate Plugins: Temporarily deactivate plugins that might be causing the issue.
Check XML Files: Ensure the XML file is properly formatted.

38. Uploads Folder Unwritable

Problem: WordPress cannot upload files due to folder write issues.
Solution:

Check Permissions: Ensure the wp-content/uploads folder has write permissions.
Change Ownership: Check file ownership with your hosting provider and ensure it’s correct.

39. Plugin Not Showing in Dashboard

Problem: A newly installed plugin is not appearing in the WordPress dashboard.
Solution:

Check Plugin Directory: Verify the plugin folder is located correctly in wp-content/plugins.
Deactivate All Plugins: Disable all plugins and check if the new plugin appears.

40. Error Uploading Images in Media Library

Problem: WordPress fails to upload images in the media library.
Solution:

Check Permissions: Ensure wp-content/uploads has the correct permissions.
Increase File Upload Limit: Modify the php.ini settings to increase the upload limit.

41. 401 Unauthorized Error

Problem: You encounter a “401 Unauthorized” error on your site.
Solution:

Check .htaccess: Ensure there are no rules in .htaccess blocking access.
Check Credentials: Verify that the login credentials are correct.

42. Image Missing After Upload

Problem: You upload an image, but it doesn’t appear on the site.
Solution:

Check File Path: Ensure the image is in the correct folder and accessible.
Regenerate Thumbnails: Use a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails to fix image issues.

43. Widget Not Showing in Sidebar

Problem: A widget isn’t appearing in the WordPress sidebar.
Solution:

Check Widget Visibility: Make sure the widget is enabled in Appearance > Widgets.
Check Theme Support: Ensure your theme supports widgets in the sidebar.

44. WordPress Admin Bar Not Showing

Problem: The WordPress admin bar is missing.
Solution:

Check User Settings: Ensure the “Show Toolbar when viewing site” option is enabled in user profile.
Check Plugin Conflict: Disable plugins that may be hiding the admin bar.

45. WordPress Site Health Check Errors

Problem: WordPress reports errors in the Site Health Check.
Solution:

Follow Recommendations: Address specific issues as outlined in the Site Health Report.
Update Themes/Plugins: Ensure all themes and plugins are updated to the latest versions.

46. Content Not Appearing After Publish

Problem: Published content does not appear on the site.
Solution:

Clear Cache: Clear your browser cache and any caching plugins.
Check Visibility Settings: Ensure the post is set to “Public” and not “Private.”

47. API Key Missing for Google Maps

Problem: You receive an error that the API key for Google Maps is missing.
Solution:

Enter API Key: Go to Settings > API and enter your Google Maps API key.
Check API Restrictions: Ensure the API key is not restricted incorrectly.

48. Unable to Connect to FTP

Problem: WordPress cannot connect to FTP.
Solution:

Check FTP Credentials: Ensure your FTP username and password are correct.
Verify FTP Settings: Check your FTP settings and server hostname.

49. Too Many Requests Error

Problem: Your site returns a “Too Many Requests” error.
Solution:

Check Server Limits: Verify with your hosting provider if you’re hitting server request limits.
Use Caching: Install a caching plugin to reduce the number of server requests.

50. Failed to Write to Disk

Problem: WordPress is unable to write to the disk.
Solution:

Check Disk Space: Ensure your server has enough disk space for uploads.
Fix Permissions: Verify that wp-content/uploads has the proper write permissions.

Kishor Parmar

I’m a WordPress developer with 10+ years of experience in WooCommerce and custom plugins. I combine technical expertise with design flair to help you create standout, user-friendly websites. Let’s transform your digital presence!