Most Common WordPress Errors and Guide to Fix Them

Ever get that dreaded “Error Establishing a Database Connection” right when you were about to release a hot new update? Or perhaps your site all of a sudden displayed the infamous Boolean “White Screen of Death” and left you frustrated and lost?

WordPress is an incredibly powerful platform, but like any system, it has its fair share of hiccups that can disrupt your workflow and impact your website’s performance.

These problems can often be quite irritating, most of all when they suddenly appear. A single mistake can make your site unavailable, lead to a bad user experience, and even hurt your search rankings.

In this blog post, we will guide you through the topics of the most common WordPress errors and provide the required step-by-step solutions to fix them.

So, without further ado, let’s dig deeper.

15 Most Common WordPress Errors and Ways to Fix Them

Whether you’re dealing with the dreaded “White Screen of Death” or struggling with plugin conflicts, knowing how to troubleshoot common WordPress errors can save you time and frustration.

Here are the 15 most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

The White Screen of Death (WSOD) is a hoofed WordPress bug that is feared by most. One of the reasons it happens is a PHP error or when a conflict with a theme/plugin makes WordPress stop loading at all. This happens because the site is rendered without any textual context firmware, and consequently, a wrong diagnosis is the most probable scenario.

Solution:
Start by increasing the PHP memory limit in your wp-config.php file with:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, deactivate all plugins by renaming the plugin folder via FTP. Then, switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-One) to see if your current theme is the problem.

2. Internal Server Error (500 Error)

The Internal 500 Server Error is a nonspecific mistake that signals the server doesn’t enable the loading of WordPress correctly. As, your WordPress theme, plugins, and server configuration have to be error-free, so be aware of them.

On the other hand, the error exists not only because of themes, plugins, or server configuration but also because of the .htaccess file being corrupted, wrong file permissions, or PHP code errors that pop up. Furthermore, it could be related to the server-side settings like PHP limits and timeouts.

Solution:
Begin by renaming the .htaccess file via FTP. If this resolves the issue, you can regenerate a new .htaccess file by visiting Settings > Permalinks and clicking “Save Changes.” If the problem persists, reinstall WordPress or increase the PHP memory limit in wp-config.php.

3. Error Establishing a Database Connection

The “Error Establishing a Database Connection” error typically occurs when WordPress cannot connect to the database due to incorrect credentials or server issues. It’s a common problem caused by issues with the wp-config.php file or server database configurations.

This error means WordPress can’t retrieve information from the database, preventing the site from loading. It often happens after a migration, update, or server-side change.

Solution:
Check the wp-config.php file to ensure the database name, username, and password are correct. Also, ensure that the database server is running. You can also try repairing the database by adding the following line to wp-config.php:

define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);

Visit http://yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php to repair the database.

4. Connection Timed Out

A “Connection Timed Out” error occurs when your server fails to load a page in the allotted time, usually due to server overload, high traffic, or resource-heavy plugins/themes. It can also be caused by improper server configurations that block WordPress from executing scripts.

This error is more prevalent when trying to load the admin dashboard or during large updates. It can also appear if the server isn’t equipped to handle the amount of traffic or resource demand of your website.

Solution:
To resolve this, increase the PHP memory limit in your wp-config.php file. Disable plugins that might be consuming excessive server resources. You can also contact your hosting provider to see if server performance issues are causing the timeout.

5. 404 Error for Posts or Pages

A 404 error on WordPress indicates that the page or post could not be found. This is usually due to permalink issues, missing files, or incorrectly configured URLs. It may also happen if a URL structure changes, and there is no proper redirect in place.

This error can occur after changing permalinks or migrating the website. It may also occur if a page or post is deleted without setting up redirects.

Solution:
To fix this, go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to reset the permalinks. This will regenerate the necessary .htaccess rules for proper URL handling. If the problem continues, check for conflicting plugins or themes.

6. Memory Exhausted Error

This error happens when WordPress exceeds the memory limit allocated by your hosting provider. It’s common when using memory-intensive themes or plugins. Large images, excessive caching, and poorly optimized code can also contribute to this issue.

This issue usually results in slow site performance or a failure to load pages, especially when installing large plugins or uploading high-quality media.

Solution:
To fix this, increase the PHP memory limit in the wp-config.php file:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Additionally, optimize your database and remove any unnecessary plugins or large media files that could be consuming excessive memory.

7. Failed Auto-Update

WordPress performs automatic updates for minor and major releases. However, auto-updates can sometimes fail, leaving your website in maintenance mode or incomplete. Server issues, plugin conflicts, or corrupted files might cause this.

This issue may result in the site being temporarily unavailable or showing an “Update Failed” message.

Solution:
If the update fails, manually update WordPress via FTP by downloading the latest version from WordPress.org and replacing the core files. Additionally, delete the .maintenance file in your root directory to exit maintenance mode.

8. Locked Out Due to Too Many Login Attempts

WordPress locks users out if they try to log in with the wrong credentials several times in a row for a wrong password. So, if you are locked out, it’s most probably because you tried to log in a few times close to each other which is more than the allowed attempts.
Furthermore, a plugin or a theme when it is misconfigured may also cause this kind of problem. For instance, too many login attempts can be seen even though you are providing the correct credentials.

Solution:
Reset your password using the WordPress admin panel or through phpMyAdmin if you’re unable to log in. To prevent future lockouts, use a plugin like Limit Login Attempts to control login attempts and enhance security.

9. White Text on a Black Background (Broken Theme)

This error typically occurs when a theme has broken due to improper updates or corruption. It might present as black or white backgrounds with unreadable text, resulting in a poor user experience.

This issue is often caused by errors in the theme’s CSS or PHP files, and it can also happen after a failed theme update or conflict with other plugins.

Solution:
Switch to a default theme (such as Pixetiq) to see if the issue persists. If the problem is theme-related, you can re-upload the theme via FTP or restore a backup of the theme files.

10. Image Upload Issues

WordPress may encounter errors when trying to upload images, for example, “File is too large” or “Not able to create directory.” Those errors are commonly reasons that the server settings, file authorization, or configuration problems can be.

This can prevent you from uploading media files, causing issues with your content or blog posts.

Solution:
Increase your upload limit by adjusting the php.ini file, or ask your hosting provider to adjust it. Ensure your wp-content/uploads folder has correct file permissions (755 for directories and 644 for files).

11. Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Plugin or theme conflicts can cause significant functionality issues in WordPress. These conflicts can lead to broken pages, loss of features, or the site crashing entirely.

Usually, a plugin or theme is incompatible with another plugin, or an update has caused an incompatibility issue.

Solution:
Deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme. Then, reactivate plugins one at a time to identify the conflicting plugin. If the issue is theme-related, contact the theme developer or switch to a compatible theme.

12. SSL Certificate Issues

An SSL certificate issue occurs when the connection between your server and the user’s browser isn’t secure. This typically results in the “Not Secure” warning appearing next to the URL in the browser.

It’s a common issue after installing or renewing SSL certificates or if your website hasn’t been fully switched to HTTPS.

Solution:
Make sure you have a valid SSL certificate installed. Then, update your WordPress and site URLs in Settings > General to use HTTPS instead of HTTP. This will ensure that all content is loaded securely.

13. WordPress Redirect Loop

A redirect loop occurs when a page tries to redirect itself, causing an infinite loop. This can happen due to incorrect URL settings, plugin conflicts, or caching issues.

Users might experience this issue when trying to visit a page or post, only to be stuck in an endless redirection process.

Solution:
Clear your browser cache and cookies. Then, disable plugins and check if the issue persists. Review your site’s redirection rules and permalinks to ensure they’re set correctly.

14. Database Server Not Responding

The “Database Server Not Responding” error means that the server that your database is hosted on is down for a short time or has a problem with the connection. It can happen during a traffic surge or when the server sources are overwhelmed.

It can also happen when the server is incorrectly configured or undergoing maintenance.

Solution:
Contact your hosting provider to ensure the database server is functional. If you’re using a shared host, consider upgrading your hosting plan to handle more traffic and database queries.

15. Too Many Redirects (HTTP Error 310)

A “Too Many Redirects” error often occurs when there is a misconfiguration in your site’s URL settings or redirection rules, causing an infinite redirect loop.

This can be triggered by SSL certificate issues, changes in URL structure, or incorrect settings in caching or redirection plugins.

Solution:
Clear your browser cache and cookies. Ensure that your URLs are set correctly in Settings > General, and check for any conflicting plugins that might be causing the redirects.

Final Thoughts

Although WordPress is a powerhouse and flexible content management system (CMS), it – like everything – has its drawbacks: the much-dreaded “white screen of death,” database connection issues, or plugin clash may blemish its smooth operation. There’s a silver lining, though, as most WordPress problems are child’s play to solve.

More often than not, this will mean making some changes to your settings, plugins, theme or server configuration. So, learn what some of the common culprits are in order not to fail when addressing the issues that are halting your site from running; learn how to lessen the impact of these issues by properly maintaining your site.