Top 10 WordPress Errors & How To Fix

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WordPress is a popular choice for those who want to create a blog or website for two main reasons:

It is free.
It is incredibly user-friendly and easy to work with after a little learning and mastering.

While these are the two most important reasons to use WordPress, they aren’t the only ones.

Other advantages of WordPress include the ability to expand on it with themes and plugins, flexibility when it comes to working with different types of media, and a straightforward interface.

The Downside of WordPress

While WordPress has a simple and straightforward interface that makes it easy for users to learn, it also has all sorts of bugs, from small to large.

WordPress’ errors are its biggest downside and something worth addressing.

The Top 10 WordPress Errors

Here are 10 of the most common WordPress errors users are facing today.

1. Login Issues With WordPress’ Dashboard

WordPress login issues can occur for a variety of reasons, such as incorrect login credentials, website errors, or issues with the browser or internet connection.

Some common problems users may encounter when trying to log into the WordPress dashboard include:

Forgotten Password

If the user has forgotten their password, they can click the “Lost your password?” link on the login page to reset it.

Incorrect Login Credentials

If the user enters the wrong username or password, they will not be able to log in. They should make sure they are using the correct credentials.

Website Errors

Sometimes, website errors can prevent the login page from functioning properly. This could be due to a plugin conflict, a theme error, or a problem with the website’s code.

Browser or Internet Connection Issues

If the user’s browser or internet connection is causing problems, they may not be able to log in.

Clearing the browser’s cache and cookies, or trying a different browser, may help resolve this issue.

To fix WordPress login issues, the user can try the following steps:

1. Make sure they are using the correct login credentials.

2. Reset their password if they have forgotten it.

3. Check for website errors by disabling all plugins and switching to the default theme.

4. Clear the browser’s cache and cookies, or try a different browser.

5. Check their internet connection.

2. White Screen of Death

A malfunction that results in a white screen that does not contain any error information is known among web developers as the “white screen of death.”

This is one of the more well-known WordPress errors.

Why Does The White Screen of Death Appear?

In most cases, you see the white screen of death because the script on your site has run out of memory.

Sometimes you may see a critical WordPress error message instead of the usual white screen.

Whether you see a blank screen or a “Your site has experienced a critical error” message, it’s the same error.

With that said, the possible causes of the WSOD include the following:

Plugin conflicts – If a plugin is causing an error, it can result in the WSOD.

Theme errors – A faulty theme can also cause the WSOD.

Exhausted memory limit – If the site uses too much memory, it can result in the WSOD.

Website coding errors – If there is a problem with the site’s code, it can cause the WSOD.

To fix the WSOD, the user can try the following steps:

A. Disable all plugins

The user can try disabling all plugins to see if a plugin is causing the issue. To do this, they can rename the “plugins” folder in the WordPress installation directory.

B. Switch to the default theme

The user can try switching to the default WordPress theme to see if a theme is causing the issue.

To do this, they can log into the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes, and activate the default theme.

C. Increase the memory limit

The user can try increasing the memory limit to see if the WSOD is being caused by an exhausted memory limit.

To do this, they can add the following line of code to the wp-config.php file: define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

D. Check for website coding errors

The user can check the site’s code for any errors that may be causing the WSOD. They can also try restoring the site from a backup to see if that resolves the issue.

The White Screen of Death Is Common

As mentioned, the white screen of death is among the most common WordPress errors that users encounter.

It is also one of the most frustrating because there is no error message, and you are locked out of WordPress.

3. Internal Server Error – 500 Error Message

An internal server error, or a 500 error, occurs when something goes wrong on the server side of a WordPress site.

This is one of the more frustrating WordPress errors for site owners, as it can be difficult to determine the cause of the issue.

The most frequent causes of a 500 error message are:

Wrong file and folder ownership
Wrong file and folder privileges

Very often in site transfer, these values get corrupted, usually as a result of different server setups or human mistakes. This is especially true with hidden files like .htaccess, which is the usual problem.

Public_html must have privileges 750, all files inside must have 644, and all folders 755.

Although the above are the most likely causes, there are other potential reasons why you might encounter a 500 error in WordPress, including:

Plugin conflicts – If a plugin is causing an error, it can result in a 500 error.

Theme errors – A faulty theme can also cause a 500 error.

Exhausted memory limit – If the site uses too much memory, it can result in a 500 error.

Website coding errors – If there is a problem with the site’s code, it can cause a 500 error.

To fix a 500 error, the user can try the following steps:

A. Disable all plugins

Just choose Plugins > Installed Plugins, then deactivate and reactivate plugins one at a time until you spot the problem.

B. Ensure that your new software installed correctly

Checking to make sure your software installed correctly or if the installation went through is important. A quick check may reveal that there was an error during the installation itself.

C. Switch to the default theme

All you have to do is log into the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes, and activate the default theme.

D. Increase the memory limit

You can increase the memory limit to see if the 500 error is being caused by an exhausted memory limit.

To do so, add the following line of code to the wp-config.php file: define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

E. Check for website coding errors

You can check the site’s code for any errors that may be causing the 500 error and also try restoring the site from a backup to see if that helps.

4. Error Establishing A Database Connection

An “error establishing a database connection” in WordPress occurs when the site is unable to connect to the database.

This is among the more common WordPress errors that can prevent the site from functioning properly.

There are many potential causes of this error, including:

Incorrect database login credentials – If the database login credentials (username, password, and hostname) are incorrect, the site will be unable to connect to the database.

Corrupted database – The database can become corrupted due to a variety of reasons, such as plugin or theme errors or issues with the server.

Server issues – If the server is down or experiencing issues, it can prevent the site from connecting to the database.

To fix an “error establishing a database connection” in WordPress, the user can try the following steps:

A. Check the database login credentials

The user should make sure that the database login credentials in the wp-config.php file are correct.

B. Repair the database

The user can try repairing the database by adding the following line of code to the wp-config.php file: define(‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true );

This will enable the “Repair Database” tool, which can be accessed at http://www.example.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php (replace “example.com” with the domain of the site).

C. Check with the hosting provider

If the problem is not with the login credentials or the database, it could be an issue with the server. The user should contact their hosting provider to see if there are any known server issues.

If these steps do not fix the “error establishing a database connection” error, the user may need to seek help from a developer.

It is also a good idea to create regular backups of the site to make it easier to restore in the event of an issue like this.

5. 404 Error

Receiving a 404 error is also one of the more common WordPress errors and occurs when a web owner or a web user cannot access a given page on a website.

Such an error can be caused by problems with your link settings.

If this happens to you, don’t panic. Most of the time, your posts are still there and perfectly safe.

There are many potential causes of broken links, including:

Moved or deleted content – If the content that the link is pointing to has been moved or deleted, the link will become broken.

Incorrectly entered URLs – If the link’s URL is entered incorrectly, it will lead to a 404 error page.

Link rot – Link rot, also known as link decay, occurs when a website changes its URL structure or goes offline, causing links to that site to become broken.

To fix broken links, the user can try the following steps:

A. Check the site for broken links

The user can use a tool to scan the site for broken links and identify which ones need to be fixed.

B. Update or remove the broken links

If the content that the link is pointing to has been moved, the user can update the link with the new URL. If the content has been deleted, the user can remove the link.

C. Check the site’s redirect

If the site is using redirects, the user should make sure they are set up correctly to avoid broken links.

There are many tools available for finding and fixing broken links on a WordPress site.

Some popular options include:

Broken Link Checker – This plugin scans the site for broken links and allows the user to fix them directly from the WordPress dashboard.

W3C Link Checker – This online tool scans a website for broken links and provides a report with the results.

Screaming Frog – This desktop tool scans a website for broken links and other issues and provides a report with the results.

Your .htaccess File

Just a heads up:

Your .htaccess file may have been deleted, or something might have gone wrong with the rewrite rules. What you need to do is fix your permanent link settings.

What About A WooCommerce Error?

In the case of a WooCommerce error, it may be a missing product page.

You can fix this by changing WooCommerce’s permanent link settings or resetting the permanent link structure.

Simply click Save Changes after visiting the “Persistent Links” setting page. Your permanent link settings will be updated, and the overwrite guidelines will be reset.

This usually resolves the 404 error for WordPress posts. However, if this doesn’t work for you, you’ll probably need to update your .htaccess file manually.

Manually Updating Your .htaccess File

Log into your server using FTP and modify the .htaccess file, which is in the same location as folders like /wp-content/ and /wp-includes/.

The easiest thing you can do is temporarily make the file writable by changing the permissions to 666. Then repeat the original solution and change the permissions back to 660.

You can also manually add this code to your .htaccess file:

6. Typical WooCommerce Error

There are a number of WordPress errors in WooCommerce that you can run into.

Here are the most common ones.

WooCommerce Store Is Very Slow

If your WooCommerce store is slow, in addition to improving your hosting services, you can try one of these methods to speed it up:

Minimize CSS, JavaScript, and HTML in your WooCommerce Store
Remove JavaScript that interferes with rendering
Use browser cache
Improve server response time
Use a content delivery network (CDN)
Optimize images for your site

Plugin and Theme Conflicts

To identify whether it is a theme or plugin causing an issue, we need to know which side the problem is coming from.

Here’s how you check:

For A Theme Conflict

Go to Appearance → Themes.

Now install and activate any default theme and check if the problem occurs.

If the problem is fixed, then the error lies in your theme. You can ask your theme provider to fix the problem.

For A Plugin Conflict

If the problem persists, it might be one of your plugins.

Fix Problems with WooCommerce Plugins

Disable any plugins that are not extensions for WooCommerce. If the problem goes away, then one of your plugins is to blame.

You will then need to find out which plugin is causing the problem by activating your plugins one by one.

Once you discover the villain, you can get rid of that plugin and find a suitable alternative.

It is also possible that you are using an outdated plugin.

WooCommerce Cache Problems

WooCommerce errors can occur if you make major changes to your website and forget to clear the cache.

Missing Download Links From Completed Order Emails

If you encounter missing download links from completed email orders, the only solution to this problem is to change the name of your SQL log table.

This is possible with a plugin.

Manually, you can use tools such as phpMyAdmin to rename and reduce the prefix of all tables, then update the prefix value in wp-config.php.

Now disband WooCommerce and reactivate it.

This will force WooCommerce to generate the missing SQL tables.

Remember:

Always back up your database and website before reactivating WooCommerce or other similar actions.

To avoid problems, the WordPress SQL table prefix must be shorter than or equal to 20 characters.

Problems With Email Notifications

Check your WooCommerce email settings:

Individual email notifications.
Email sender settings.
Check if emails end up in spam folders.
Use the SMTP plugin.

WooCommerce Error: Image Size Compatibility

WooCommerce offers three different image sizes that you need to optimize for your online store:

Single product image: the recommended image, the largest for a single product.
Catalog image: a medium-sized image that is often displayed in related product searches, cross-sell, product category pages, or sale pages.
Product thumbnails: the smallest images, which are often seen under individual product images, in baskets, or as widgets.

How Do I Fix Image Problems In WooCommerce?

You can adjust the default image size.

Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Products → Display.

Fixing Blurry Image Issues in WooCommerce

Upload images of the right size. For most themes, they should be 800 x 800 pixels.
Properly compress images. 2MB is considered normal size.
Upgrading to WooCommerce 4.4 or 4.6 makes your images adaptive and takes the burden off you to optimize them manually.

HTTPS Error Pages

These pages appear mostly when there is a problem with your SSL certificate. You can contact your hosting provider about this issue.

Identifying Insecure Links

You may receive warnings about insecure content when you link directly to images, stylesheets, or images via HTTP rather than HTTPS.

Redirection Cycles

WordPress’s is_ssl() function is used by WooCommerce to redirect unprotected pages. This causes redirection loops when you have an alternate SSL plugin installed.

Remove the alternate plugin and disable the forced SSL setting.

Note that you need to update your WooCommerce URLs after installing the SSL certificate.

Authentication is another annoying WooCommerce error. You can install WooCommerce payment gateway plugins and solve your order and payment problems.

You may also have problems with order management on your WooCommerce website.

WooCommerce Server Configuration

WooCommerce error 404 is solved in the same way as for any other WordPress site.
A WooCommerce error 500 means that you have an internal server error, and it is solved in the same way as for any other WordPress site.
WooCommerce error 503 is also solved in the same way as for any other WordPress site.
WooCommerce error – getting a remote image

WooCommerce store owners retrieve images from a remote site and then present them to their users. Remote sites often result in server errors that cause images to break.

How Can This Be Fixed?

When this error occurs, you can ask your hosting provider to increase your server’s maximum input time from -1 to 36000. (in seconds).

This time starts as soon as PHP is invoked on the server and ends when execution begins. The default is -1, which means the <strong>max_input_time</strong> value is used instead.

You can allow unlimited time by setting it to 0. The product error can also be detected and resolved by contacting your hosting provider.

Fatal PHP WooCommerce Errors

Database Overload

This error occurs after your site has been running for a long time and receiving orders, which causes the size of the site database to increase.

Thus, your set memory limit on PHP has been exceeded, causing this problem with WooCommerce.

How To Fix It?

Let’s now learn how to fix common WooCommerce errors.

Look for the wp-config.php file in the root folder of your remote site to expand its memory.

Click Edit/Review to open it in a text editor.

Then add the following code to it:

define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

Contact your host if this WooCommerce error occurs again.

Exceeded Maximum Execution Time WooCommerce Error

This error is caused by a delayed plugin with a script that takes too much time to execute.

You can adjust the maximum execution time of your website.

To do so, connect to your remote files through FTP. Then go to your .htaccess file→ View/Edit.

Add the php_value max_execution_time 300 to the file base in the notepad.

7. Syntax WordPress Error

The “syntax WordPress error” is a problem that can occur if you have made any inaccuracies when creating your PHP structure.

It can be forgotten characters, misused characters, or even incorrectly specified functions.

Unfortunately, even small WordPress errors can cause an entire site to crash, which is very concerning, especially for new users.

If you’ve tried something new on your WordPress site and got the following error, “Syntax error, unexpectedly…” don’t worry.

Using Correct Syntax To Avoid Mistakes

The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the beginner’s guide to inserting snippets from the web into WordPress.

This article lists some very common mistakes that beginners make when inserting code into WordPress templates.

The syntax error is usually caused by a small but important error in the syntax of your code.

It can be a missing comma or an extra curly bracket that can disrupt the entire script.

Have you recently inserted a snippet from the Internet? Have you updated the plugin? Then you probably know exactly where to look.

Fixing A Syntax Error Using FTP

Edit the code that caused the WordPress error. You can either remove it or correct the syntax.

The last file you changed must be accessed via FTP to repair this.

Connect it to your website and navigate to the theme file that needs editing.

Look At The WordPress Error Code

If you forget which file you need to edit, just look at the WordPress error code. It will tell you exactly which file and line you need to edit.

You can either delete the code you added last time or write code with the correct syntax.

Once you’re done deleting or editing code, save the file and upload it back to your server.

How To Prevent A Syntax Error In WordPress

To avoid WordPress errors that cause your site to crash again, we always recommend adding custom code using a code snippets plugin like WPCode.

WPCode makes it easy to add code snippets to WordPress without having to edit your theme functions.php dossier.

It also comes with smart code snippet checking to help you prevent common code errors.

WPCode will also immediately deactivate your custom code if a syntax error is detected.

8. Security Vulnerabilities

Security vulnerabilities in WordPress can occur when the site is at risk of being hacked or compromised.

These vulnerabilities can take many forms, such as vulnerabilities in the WordPress core, plugin vulnerabilities, or weak passwords.

To fix security vulnerabilities in WordPress, the user can try the following steps:

A. Keep the site up to date

The user should make sure they are using the latest version of WordPress and keep it up to date. This is important, as new versions often include security fixes.

B. Use strong passwords

The user should make sure to use strong passwords for all user accounts and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

C. Use security plugins

There are a number of security plugins available for WordPress that can help protect websites from attacks. Some popular options include Sucuri Security and Wordfence.

D. Regularly scan the site for vulnerabilities

The user should regularly scan the site for vulnerabilities using a tool such as Sucuri SiteCheck. This can help identify and fix any issues before they become a problem.

E. Seek help from a developer

If the user is unable to resolve security vulnerabilities on their own, they may need to seek help from a developer.

It is important to regularly check the site for security vulnerabilities and fix any that are found to protect the site and its users.

Ignoring security vulnerabilities can result in serious consequences, such as loss of data or damage to the site’s reputation.

9. Mixed Content Error

A mixed content error occurs when a WordPress site is unable to display secure (HTTPS) pages due to insecure (HTTP) content.

This can happen when the site is loaded over a secure HTTPS connection, but some of the content is being loaded over an insecure HTTP connection.

There are many potential causes of a mixed content error, including:

Hardcoded HTTP URLs – If the site has hardcoded HTTP URLs for certain resources, such as images or scripts, it can cause a mixed content error.

Plugins or themes – Some plugins or themes may include hardcoded HTTP URLs, which can cause a mixed content error.

Third-party resources – If the site is loading resources from third-party websites, and those websites are using HTTP instead of HTTPS, it can cause a mixed content error.

To fix a mixed content error, the user can try the following steps:

A. Check for hardcoded HTTP URLs

The user should check the site’s code for any hardcoded HTTP URLs and replace them with HTTPS URLs.

B. Check plugins and themes

The user should check the site’s plugins and themes for any hardcoded HTTP URLs and replace them with HTTPS URLs.

C. Use a plugin to fix mixed content errors

There are plugins available that can help fix mixed content errors by automatically replacing HTTP URLs with HTTPS.

D. Check third-party resources

If the site is loading resources from third-party websites, the user should make sure those websites are using HTTPS.

If these steps do not fix the mixed content error, the user may need to seek help from a developer.

It is also a good idea to create regular backups of the site to make it easier to restore in the event of an issue like this.

10. Memory Exhausted Error

Another one of the more well-known WordPress errors is a “memory exhausted” error, which occurs when the site runs out of memory and is unable to function.

This can happen if the site is using too many resources, such as when it is running complex scripts or loading large images.

There are several potential causes of a memory exhausted error in WordPress, including:

Complex scripts – If the site is running complex scripts, such as those used for backups or imports, it can use up a lot of memory.

Large images – If the site is loading large images, it can use up a lot of memory.

Resource-intensive plugins – Some plugins, such as those used for backups or image optimization, can use a lot of resources and cause a memory exhausted error.

To fix a memory exhausted error in WordPress, the user can try the following steps:

A. Increase the memory limit

The user can try increasing the memory limit to see if the error is being caused by an exhausted memory limit.

To do this, they can add the following line of code to the wp-config.php file: define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

B. Optimize images

The user can try optimizing the site’s images to reduce their file size and reduce the amount of memory used.

C. Deactivate resource-intensive plugins

If the site is using resource-intensive plugins, the user can try deactivating them to see if they are causing the memory exhausted error.

D. Seek help from a developer

If these steps do not fix the memory exhausted error, the user may need to seek help from a developer.

They may need to optimize the site’s code or find a more efficient solution for running complex scripts or loading large images.

It is also a good idea to create regular backups of the site to make it easier to restore in the event of an issue like this.

Conclusion

We’ve covered some of the most common WordPress errors in this article.

At this point, we hope this guide has assisted you in finding and fixing the issues your website has faced.

To schedule a consultation for your web design project, visit our Project page.

Top 10 WordPress Errors

The Downside of WordPress

The Top 10 WordPress Errors

1. Login Issues With WordPress’ Dashboard

2. White Screen of Death

3. Internal Server Error – 500 Error Message

4. Error Establishing A Database Connection

5. 404 Error

Your .htaccess File

6. Typical WooCommerce Error

Fatal PHP WooCommerce Errors

7. Syntax WordPress Error

8. Security Vulnerabilities

9. Mixed Content Error

10. Memory Exhausted Error

Conclusion

Further Reading: Additional Errors

Plugin Conflicts

Theme Conflicts

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