WordPress is a powerful Content Management System (CMS). Using plugins, themes, and templates, we can design websites, display products, publish blogs, and showcase services easily.
But what happens when you suddenly face an unexpected error?
Your developer might not be available at that moment — and if you don’t know how to fix common WordPress issues, managing your website becomes difficult.
That’s why in this guide, we’ll explain:
The most common WordPress errors you may encounter
Why they happen
Simple, beginner-friendly solutions to fix them
So you can understand patterns in WordPress problems and confidently troubleshoot your website.
We’ll introduce you to the most common WordPress issues you may face, along with ways to troubleshoot these errors and find proper solutions.
Common WordPress Error List:
- Error Establishing a Database Connection
- 500 Internal Server Error
- Critical Error on This WebsiteThis Site Can’t Be Reached
- 404 Error – Page Not Found
- Plugin & Theme Conflicts
- 503 Service Unavailable
- PHP Memory Limit Exhausted
- WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode
- ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR
- Error Occurred in the Upload. Please Try Again Later
- 403 Forbidden Error
Let’s Learn the Errors in details so that you can understand the pattern and their steps to fix the issue.
1. Error Establishing a Database Connection :
If you see the message “Error Establishing a Database Connection”, it means your server is unable to connect to your WordPress database.
What should you do next?
Login to your hosting platform (such as WP Engine, Cloudways, SiteGround, Hostinger, etc.).
You can connect using SSH, SFTP, or simply use your hosting provider’s File Manager if you’re not familiar with the other methods.
Once you access your website files, open the File Manager and locate the wp-config.php file inside the root directory of your WordPress installation.
Inside this file, you will find your database configuration details:
Verify whether the DB name, username, password, and host are correct.
If anything looks incorrect or you are unsure, you can contact your hosting support team — they can help you fix the database connection issue quickly.
2. 500 Internal server error :
The 500 Internal Server Error is one of the most common and frustrating WordPress issues. It usually appears when something goes wrong on the server, but WordPress is unable to identify the exact cause.
In this situation, you should first enable the debug.log file (we’ll explain this in the next section). This will help you check if any plugin, theme, or script is causing the issue.
If no errors appear in the debug log and you still see the 500 error, the best step is to contact your hosting provider’s support team. They can check your server configuration, resource limits, and logs, and fix the issue from their end.
3. There has been a critical error on this website :
If you see the message “There has been a critical error on this website.”, it usually means there is a PHP error caused by one of your plugins or themes.
To identify the exact issue, you need to enable WordPress error logs.
How to View the Error Logs?
- Log in to your website files using SSH, SFTP, or your hosting provider’s File Manager.
- Go to your root folder (where WordPress is installed).
- Open the wp-config.php file.
- Find the debug settings and enable them by adding:
if ( ! defined( 'WP_DEBUG' ) ) {
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true );
}- WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY will show errors directly on your screen.
- WP_DEBUG_LOG will save all errors in a file called debug.log, located here: wp-content/debug.log
How to Identify the Problem?
- By checking the error path inside debug.log, you can understand which plugin or theme is responsible.
- If the issue is coming from a custom plugin you built, you can fix the code manually or use an AI tool (ChatGPT, Cursor, etc.).
If it’s a third-party plugin or theme, you may need to update it or contact the developer.
Temporary Fix (If You Need Immediate Access):
If the error locks you out of your WordPress dashboard:
Go to the folder:
/wp-content/plugins/
Locate the plugin causing the issue.
Rename the folder — for example:
abc → abc-1
This disables the plugin temporarily so you can access your site and dashboard.
Note: Renaming the plugin will stop its functionality, but it helps you bring the site back online until you fix the actual issue.
4. This Site Can’t Be Reached :
Sometimes, when you try to open your website, you may see the message “This Site Can’t Be Reached.”
This usually indicates a server-side issue, but other reasons may cause it too.
Possible Reasons:
- Server temporarily down
- DNS not resolving
- Incorrect nameserver configuration
- Hosting firewall blocking requests
- SSL or domain expiry
What to Do:
- Connect with your hosting provider’s support team
- Ask them to check DNS, firewall, and server status
- Verify your domain and SSL are still active
5. 404 Error – Page Not Found :
This is one of the most common WordPress issues. You might try to visit a product, post, or page that already exists, but still see a 404 error.
Why It Happens?
- Broken permalinks
- Page or slug changed
- Cache not refreshed
How to Fix It:
- Go to wp-admin > Settings > Permalinks
- Click Save Changes (no need to modify anything)
- sometimes purge cache fix the issue
This refreshes permalink rules and usually resolves the issue
6. Plugin & Theme Conflicts :
Plugin and theme conflicts are one of the most common WordPress issues. Since WordPress relies on multiple plugins and themes to extend functionality and design, each one comes with its own codebase. When two or more plugins—or a plugin and your theme—use incompatible code, they can conflict with each other. As a result, certain features may stop working, your layout may break, or your entire site may crash with a white screen.
Symptoms of Plugin or Theme Conflicts :
- Features not working as expected
- Sudden white screen of death
- Website layout broken or misaligned
- Error messages after activating or updating a plugin
- Website becomes slow or unresponsive
- Admin dashboard stops loading properly
- Elements disappear from the frontend (forms, menus, sliders, etc.)
Common Causes :
- Recently updated plugin or theme
- Two plugins trying to load the same scripts
- Deprecated functions in outdated themes
- Poorly coded third-party plugins
- Compatibility issues after a WordPress core update
- Using nulled or cracked plugins/themes
How to Fix Plugin & Theme Conflicts?
- Enable Maintenance Mode or debug on the staging environment
- Deactivate All Plugins
- Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins → Deactivate All
- If the site becomes normal, activate plugins one-by-one to find the culprit.
- Switch to a Default WordPress Theme
- Change your theme to Twenty Twenty-Four or a default theme.If the issue gets fixed, the conflict lies in your theme.
- Check Error Logs
- Enable WP_DEBUG and read the error logs to identify the file or function creating the conflict.
- Update Everything
- Update WordPress core
- Update plugins & themes
- Update PHP version to 8.1 or above
- Delete the Problematic Plugin or Theme
- Remove the plugin/theme and look for an alternative.
Contact the Developer
If it’s a premium plugin/theme, contact support for a patch or bug fix.
How to Prevent Future Conflicts?
- Avoid installing unnecessary plugins
- Use well-coded and reputable themes/plugins
- Never use nulled or cracked plugins
- Keep everything up to date
- Take backups before major updates
- Test new plugins in a staging environment
Conclusion: Keep Your WordPress Website Healthy & Error-Free :
WordPress errors can feel frustrating—especially when your website suddenly goes down or stops working without warning. But the good news is that most WordPress issues are predictable, fixable, and preventable once you understand what causes them.
Whether it’s a critical PHP error, 404 page issue, permalink conflict, plugin/theme conflict, 503 server error, SSL problems, or upload restrictions, the key steps remain similar:
- Enable debugging to identify the root cause
- Check logs for exact error paths
- Disable conflicting plugins or themes
- Update WordPress, plugins, and PHP version
- Clear cache and CDN
- Contact hosting support if it’s server-related
Follow best practices to avoid issues in the future
By following the troubleshooting methods discussed in this blog, you can diagnose issues faster, reduce website downtime, and maintain a stable and secure WordPress environment.
If you’re not comfortable fixing these issues yourself—or if your website needs reliable, professional support—you can always reach out to a WordPress expert. We offer WordPress error fixing, bug resolution, and maintenance services on Fiverr.
A well-maintained website doesn’t just prevent errors…
It helps improve SEO, speed, user experience, and security, which ultimately helps your business grow.
