How to Fix Common WordPress Errors: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

WordPress errors can be frustrating, especially when they prevent you from accessing your site. This comprehensive guide covers the most common WordPress errors and provides step-by-step solutions to fix them quickly.

Understanding WordPress Errors

WordPress errors typically fall into these categories:

• Server Errors (500, 503, 504)
• Database Errors (Connection issues, corruption)
• PHP Errors (Memory limit, syntax errors)
• Plugin/Theme Conflicts
• Permission Errors
• White Screen of Death
• Update Failures

Essential Tools for Troubleshooting

Enable WordPress Debug Mode

// Add to wp-config.php
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
@ini_set('display_errors', 0);

// Debug log location: wp-content/debug.log

Access via FTP/SFTP

Recommended FTP Clients:

• FileZilla (Free, cross-platform)
• Cyberduck (Free, Mac/Windows)
• WinSCP (Free, Windows)

Server Access:

# SSH access credentials
Host: your-server.com
Port: 22
Username: your-username
Password: your-password

Backup Before Troubleshooting

# Always create a backup first
# Via command line (if you have SSH access):
tar -czf backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /path/to/wordpress

# Or use plugins:
# - UpdraftPlus
# - Duplicator
# - BackupBuddy

Error 1: White Screen of Death (WSoD)

The infamous WordPress white screen with no error message.

Causes

• Plugin conflict
• Theme conflict
• Memory limit exceeded
• PHP fatal error
• Corrupted core files

Solution 1: Increase Memory Limit

// wp-config.php
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
define('WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');

// php.ini (if you have access)
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
max_execution_time = 300

Solution 2: Disable All Plugins

# Via FTP: Rename the plugins folder
wp-content/plugins → wp-content/plugins-disabled

# Via SSH:
cd /path/to/wordpress/wp-content
mv plugins plugins-disabled

// Check if site loads
// If it does, rename folder back and disable plugins one by one
// Via FTP: Rename individual plugin folders to identify the culprit

Solution 3: Switch to Default Theme

# Via FTP: Rename your theme folder
wp-content/themes/your-theme → wp-content/themes/your-theme-disabled

# WordPress will automatically activate a default theme

// Via database (if you can access phpMyAdmin):
UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = 'twentytwentyfour' 
WHERE option_name = 'template' OR option_name = 'stylesheet';

Solution 4: Enable Debug Mode

// wp-config.php
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true);

// Reload the page and check for error messages
// Check wp-content/debug.log for detailed errors

Solution 5: Replace Core Files

# Download fresh WordPress files
wget https://wordpress.org/latest.zip

# Extract and replace (preserving wp-config.php and wp-content)
unzip latest.zip
rsync -av wordpress/ /path/to/your/site/ --exclude wp-config.php --exclude wp-content

# Or via WP-CLI:
wp core download --force --skip-content

Error 2: Error Establishing Database Connection

This error means WordPress can't connect to your MySQL database.

Causes

• Incorrect database credentials
• Database server down
• Corrupted database
• Too many connections
• Database server changed

Solution 1: Verify Database Credentials

// wp-config.php - Check these values
define('DB_NAME', 'database_name');     // Database name
define('DB_USER', 'username');          // Database username
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');      // Database password
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');         // Usually 'localhost'

// Common DB_HOST variations:
// - localhost
// - 127.0.0.1
// - localhost:3306
// - mysql.example.com (for remote databases)

Solution 2: Test Database Connection

// Create test-db.php in root directory
<?php
$host = 'localhost';
$user = 'your_username';
$pass = 'your_password';
$db = 'your_database';

$connection = mysqli_connect($host, $user, $pass, $db);

if ($connection) {
    echo "Database connection successful!";
    mysqli_close($connection);
} else {
    echo "Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error();
}
?>

# Access via browser: http://yoursite.com/test-db.php
# Delete the file after testing for security

Solution 3: Repair Database

// wp-config.php - Add above "That's all, stop editing!"
define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);

# Access repair page:
http://yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php

# After repair, REMOVE the line from wp-config.php

Solution 4: Check Database Server

# SSH into server and check MySQL status
systemctl status mysql
# or
systemctl status mariadb

# Restart MySQL if needed
systemctl restart mysql

Solution 5: Increase Database Resources

-- Check current connections
SHOW STATUS WHERE variable_name = 'Threads_connected';
SHOW VARIABLES WHERE variable_name = 'max_connections';

-- Increase max connections (in my.cnf)
-- [mysqld]
-- max_connections = 200

Error 3: Internal Server Error (500)

Generic error that can have multiple causes.

Causes

• Corrupted .htaccess file
• PHP memory limit
• Plugin conflict
• Theme conflict
• Corrupted core files

Solution 1: Check .htaccess File

# Via FTP: Rename .htaccess
.htaccess → .htaccess-backup

# If site works, regenerate .htaccess
# Go to Settings → Permalinks and click "Save Changes"

# Default WordPress .htaccess:
# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

Solution 2: Increase PHP Limits

// .htaccess method
php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300
php_value memory_limit 256M

# php.ini method (better)
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
max_execution_time = 300
max_input_time = 300

Solution 3: Check Error Logs

# Check server error logs
# Location varies by hosting:
# - /var/log/apache2/error.log
# - /var/log/nginx/error.log
# - Check cPanel Error Log
# - Check hosting control panel

# View last 50 lines:
tail -50 /var/log/apache2/error.log

Solution 4: Disable Plugins/Themes

# Same as WSoD solution - rename plugins folder
# Check if error persists
# Enable plugins one by one to find the culprit

Error 4: 404 Error - Page Not Found

Pages or posts return 404 even though they exist.

Causes

• Corrupted .htaccess
• Permalink structure issues
• Incorrect rewrite rules
• Server configuration

Solution 1: Reset Permalinks

# WordPress Admin:
1. Go to Settings → Permalinks
2. Note your current permalink structure
3. Click "Save Changes" without changing anything
4. This regenerates rewrite rules

Solution 2: Check .htaccess

# Ensure .htaccess has correct permissions
chmod 644 .htaccess

# Verify WordPress rewrite rules are present
# Should contain:
# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

Solution 3: Check Apache mod_rewrite

# Ensure mod_rewrite is enabled (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

# Check if enabled:
apache2ctl -M | grep rewrite
# Should output: rewrite_module (shared)

Solution 4: Update WordPress Database

# Via WP-CLI:
wp core update-db

# Manual database update:
# Access: http://yoursite.com/wp-admin/upgrade.php

Error 5: "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page"

Permission error when accessing admin areas.

Causes

• Lost administrator role
• Plugin/theme interference
• Corrupted user meta
• Database prefix mismatch

Solution 1: Reset User Role via Database

-- Access phpMyAdmin
-- Find your user ID:
SELECT ID, user_login, user_email FROM wp_users;

-- Check current capabilities:
SELECT * FROM wp_usermeta WHERE user_id = YOUR_USER_ID AND meta_key = 'wp_capabilities';

-- Reset to administrator:
UPDATE wp_usermeta 
SET meta_value = 'a:1:{s:13:"administrator";b:1;}' 
WHERE user_id = YOUR_USER_ID 
AND meta_key = 'wp_capabilities';

-- Set user level:
UPDATE wp_usermeta 
SET meta_value = '10' 
WHERE user_id = YOUR_USER_ID 
AND meta_key = 'wp_user_level';

Solution 2: Check Database Prefix

// wp-config.php
$table_prefix = 'wp_'; // Should match your actual database prefix

// If different, update:
$table_prefix = 'custom_prefix_'; // Match your actual prefix

-- Check actual prefix in database:
SHOW TABLES;
-- Tables should start with 'wp_' or your custom prefix

Solution 3: Create New Admin User

// Add to functions.php temporarily
function create_emergency_admin() {
    $username = 'emergency_admin';
    $password = 'strong_password_here';
    $email = 'admin@yoursite.com';
    
    if (!username_exists($username) && !email_exists($email)) {
        $user_id = wp_create_user($username, $password, $email);
        $user = get_user_by('id', $user_id);
        $user->set_role('administrator');
        echo 'Emergency admin created!';
    }
}
add_action('init', 'create_emergency_admin');

// Visit site, then REMOVE this code immediately

Error 6: "The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive"

Can't upload files due to size restrictions.

Causes

• PHP upload_max_filesize limit
• post_max_size limit
• Server restrictions
• Nginx client_max_body_size

Solution 1: Increase via php.ini

# php.ini (best method)
upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 64M
memory_limit = 256M
max_execution_time = 300

Solution 2: Increase via .htaccess

# .htaccess (Apache only)
php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value memory_limit 256M
php_value max_execution_time 300

Solution 3: Increase via wp-config.php

// wp-config.php
@ini_set('upload_max_filesize', '64M');
@ini_set('post_max_size', '64M');
@ini_set('memory_limit', '256M');
@ini_set('max_execution_time', '300');

Solution 4: Nginx Configuration

# nginx.conf or site configuration
http {
    client_max_body_size 64M;
}

# Or in server block:
server {
    client_max_body_size 64M;
}

# Restart Nginx:
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Error 7: "Maximum execution time exceeded"

Script runs too long and times out.

Causes

• Large import/export operations
• Slow server
• Resource-intensive plugins
• Large media uploads

Solution 1: Increase PHP max_execution_time

# php.ini
max_execution_time = 300
max_input_time = 300

# .htaccess
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300

// wp-config.php
@ini_set('max_execution_time', '300');

// Or in specific script:
set_time_limit(300);

Solution 2: Split Large Operations

// For large imports, process in batches
function import_in_batches() {
    $batch_size = 50;
    $offset = get_option('import_offset', 0);
    
    // Process batch
    // ...
    
    // Update offset
    update_option('import_offset', $offset + $batch_size);
    
    // Schedule next batch
    if ($more_to_process) {
        wp_schedule_single_event(time() + 10, 'process_next_batch');
    }
}

Error 8: "Error: Cookies are blocked or not supported"

Can't log in due to cookie issues.

Causes

• Browser blocking cookies
• Incorrect WordPress URL settings
• SSL/HTTPS issues
• Plugin interference

Solution 1: Clear Browser Cookies

# Instructions for users:
1. Clear browser cookies for your domain
2. Clear browser cache
3. Try logging in again
4. Try different browser/incognito mode

Solution 2: Fix WordPress URL

// wp-config.php - Force correct URLs
define('WP_HOME', 'https://yoursite.com');
define('WP_SITEURL', 'https://yoursite.com');

// Or via database:
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://yoursite.com' 
WHERE option_name = 'home' OR option_name = 'siteurl';

Solution 3: Check SSL Configuration

// wp-config.php - Force SSL for admin
define('FORCE_SSL_ADMIN', true);

// Force HTTPS
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && $_SERVER['HTTPS'] != 'on') {
    wp_redirect('https://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] . $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], 301);
    exit();
}

Error 9: "Syntax error" or "Parse error"

PHP syntax error in code.

Causes

• Missing semicolons, brackets, or quotes
• Incorrect function syntax
• Version compatibility issues
• Copying code from websites (smart quotes)

Solution 1: Identify the Error

// Error message typically shows:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '}' in /path/to/file.php on line 45

// Key information:
// - File path
// - Line number
// - Type of error

Solution 2: Fix via FTP

# Access file via FTP
# Navigate to file path shown in error
# Edit the file and fix the syntax error
# Common issues:
# - Missing semicolon at end of line
# - Unclosed brackets { }
# - Unclosed quotes " "
# - Smart quotes instead of straight quotes

Solution 3: Restore from Backup

# If you can't identify the error:
# Restore the file from backup
# Or re-download the plugin/theme from official source

Solution 4: Common Syntax Fixes

// Wrong (smart quotes from Word/web):
echo "Hello World";

// Right (straight quotes):
echo "Hello World";

// Wrong (missing semicolon):
$var = "value"

// Right:
$var = "value";

// Wrong (unclosed bracket):
function my_function() {
    echo "test";

// Right:
function my_function() {
    echo "test";
}

Error 10: "Are you sure you want to do this?" (Nonce Error)

WordPress security nonce verification failed.

Causes

• Session expired
• Plugin/theme nonce issue
• Caching interfering
• Security plugin blocking

Solution 1: Reload and Retry

# Simple fix:
1. Refresh the page
2. Try the action again
3. Clear browser cache if needed

Solution 2: Disable Caching Temporarily

// Temporarily disable caching plugins
// Try the action again
// Re-enable caching after

Solution 3: Check Session Configuration

// wp-config.php - Ensure sessions work properly
if (!session_id()) {
    session_start();
}

Troubleshooting Checklist

Quick Diagnostics

• Enable WordPress debug mode
• Check error logs (server and WordPress)
• Test in different browser
• Clear browser cache and cookies
• Disable all plugins
• Switch to default theme
• Check file permissions
• Verify database connection
• Check PHP version compatibility
• Review recent changes

Common File Permissions

# Correct WordPress file permissions
find /path/to/wordpress -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /path/to/wordpress -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
chmod 600 wp-config.php

# If using suPHP:
chmod 644 .htaccess

Preventive Measures

// Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated
// Maintain regular backups
// Use quality hosting
// Monitor error logs regularly
// Test changes on staging site first
// Document all customizations

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• ✅ White screen of death
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Conclusion

WordPress errors are common but usually fixable with the right approach. The key is to:

1. Stay calm - Most errors have simple solutions
2. Enable debugging - Identify the exact cause
3. Make backups - Before making changes
4. Test systematically - Eliminate variables one by one
5. Document fixes - Remember what worked

Prevention Tips:

• Keep everything updated
• Use quality plugins and themes
• Maintain regular backups
• Monitor error logs
• Use staging site for testing
• Choose reliable hosting

When in doubt, don't hesitate to seek professional help to avoid making the problem worse.

Additional Resources

• WordPress Troubleshooting Guide
• WordPress Support Forums
• PHP Error Documentation
• Apache Error Log
• MySQL Error Messages

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