Common WordPress errors and what to do

Most WordPress errors are caused by a plugin, a theme or an update that doesn't work with the rest of the site. The fix is usually on the server side, which we handle for you. Your part is to note the exact message and what changed right before, try the safe checks below, and open a Website Support ticket.

Before anything else

1. Copy the exact error message, or take a screenshot with the address bar showing.
2. Note whether it's on every page, one page, or only in WordPress admin.
3. Think back: was anything updated, installed, removed or changed right before?
4. Reload the page once, and try a private or incognito window.

Then find your message below.

"There has been a critical error on this website."

A piece of PHP code, nearly always in a plugin or theme, stopped with a fatal error. Visitors see this short message instead of the page.

• WordPress usually emails the site's admin email address with the subject "Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue". It names the plugin or theme involved and includes a special recovery-mode link.
• If you received that email, write in your ticket which plugin or theme it names. Don't forward the link itself; it lets anyone who has it into your admin area.
• If you're comfortable in WordPress, the recovery-mode link lets you sign in and deactivate the plugin it names. If you're not sure, leave it to us.

A blank white page

The page loads but shows nothing, sometimes called the white screen of death. It's the same kind of problem as a critical error, without a message. It often follows an update, a new plugin, or the site running out of memory.

• Check whether the WordPress admin area at /wp-admin/ still opens. Tell us either way.
• Don't keep reinstalling plugins or switching themes to test; each change makes the cause harder to find.

"Error establishing a database connection"

WordPress can't reach the database where your pages, posts and settings are stored. The cause can be a database that's down or overloaded, wrong database details in the site's settings file, or a damaged database.

There's nothing to try on your side other than a reload a minute later. If it's still there, open a ticket and choose a higher priority, because the whole site is affected.

"Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute."

WordPress shows this while it installs updates. Normally it disappears within a minute or two. If it stays, an update was interrupted and WordPress didn't tidy up.

1. Wait five minutes, then reload.
2. If the message is still there, open a ticket. Mention whether you or anyone else was running updates.

Locked out of WordPress admin

• Wrong password. Use Lost your password? on the login page. See Open your WordPress administration (wp-admin).
• The reset email doesn't arrive. Check spam, then open a ticket and say which email address you tried.
• "Too many failed login attempts" or a lockout message. A security setting has paused logins from your connection. Wait the time shown, or ask us to clear it.
• You sign in but get "Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page." Your account doesn't have permission for that screen. Ask us whether it should.

Other messages you might see

• "The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive in php.ini" or "exceeds the maximum upload size for this site": the file is larger than the server allows. Make the file smaller, or ask us to raise the limit.
• "Allowed memory size of … bytes exhausted": the site ran out of memory on that page. Tell us which page and what you were doing.
• Error codes such as 500, 503 or 504: see What website error messages mean.

What to send us

Open a Website Support ticket at Support Departments with:

• The website address and the page where you see the error.
• The exact message, and the screenshot.
• When it started and what changed right before.
• Whether you can still get into WordPress admin.

You'll know it's fixed when

The page loads normally in a private window, you can sign in to WordPress admin, and we've replied on the ticket with what caused it.

Next steps

• WordPress updates: who does them and what to do when one fails
• Report a website that's down or broken