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Top 10 Common WordPress Errors and How to Fix Them

WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, but like any platform, it’s not immune to technical hiccups. From the dreaded white screen to plugin conflicts, WordPress errors can be frustrating—but they’re often easy to fix once you know what’s going on.

Here are the 10 most common WordPress errors, what causes them, and step-by-step solutions to fix each one.

Illustration showing common WordPress errors and solutions like white screen, 404s, database connection, and login issues

1. The White Screen of Death (WSOD)

Problem: Your website shows a blank white screen—no error message, nothing.

Causes:

Plugin/theme conflicts

PHP memory exhaustion

Fix:

Increase memory_limit in wp-config.php

Disable plugins via FTP or your file manager

Switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four)

2. Error Establishing a Database Connection

Problem: Site can’t connect to the database.

Causes:

Incorrect database credentials
Corrupted database
Server issues

Fix:

Check wp-config.php for DB name, user, password, and host

Repair the database via phpMyAdmin or add define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true); to wp-config.php

3. Internal Server Error (500 Error)

Problem: A generic error that doesn’t tell you much.

Causes:

Corrupted .htaccess file

Plugin/theme conflict
PHP memory limit

Fix:

Rename .htaccess to .htaccess_old and reload

Increase PHP memory

Enable debugging: define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );

4. 404 Error on Posts or Pages

Problem: Homepage works, but other links show 404 errors.

Fix:

Go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to flush rewrite rules

Check .htaccess rewrite rules if using Apache

5. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Problem: You see: “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance.”

Fix:

Delete the .maintenance file from your site root via FTP or File Manager

6. Image Upload Issues (HTTP Error)

Problem: You get an “HTTP error” while uploading images.

Causes:

Memory limits
File size restrictions
Try a different browser or image format

Fix:

Increase memory in php.ini

Disable mod_security
Try a different browser or image format

7. You’re Locked Out of the Admin Area

Problem: Can’t log in, password reset doesn’t work.

Fix:

Reset the password via phpMyAdmin

Disable login restriction plugins temporarily

Create a new admin user via FTP and functions.php (carefully)

8. Changes Not Showing (Caching Issues)

Problem: You made changes, but the site looks the same.

Fix:

Clear browser cache
Clear WordPress and server cache (e.g., W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed, etc.)

Use CTRL + SHIFT + R to force-refresh

9. Plugin or Theme Conflict After Update

Problem: Website breaks or throws errors after an update.

Fix:

Roll back to previous version using a plugin like WP Rollback
Disable the conflicting plugin/theme
Review plugin documentation or changelog

10. Too Many Redirects Error

Problem: “This page isn’t redirecting properly” message in the browser.

Fix:

Check site_url and home settings in the database

Remove redirect plugins temporarily
Ensure HTTPS/SSL isn’t misconfigured

Bonus Tip: Enable Debug Mode

To get better error visibility, add this to your wp-config.php :

define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);
define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);
define(‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false);

It saves errors in wp-content/debug.log for diagnosis without showing them to users.

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