20 Common WordPress Errors and How to Fix Them
Beginner's guide to fixing WordPress common errors
by Remco Nieuwenhuizen
Owner of WPsupporters
WordPress errors show a site’s instability, improper management, and poor performance. If you don’t focus on WordPress errors and solutions, your site may fall victim to deadly disasters.
Although typical users lack WordPress’ backend knowledge, handling WordPress common errors, speed issues, and backend logs helps you avoid WordPress errors.
In this resource, let’s address common errors, issues, and performance tweaks in WordPress. You will learn how to find, fix, and manage WordPress errors with manual routines, tools, and backend knowledge in hand.
What are WordPress errors?
WordPress errors show alarming emergencies, instability, and broken functionality in a WordPress website. Once a specific error occurs, a part of WordPress functionality stops working immediately.
There are different types of WordPress errors. Some issues are more deadly and require extensive knowledge of WordPress backend to fix. Some errors fall under basics and are solved with a dashboard tweak, WordPress plugin, or a 3rd party script.
For example, error database connection failure occurs when credentials in wp-config.php are not correct. Similarly, performance issues in WordPress occur when PHP’s version needs updating to its latest core.
WordPress errors help you make informed decisions on Time. If something unusual occurs, a part of WordPress needs to be updated, fixed, or maintained properly.
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WordPress errors and solutions: Categories with Brief Descriptions
Here is the list of WordPress errors and categories with brief descriptions for each.
Internal Server Errors
“Internal Server Errors” occur when the origin of an error is undefined on the server. Such errors show a server’s infrastructure’s misconfiguration, temporary instability, or security breach in the system.
Internal Server Errors are well-solved by contacting the server’s support agents. In this case, you may need to perform identity verification to proceed and fix server issues for your WordPress site.
Syntax errors in WordPress
Syntax errors occur during custom code execution in WordPress. As its name suggests, syntax errors occur if a custom code includes a mis-typed character, such as a slash or closing bracket.
Modern code editors help you fix syntax errors in WordPress source codes for themes, plugins, or 3rd party scripts, such as Notepad++.
WordPress connection errors
If your site’s database credentials in wp-config.php are saved, changed, or modified incorrectly, you will see the above error. To fix such issues, you must ensure your site’s DB credentials in wp-config.php are correct and in place.
In most cases, database connection errors occur during WordPress installation. Such mistakes may also happen if you’ve migrated your site from a previous web host. Also, if a server infrastructure is well-setup, WordPress logs all errors by default.
WordPress Blank screen errors
Blank screen errors occur when processing PHP executions exhausts the memory limit. Usually, such errors are fixed by changing limits in server configuration.
However, blank screen errors in WordPress have many reasons. Sometimes, blank screens come from a culprit plugin, sometimes from Hosting mis-configurations.
Tip: WordPress errors and solutions ensure your site is running with latest tools, infrastructure, and hardware devices. Malfunctioning hardware may also result in blank screens, however, proper intrusion in the matter will help you identify the root cause of problems. Here is a list of WordPress maintenance factors for users of all levels.
Resource/Content-based errors in WordPress
The 404 error is standard and occurs on sites where a page doesn’t exist. In this case, once a user browses a non-existing page on a WordPress site, the 404 not found error is shown in the web browser.
Such errors help you find if a page is missing on a WordPress website. Here, you need to understand one thing – pay special attention to pages linked from external sites. You can also sort out WordPress logs 404 errors for more information.
Source code Division-based errors, such as Sidebar below content
If a WordPress theme doesn’t handle content divisions properly, users see the “sidebar below content” errors. Such errors occur when users add custom code snippets to a WordPress site.
Poorly designed WordPress scripts may also result in such errors. While solving such problems, adopt a manual code review or ask for assistance from WordPress specialists.
Memory overload errors in WordPress (PHP)
Sometimes, such errors create security issues, too. PHP memory overload errors are logged when the option “enable WordPress errors” is enabled. Memory overload results in errors if a theme or plugin overloads its default memory allocation limit.
In this case, we can solve such issues by increasing the PHP memory limit on the server infrastructure.
Access Control errors in WordPress
If you’ve implemented Two Factor Authentication (2FA) on your WordPress site, you may need help with locked-out errors if you repeatedly enter the wrong credentials.
For example, WordFence, a plugin to increase your site’s security, helps you configure 2FA. Once you’ve configured the option That controls measures about invalid credentials, you’ll get an error each time you enter a wrong password. In this case, WordFence keeps you logged out of the WordPress dashboard until you’ve verified your identity as a valid user.
Permalinks and Redirects errors in WordPress
WordPress errors involving a site’s link structure occur for many reasons. For example, repeat redirects in WordPress occur That keep loading specific pages on form submission. For example, if you see redirects after you’ve entered login credentials, your site is affected with redirect errors.
Here, such errors indicate your site’s database holds incorrect URLs for your site’s home, login, or specific pages.
To find if a WordPress site has issues in Permalinks, you will need to learn how to check WordPress errors in a site’s database values.
Errors in Media uploading to WordPress
WordPress may show an error while you are trying to upload an image in the dashboard. In most cases, such errors occur when WordPress is not given proper permissions to access files and directories.
Typically, upload errors result in WordPress after you misconfigured, renamed, or managed core directories’ names.
Declarative or Question-based errors
You may have seen in WordPress if you’re trying to perform specific actions, WordPress asks to confirm your action.
Such messages, confirmations, or errors occur when a user in WordPress performs administrator’s action on behalf of a plugin or theme. In this case, the plugin or theme in question fails to handle WordPress actions, handlers, or file permissions correctly.
Note: Declarative errors are kept hidden if the option That says “hide WordPress errors” is enabled on a WP site. You should keep this factor in mind when dealing with WordPress errors and solutions.
Maintenance errors in WordPress
If your site shows maintenance-based errors or messages, your WordPress site needs to complete its updating routines.
This happens in cases when WordPress’ new update rolls out. In this case, WordPress, if configured, may try to update its core files automatically.
Related Reading: What does Website Maintenance include?
Errors in WordPress email system
If a WordPress site fails to send routine email notifications, chances are your site’s web hosting company has disabled or limited permissions to send automated emails.
Such scenarios occur in shared hosting and are resolved by setting up measures with the hosting support representatives.
Errors in WordPress Dashboard
If your site fails to update existing content, such as posts, widgets, or menus, you need to see and confirm if server infrastructure is blocking your site’s requests.
If a web hosting system finds your site sending repetitive HTTP requests, your system’s IP is blocked on the server. Such measures are taken for security purposes.
Note: WordPress shows errors on page if the respective option is enabled by default. We’ve mentioned this before, in sections for “WordPress errors and solutions”.
Forbidden Content errors in WordPress
The 403 Forbidden error shows security measures on the server level. When a user tries to browse sensitive pages, the server returns a WordPress site with a 403 status.
When this happens, users should control or step back from what they are trying to access on a WordPress website.
Too many Redirects errors in WordPress
WordPress automatically creates a redirect when a page is updated with a different URL. Now, if a user tries to access the old URL, the browser automatically sends the user to its new version. This scenario is referred to as redirecting WordPress users.
However, creating repetitive redirects in WordPress is not recommended. If it occurs, the user is trapped in a redirect chain, and sometimes, the browser shows an error message “too many redirects“. You can also check WordPress errors online with a redirect checker.
Errors: Writing to disk has failed in WordPress
In regular scenarios, WordPress stores users’ data in the wp-content folder. However, if proper file permissions are not set for the folder, WordPress may show an error stating, “writing to disk has failed“.
Such errors can be solved using setting up proper file permissions on WordPress core folders.
Harmful content errors in a WordPress website
If your site is infected with malware, users will see harmful content errors in their browsers. You can fix such issues by hiring WordPress support services or scanning your site for malware.
You can ask your hosting support representatives if you need help fixing such issues.
WordPress Time-based, scheduling errors
On a WordPress website, you can schedule future posts for publishing at a later time. However, WordPress may fail to follow scheduling procedures for several reasons.
Commonly, conflicts with plugins may cause WordPress to miss scheduled post publishing routines. Such errors are fixed by finding culprit plugins, themes, or scripts and repairing them accordingly.
Scheduling errors are also identifiable by using a WordPress plugin to fix issues.
Execution time errors in WordPress
Web servers support WordPress running with an adequate time for executing PHP scripts or processes.
As its name suggests, if a process, script, or PHP execution exceeds acceptable duration, WordPress, in this case, may show an error like “maximum time for execution has exceeded“.
How to Fix WordPress Errors?
WordPress errors and solutions routines require various approaches. For example, you may need to handle the dashboard’s settings, install a plugin, or ask for a Support Team’s assistance to solve a specific issue in WordPress.
Let’s address various options and learn how to check error logs in WordPress.
Different approaches: WordPress Errors and Solutions
Let’s address what methods you should adopt when solving common WordPress issues.
Manual routines
The manual approach involves fixing WordPress issues with manual knowledge of WordPress infrastructure. In this case, you’re not supposed to use 3rd party plugins or scripts for WordPress automation or fixing errors.
WordPress plugins
WordPress supports plugins used for performance tweaks and improvements. For example, WP-Optimize helps you improve your site’s performance by tweaking image size, compression, and speed measures.
In the same manner, you can use WordPress plugins That help you fix specific issues, such as WP Debugging helps admins, developers, and owners troubleshoot problems in the wp-config.php file.
Support Team's assistance
A Support Team knows how a specific WordPress site is made with backend infrastructure. If you can’t handle a particular problem in WordPress, you must hire a WordPress Support Team on Fiverr or WordPress official forums or ask for assistance in Facebook communities. Support teams can also help you quickly find WordPress error logs on a Web Server.
WordPress Support Services
For most users, hiring WordPress support services is the best option. Services That provide support can help you quickly fix WordPress errors for a small fee.
There are various services available for WordPress support. However, the best option is to hire WordPress services that provide custom plans.
We recommend you try our custom plans to fix, improve, and maintain WordPress with monthly reports, periodic monitoring, and automated backups.
WordPress errors and solutions: Custom Approach
A custom fix to WordPress issues involves mixing up various routines to check and fix WordPress errors. Following a custom approach helps you track, fix, and monitor errors in custom infrastructure That involves WordPress.
Which approach should Beginners adopt to fix WordPress Errors?
Note: We recommend running a detailed audit for your WordPress website, before you finalize a specific approach to fix WordPress issues.
Adopting a specific approach depends on how well you identify a WordPress error. For example, fixing specific errors requires a performance tweak, while others may ask for Support Team’s assistance.
As defined above, there are several routines when fixing WordPress issues and errors. Above all, the best approach involves manual expertise in what you’re doing to fix a specific problem in WordPress.
Fix WordPress Errors
Let’s proceed to fix WordPress common errors. If you have a list of compile errors, such as the “WordPress errors log“, you can proceed with the ones That need manual assessment.
Error fixing routines involve identifying the problems first, followed by using a specific approach to improve, approve, and maintain a particular issue in WordPress.
How to identify a WordPress Error?
WordPress errors are tracked down using manual routines, plugins, scanning tools, or 3rd party scripts used for the said purpose.
Different routines yield various benefits. However, based on the type of error, you will need to follow a specific way to fix a particular problem in WordPress.
Let’s address various factors involved in WordPress errors and solutions.
Manual approach
As addressed above, manual routines consist of manual expertise to fix a specific problem in WordPress, such as correcting errors that occurred by renaming core files in WordPress, such as wp-config.php.
Error statements
Error statements are textual messages that inform WordPress users of different errors in WordPress. Here, you will need to ping error statements’ settings if a site is not logging errors, also represented by statements like “WordPress errors not logging“. When fixing issues in WordPress, paying attention to the error statements weighs equal importance. An example of an error statement is “Failed Auto-upgrade.”
Server Logs
Server Logs are entries made inside the server’s infrastructure when a specific routine or error occurs on a WordPress website. Server Error Logs help you view WordPress errors for a site. For example, a log is created in the server when a user surfs a non-existing page on a WordPress website.
When dealing with fixing routines of errors in WordPress, server logs contain important information about what happened That caused a specific error in WordPress. Also, you can set a WordPress system, script, or server to log WordPress errors when occurred.
WordPress plugins
Using WordPress plugins to solve performance issues is based on Automation. For example, you can use a specific plugin That helps you scan your site for errors and help you make WordPress display all errors, such as “WordPress Detect.”
Performance Checking Tools
A web-based tool like “WordPress Scanner” can also help you find and fix errors in WordPress. In this case, Tools used to create SEO audits of a WordPress site also help you track down, suggest solutions, or show WordPress errors.
Custom Approach
As its name suggests, a custom plan consists of using various tools, scripts, or assistance from developers to solve a WordPress error. In this case, the best way suits a specific routine to solve a mistake is the ideal approach for fixing practices.
Which tools are involved?
Most of the time, WordPress errors are fixed by changing WordPress’ core infrastructure. For example, WordPress dashboards, Server directories, mis-configurations, and changing WordPress plugins and themes result in basic errors in a WordPress website, and fixing them helps owners solve essential issues.
Having that clarified, problem identification helps you track culprit regions of a WordPress-based site before you choose a specific tool or approach.
For example, if you’re facing issues in a site’s server infrastructure or core WordPress files, you need to log in and dig deeper into the server directories.
Similarly, basic errors are solved with a dashboard tweak, such as installing a WordPress plugin. Sometimes, fixing a problem needs assistance from the hosting support representatives – too.
Note: WordPress plugins like WP Debugging may help you set WordPress logs errors to a text file.
WordPress Errors and Solutions: How to Fix Them (Step-by-Step)
Here is a list of common WordPress errors and solutions, and how to fix them as a Beginner.
WordPress write to the error log
Although the phrase looks like an error message, it is not. If you search for the words on Google, you’re trying to access or enable the error logs or WordPress log errors.
If you see a black screen on WordPress, error codes like 404, 401, and 500, or notice a slow-performing site, you need to see your site’s error logs.
Proceed and install the WP Debugging to see a list of WordPress error logs without interacting with configuration files directly.
WordPress “write to error log” errors are referred to as “WordPress show errors” as well.
WordPress admin error 403
This error occurs when your site’s server restricts sensitive pages on your site. In this case, a server bans a WordPress site’s administrator area. Such errors occur if you’ve installed poorly designed WordPress plugins on your WordPress site.
The step to solving the 403 admin error in WordPress is to find what’s causing the error, such as a plugin, htaccess file, or security issues. Once identified, you can proceed to fix the problem. In the case of a plugin, deactivating the plugin in question solves the issue. Similarly, update your site’s htaccess file with default values to fix 403 admin errors in WordPress.
WordPress blog error 404 not found
The 404 Not Found error code is returned if a page doesn’t exist on a website. You need to be more accurate in your blog setup if you need access to your Blog page.
In this case, make sure your blog posts are displayed individually. Then, creating a specific blog page with the latest posts displayed will fix the said error in WordPress. Blog error in WordPress differs from the “WordPress PHP error log” shown in the WP dashboard.
WordPress backend error 500
In most cases, the “WordPress backend error 500” occurs when a server’s application is misconfigured or can’t handle users’ requests.
For example, memory exceeding issues, PHP updating culprits, poorly coded themes and plugins, and caching issues are the culprits of backend or internal 500 errors on a WordPress site.
You will need to ask the server’s representatives for assistance to solve such issues. You can also ask for settings that help you make WordPress show PHP errors for further investigation.
WordPress backup error 500
As described above, a 500 error occurs when something unusual occurs on the server. If you try to restore your site from a backup plan, you may see 500 error messages, too.
To proceed and fix such errors, ask your support representative or wait and try again later. Server issues are solved automatically in some cases.
Note: The web server automatically sorts errors if the “WordPress log function” is enabled.
WordPress error code out of memory
WordPress sites show such errors if memory allocated for process execution at the server level is not enough. Such events indicate that you should increase your site’s memory limit for code execution.
To increase the memory limit for WordPress, you need to edit and paste the following code in the wp-config.php file located in the WordPress core directories.
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);
The above code snippet will increase the memory limit from default settings to 256MB.
Bitnami WordPress 500 error
Bitnami is a package that supports hosting multiple installers for multiple operating systems.
If you’re using Bitnami with a WordPress system, you may see such errors if you’ve modified the wp-config.php file in WordPress.
In this case, the WordPress file must remove syntax errors from its source code. Once completed, such errors are solved with manual routines and don’t require extra practice. However, you must have covered the knowledge of how to use Bitnami in WordPress.
Note: Errors created by 3rd party Apps in WordPress are subject to be logged under “WordPress access logs“.
WordPress mixed content issues
Mixed content issues in WordPress occur if your site’s URLs need to be correctly configured. For example, if your site’s database is filled with different URLs, such as HTTP and HTTPs, then mixed content errors may stop your site from improving performance.
To fix such errors, ensure you have configured your site’s SSL properly with HTTPs. Also, remember to change or remove database entries that still load with HTTP.
WordPress 500 error after migration
As its name suggests, WordPress may show errors after migrating from one host to another.
Such errors occur when the migration process conflicts with a new host’s server infrastructure. For example, on a new web host’s server, permalink structure, DNS settings, directories permissions, or Htaccess files are the prime suspects of “WordPress error 500 after migration”.
To fix such errors, you may need to fix and re-start the migration process. Initiate the process with assistance from the hosting support representatives.
Note: Migration events involve multiple systems, such as old and new web hosting platforms. You may face scenarios like “WordPress errors not found” if you’re not careful on both systems.
WordPress error code 1020
If a site is protected by CloudFlare, violating firewall rules triggers error code 1020 in WordPress.
WordPress error code 1020 is better managed by changing, resetting, or operating firewall rules in CloudFlare. However, changing firewall rules may expose your site to hacking attacks and is not recommended.
In this case, you can see further details of errors if the “WordPress write to error log” option is enabled on the CloudFlare platform.
WordPress xmlrpc fault code 32700
XML-RPC helps admins transmit data using HTTP and XML. This feature supports WordPress, while data transmission across Apps is the only option.
XML-RPC fault code 32700 occurs when you try accessing XML-RPC with a calling agent, such as cURL. You may need to change config files or the agent to solve similar issues in WordPress, such as HTTPie.
XML-RPC server accepts POST requests only
As described above, XML-RPC performs communication with automated apps for WordPress. This is not an error, but a statement or message that indicates “XML-RPC only supports POST requests from clients”.
Sometimes, this error or message may post security precautions and needs attention regarding security.
HTTP error 500 WordPress - GoDaddy
WordPress 500 error is a generic error for WordPress sites. If your site is hosted on GoDaddy, such errors may occur.
You can fix such issues by asking for support from GoDaddy support representatives. In most cases, sites on GoDaddy with a 500 error don’t display informational messages to the users. Also, you may see a blank white screen if your website on GoDaddy is experiencing a 500 error. Here, find the WordPress error log for more information about such errors.
WordPress display errors off
Unlike its name suggests, the above phrase doesn’t point fingers at a WordPress error.
The phrase represents your intention to stop showing PHP errors to the end users. Once changed the respective settings, a WordPress site stops showing PHP errors if something That triggers errors occurs.
Note: View WordPress Error Log settings to find if the said option is logging WordPress issues.
WordPress error establishing a database connection wamp
WAMP helps you create local web servers on a PC. An error in establishing a database connection for local servers occurs when using WAMP on your Windows PC.
The way we fix credentials in wp-config.php for live sites we can dig deeper in WAMP directories to see if config files are stored with correct credentials.
WordPress error establishing a database connection multisite
As described above, database connection errors occur due to configuration files’ incorrect credentials.
WordPress also supports multi-sites; database connection errors may occur if you’re trying to create multi-sites with WordPress.
For core files That perform credentials verification in multi-sites, you’ll need to check if they hold valid information. This should help you fix the “database connection failed errors” in WordPress.
Note: In a multi-site environment in WordPress, you may get an error like “WordPress error log not working” if you’re not careful about logging errors.
WordPress error cookies are blocked
WordPress shows a “Cookies are blocked” message when a page’s processing involves cookies management. Usually, such errors occur when a browser has disabled or blocked cookies on specific sites.
There are many reasons for this error or message. Browsers show such errors when SSL is not correctly configured on a WordPress website. Check your browser’s cookie information and SSL installation to solve this issue.
WordPress error 403 jetpack
Jetpack updates may sometimes result in a 403 error in WordPress. This happens due to the interaction of Jetpack with the WordPress XML-RPC feature.
To solve Jetpack’s issue in WordPress, editing the Htaccess file may help you get things done. However, editing config files in WordPress is a technical thing and requires special attention to proceed.
WordPress 500 Internal server error images
Image uploading issues occur in WordPress if your server has disabled accepting media file types for security reasons. In this case, asking support representatives is the best option to fix such issues.
You may experience such issues while uploading multiple image files in WordPress. The process starts for a second, stops, and leaves no track of why the media was not uploaded successfully.
WordPress error function
WordPress supports functions That help users easily handle errors in WordPress, represented by statements like “WordPress errors add“. For example, you can use the WP_Error class to perform WordPress error handling as a beginner.
The above phrase doesn’t represent a specific error in WordPress. It helps you understand how to handle errors, logs, and issue management in WordPress with built-in functions.
Professional Tips
- Problem identification is mandatory to fix WordPress errors in typical scenarios, such as managing issues in WordPress dashboard or assessing things after an error has occurred after a plugin’s installation.
- See if an error falls under a specific category, WordPress core, or part. It helps you quickly adopt a suitable approach to fixing your routine.
- Perform updating routines of a staging site first. A staging site refers to a Test site for checking if a specific theme, plugin, or update will work in WordPress before you proceed to apply the routines on the original website.
- Always try to fix your site’s errors manually, as installing additional plugins may create incompatibility issues in WordPress.
- Take a backup of your site before implementing a significant update, perform site migration, or change WordPress core files to fix specific issues. A backup plan helps you quickly recover your site from disasters.
- Keep the WordPress core files the same if dealing with a specific issue is deniable. For example, if you think fixing an error is manual and doesn’t require changing WordPress’ core infrastructure, don’t proceed.
- When allowing experts to solve WordPress issues, such as Freelance Developers, make sure you’ve created a separate account with limited access levels for others.
Conclusion
In this write-up, you learned how to find common WP errors and how to fix them as a beginner. Also, you learned about system directories where WordPress logs errors.
WordPress errors are well-handled if you know the WordPress infrastructure, such as dashboard, backend, and server directories, or editing the WordPress core files to fix common WordPress errors.
Chances of occurring WordPress errors become slim when periodic reports and maintenance routines are carried out for a site. In case of a security breach, you can also use WordPress support services for a quick fix.
For more information on WordPress performance, maintenance, or troubleshooting, head to more detailed tutorials on our blog or let us know about support services. We’d love to sort things out for a custom meeting, WordPress fix, or performance tweaks for your business website.
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