1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

What it looks like: A blank white page with no error messages.
Causes: Plugin/theme conflicts, low memory limits, or PHP errors.

How to Fix:

1. Disable Plugins via FTP: Connect via FileZilla, navigate to /wp-content/plugins/, and rename the plugin folder to disable it.

2. Switch Themes: Rename your active theme folder in /wp-content/themes/ to force WordPress to use a default theme.

3. Increase PHP Memory Limit: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to your wp-config.php file.

2. 404 Page Not Found

What it looks like: Broken links or missing pages.
Causes: Incorrect permalink settings or corrupted .htaccess file.

How to Fix:

1. Reset Permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” without altering settings.

2. Regenerate .htaccess: Delete the existing .htaccess file (backup first!) and let WordPress recreate it.

3. Disable Caching Plugins: Temporarily deactivate caching tools like WP Rocket.

3. Error Establishing a Database Connection

What it looks like: “Error establishing a database connection” message.
Causes: Incorrect database credentials or server issues.

How to Fix:

1. Check wp-config.php: Verify your database name, username, password, and host in the file.

2. Repair Database via Hosting: Use your hosting panel (e.g., cPanel) to repair the database with phpMyAdmin.

3. Contact Your Host: Server overload or crashes may require hosting support.

4. Internal Server Error (500)

What it looks like: A generic “500 Internal Server Error” page.
Causes: Corrupted .htaccess, plugin conflicts, or PHP version mismatches.

How to Fix:

1. Rename .htaccess: Temporarily rename the file via FTP.

2. Increase PHP Memory: Add php_value memory_limit 256M to your .htaccess.

3. Disable Plugins/Themes: Use the steps from the WSOD fix above.

5. Memory Exhausted Error

What it looks like: “Allowed memory size exhausted” message.
Causes: Resource-heavy plugins or low PHP memory allocation.

How to Fix:

1. Edit wp-config.php: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

2. Contact Hosting Provider: Request a PHP memory limit increase.

3. Use a Plugin: Install WP Memory Limit Increase for a quick fix.

6. Stuck in Maintenance Mode

What it looks like: “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” message.
Causes: Interrupted updates or a lingering .maintenance file.

How to Fix:

1. Delete .maintenance File: Use FTP to remove the file from your root directory.

2. Manual Update: Re-run the update process via Dashboard > Updates.

7. Critical Error on Your Website

What it looks like: “There has been a critical error on your website” message (WordPress 5.2+).
Causes: Plugin/theme compatibility issues.

How to Fix:

1. Enable Debugging: Add define('WP_DEBUG', true); to wp-config.php to identify the faulty plugin/theme.

2. Check Error Logs: Access logs via your hosting dashboard for details.

8. Locked Out of WordPress Admin

What it looks like: Inability to log in to wp-admin.
Causes: Incorrect login credentials or security plugins blocking access.

How to Fix:

1. Reset Password: Use the “Lost Password” link or update the wp_users table via phpMyAdmin.

2. Disable Security Plugins: Rename the plugin folder via FTP if a plugin blocks access.

9. Slow Website Performance

What it looks like: Long loading times or timeouts.
Causes: Unoptimized images, poor hosting, or lack of caching.

How to Fix:

1. Optimize Images: Use Smush or ShortPixel to compress files.

2. Enable Caching: Install WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.

3. Upgrade Hosting: Switch to a faster host like SiteGround or Kinsta.

10. Connection Timed Out

What it looks like: “Connection timed out” during updates or plugin installations.
Causes: Server issues or resource-heavy processes.

How to Fix:

1. Increase PHP Execution Time: Add php_value max_execution_time 300 to .htaccess.

2. Disable Plugins: Turn off bandwidth-heavy plugins.

Final Tips for Preventing WordPress Errors

• Always back up your site with UpdraftPlus or BlogVault.

• Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated.

• Use staging environments for major changes.

By addressing these common WordPress errors proactively, you’ll minimize downtime and keep your site running smoothly. Need help? Contact me for expert WordPress troubleshooting!