Troubleshooting Common WordPress Issues
The good thing about using WordPress, is that you don’t really tend to get that many issues with it, also it is updated regularly.
Now that doesn’t mean to say that its completely Flawless, but as a whole, this CMS (content management system), is quite solid, and generally speaking if you do have a problem it is quite often down to a plugin clashing.
WHat is a WordPress PLugin Clash & How to Address it
So my first tip when it comes to troubleshooting common WordPress issues is always to check the plugins are not clashing, and the easiest way to do this is to switch them all off and then switch them back on 1 by 1 until a problem occurs again and then you have isolated which plug-in clashes.
From there ideally contact the developer of the plugin and see if a fix can be implemented, or if you can don’t use that plugin at all.
When we refer to a plugin clashing, this basically means that one plugin is for some reason stopping the full or part functionality of another plugin.
Troubleshooting Common WordPress Issues & Solutions
So now let’s also look at other potential errors and WordPress issues, some of these are quite rare but can still occur, we will also try and provide solutions to these issues and errors where possible.
Here are the most common issues I have either come across or have heard about which can occur on your WordPress website also with potential fixes and Troublshooting.
White Screen of Death (WSoD)
Cause: PHP or database errors.
Solution: Look into the error logs for specifics. Boost the memory limit in the wp-config.php file by adding define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );.
Error Establishing Database Connection
Cause: Wrong database credentials or server down.
Solution: Double-check the database details in wp-config.php. Confirm the database server is operational.
404 Error on Posts
Cause: Permalink settings issue.
Solution: Navigate to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to reset the rewrite rules.
Admin Dashboard is Inaccessible
Cause: Could be a plugin or theme conflict. Solution: Disable all plugins and themes via FTP to isolate the problem. Rename the plugin/theme folder to deactivate.
Images Not Uploading
Cause: File permission error on the uploads directory.
Solution: Ensure the uploads directory is writable. Adjust permissions if necessary.
Slow Website Speed
Cause: Unoptimized content, no caching.
Solution: Compress images, install caching plugins, and maybe upgrade hosting service for better performance.
Update Issues
Cause: Failed automatic updates.
Solution: Manually update by downloading WordPress latest version and using FTP to update the core files, excluding wp-content.
Plugin Conflicts
Cause: Two or more plugins interfering with each other.
Solution: Deactivate all plugins. Reactivate one by one to pinpoint the conflicting plugin.
Theme Issues
Cause: Problematic theme.
Solution: Switch to a default WordPress theme. If the issue resolves, the problem lies with your theme.
Email Sending Problems
Cause: WordPress email function issues.
Solution: Utilize an SMTP plugin to configure WordPress to use a reliable SMTP provider for sending emails.
Mixed Content SSL Errors
Cause: Insecure URLs after moving to HTTPS.
Solution: Ensure all URLs in settings and content are HTTPS. Use a plugin to correct mixed content issues.
Login Page Refreshing/Redirecting
Cause: Cache or cookies problem, or incorrect site URL settings.
Solution: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies. Verify site URL settings in wp-config.php are correct.
Memory Exhausted Error
Cause: Exceeded PHP memory limit.
Solution: Increase the PHP memory limit in wp-config.php by adding define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');.
Syntax Error
Cause: Mistakes in code edits.
Solution: Correct the syntax error as indicated by the error message or restore from a backup if unable to fix.
RSS Feed Errors
Cause: Poorly formatted RSS feed. Solution: Fix with a plugin or by adding code to functions.php to rectify RSS formatting issues.
Too Many Redirects
Cause: Incorrect site URL settings or conflicting redirects.
Solution: Check site URL settings. Examine .htaccess for redirect conflicts and fix as necessary.
Fatal Error: Namespace Declaration
Cause: PHP version not compatible.
Solution: Update PHP version or contact the developer of the concerned plugin or theme for compatibility issues.
Maintenance Mode Stuck
Cause: Unfinished or interrupted update.
Solution: Delete the .maintenance file from the WordPress root directory to exit maintenance mode.
Cannot Modify Header Information
Cause: Premature output before sending HTTP headers.
Solution: Check for whitespace before PHP opening tags in files mentioned in the error and remove it.
Sidebar Below Content
Cause: HTML or CSS issue in the theme.
Solution: Validate HTML and review the theme’s CSS to correct layout issues.
