59 Common WordPress Errors & How to Fix Them Fast

Key Takeaways

• Most WordPress issues, like the white screen of death or 500 internal server errors, are caused by plugin conflicts, exhausted PHP memory, or bad caching.
• You can manually fix the majority of WordPress bugs by clearing your browser cache, disabling faulty plugins via SFTP, or increasing your server execution limits.
• Managed hosting resolves WordPress errors, prevents website crashes through built-in monitoring, automatic scaling, and staging environments.

Most people love WordPress because it is easy to use. But seeing a WordPress error on your site can be scary.

These issues can take your site offline and hurt your traffic.

The good news is that you are not the first person to see these errors. Most of them are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

In this guide, we will show you the most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

Important: Always back up your website before you start fixing errors. This way, you can easily restore your site if something goes wrong.

Basic Steps for Troubleshooting WordPress Errors

Finding the exact cause of a WordPress error can take time. But there are a few basic steps you should always try first.

First, clear your WordPress cache. This fixes issues caused by outdated content.

Next, make sure your theme, plugins, and WordPress core are up to date.

If you just installed a new plugin and your site broke, deactivate it.

If you are using Cloudways, this process is even easier. Every server runs on the Lightning Stack (which includes Nginx, Apache, Varnish, and Object Cache Pro). This optimized setup prevents a lot of common performance errors out of the box.

Cloudways also offers a free cache plugin called Breeze. It works perfectly with Varnish to speed up your site and handle caching automatically.

1. WordPress White Screen of Death

You try to visit your website, and all you see is a blank white screen. There is no error message at all.

If you have never seen the WordPress white screen of death, consider yourself lucky. It is one of the most confusing errors for beginners.

Most of the time, this happens because a script exhausted the PHP memory limit.

Here is how to fix the white screen of death by increasing your memory limit.

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Increasing the Memory Limit

Your web host and WordPress both set a limit on PHP memory. When you run out of memory, your site goes blank.

You can fix this by increasing the PHP memory limit to a modern standard, like 256MB. There are a few ways to do this.

Through Functions.php

Go to your root directory using an SFTP client. Open your current theme’s folder and find the functions.php file.

Download the file to your computer. Add this code to the top of the file:

@ini_set('upload_max_size', '256M'); @ini_set('post_max_size', '256M'); @ini_set('max_execution_time', '300');

Save the file and upload it back to your server.

Through the .htaccess File

You can also edit your .htaccess file. This is located in your root WordPress folder.

Download the .htaccess file. Add the following code to it:

php_value upload_max_filesize 256M php_value post_max_size 256M

Save and re-upload the file.

Through wp-config.php

Another option is to edit your wp-config.php file. This is also in your root directory.

Download the file and add this code:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); ini_set('post_max_size', '256M'); ini_set('upload_max_filesize', '256M');

Directly From Cloudways

If you use Cloudways, you don’t have to touch any code to fix this.

Log in to your account and go to Servers. Click on your server.

Navigate to Settings & Packages on the left side. Look for the Memory Limit field under the Basic settings tab and simply type in your new limit.

We also offer an automated solution via Cloudways Copilot. It monitors your server 24/7 and if your site goes down due to an Out of Memory (OOM) error or maxed-out PHP workers, Copilot will instantly flag it and offer a 1-click SmartFix to restart PHP and bring your site back online.

Deactivate All Plugins

If increasing the memory limit didn’t work, then a plugin might be causing the white screen.

Sometimes a new plugin will conflict with your active theme.

Go to your WordPress admin dashboard. Click on Plugins » Installed Plugins.

Deactivate all of your plugins. Check your website. If it is working again, then a plugin was the problem.

Now, activate your plugins one by one. Refresh your site after each one. This will help you find the exact plugin causing the issue.

Replace Your Theme With a Default Theme

If your plugins are fine, then your theme might be the problem.

You should switch to the latest default WordPress theme, like Twenty Twenty-Four.

First, download a backup of your current theme folder using SFTP. Then, delete the theme from your server.

WordPress will automatically switch to the default theme. Check your site to see if the error is gone.

Other Fixes

If nothing else works, you can turn on the WordPress debugging feature. This will show you the exact error output.

Open your wp-config.php file and add this code:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true); define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);

You can also use a debugging tool like Query Monitor to find the problem. If all else fails, you may need to install a fresh version of WordPress.

2. 500 Internal Server Error

The 500 Internal Server Error is very common. But it can be annoying because it doesn’t tell you exactly what is wrong.

Usually, this error is caused by a bad plugin or theme.

It can also happen if your .htaccess file is corrupted or if you run out of PHP memory.

Sometimes your site will show this error, but your WordPress admin area will still work fine.

Fix 1: Corrupt .htaccess File

A corrupted .htaccess file is the most common reason for this error. You should check this first.

Connect to your site using an SFTP client. Find the .htaccess file in your root folder.

Rename it to something else, like .htaccess_old.

Now, try to load your website. If it works, you fixed it!

To create a new .htaccess file, go to your WordPress admin area. Go to Settings » Permalinks and just click the save button.

Fix 2: Insufficient PHP Memory

A lack of PHP memory can also trigger the 500 error. You need to check your website’s error logs to see if this is the cause.

Open your wp-config.php file. Look for this line:

define ('WP_DEBUG', false);

Change it to true:

define ('WP_DEBUG', true);

If you can’t find this line, you can manually add it too by opening wp-config.php file and placing it above the line that says this:

/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

You should also try deactivating your plugins and themes one by one. If a plugin is draining your memory, this will expose it.

You can also try increasing your PHP memory limit using the steps we showed earlier.

Fix 3: Damaged WordPress Core

This is rare, but your core WordPress files might be corrupted. If this happens, you need to replace them.

Connect to your site using SFTP. Upload fresh copies of the wp-admin and wp-includes folders from a new WordPress download.

This will not delete your themes or plugins. Your custom content is safe inside the wp-content folder.

If that doesn’t work, you might need to completely reinstall WordPress from scratch.

3. Error Establishing Database Connection

The “Error Establishing Database Connection” message can be very confusing for beginners. This usually happens when you install WordPress manually or move your website to a new host.

Your site needs the wp-config.php file to connect to your database. If the login info in this file is wrong, your site breaks.

Here are a few ways to fix this error.

Fix 1: Incorrect Connection Settings

If you just moved your site, you need to update your database settings. Open your wp-config.php file and update your database name, username, and password.

Fix 2: Wrong wp-config.php File Password

Did you recently change your database password in your hosting panel? If so, you must also change it in your wp-config.php file.

Open your wp-config.php file using a text editor. Look for this line:

define ('DB_PASSWORD', 'enter the password here');

Enter your new password. Save the file and upload it back to your server using SFTP.

Fix 3: Problems With DB_HOST

Sometimes your database host is not “localhost“. Ask your web host for the correct MySQL URL or IP address.

Update the DB_HOST value in your wp-config.php file with this new information.

Fix 4: Transferring Your Database

When moving to a new host, you must transfer your actual database.

Export your MySQL database from your old host and import it to the new one. Do this before canceling your old hosting account to avoid losing data.

4. Failed Auto-Upgrade

Sometimes the WordPress auto-update feature fails. You might see a blank white screen, a failed update warning, or a PHP error message.

This usually happens due to a poor internet connection or wrong file permissions during the update.

To fix this, you need to update WordPress manually.

How to Prevent This With Cloudways

If you are a Cloudways user, you can prevent this error entirely by enabling SafeUpdates.

Instead of updating your live site and hoping for the best, SafeUpdates automatically takes a backup, tests the core or plugin update in an isolated environment, and only pushes it live if the site does not break.

How to Manually Update WordPress

If your site is already stuck, you will need to fix it manually via SFTP.

First, download the latest WordPress zip file from WordPress.org and extract it on your computer.

Next, deactivate all your plugins from the WordPress dashboard.

Connect to your website using SFTP. Delete the old wp-includes and wp-admin folders from your server.

Upload the new wp-includes and wp-admin folders from the extracted zip file to your server.

Now, open the new wp-content folder. Upload the files inside it to your existing wp-content folder on your server. Do not delete your old wp-content folder.

Upload the rest of the loose files to your main WordPress root folder.

If you see a .maintenance file in your root folder, delete it.

Finally, go to your WordPress admin area. WordPress might ask you to update your database. Click the link to update it.

Clear your cache and turn your plugins back on.

5. Fixing the Sidebar Below Content Error

Another common issue is when the sidebar appears below the content instead of next to it.

This is usually caused by an HTML or CSS error in your WordPress theme.

Here is how you can troubleshoot and fix the sidebar error.

• Undo Recent Changes: If you just edited your theme files, undo those changes to see if it fixes the layout.
• Check for Plugin Conflicts: Deactivate all your plugins. If the sidebar moves back to the right place, activate your plugins one by one to find the bad plugin.

• Find HTML Errors: Look for unclosed <div> tags in your theme files. An extra or missing closing tag will easily break your layout.

• Check CSS Settings: Check your stylesheet. Make sure your content area and sidebar width are not too wide to fit next to each other.
• Clear WordPress Cache: Always clear your cache so you are viewing the most recent version of your site.

6. Fixing White Text and Missing Buttons in WordPress Visual Editor

If you still use the Classic Editor plugin, your formatting buttons might suddenly disappear. You might just see blank white space.

This happens when JavaScript is not working correctly. It is usually caused by missing TinyMCE files or a plugin conflict.

Here is how to fix the missing buttons error.

Clear the Browser Cache

First, clear your browser cache. You can also try logging into your site using a different web browser.

Replace TinyMCE Scripts

If that does not work, download a fresh copy of WordPress to your computer. Replace the /wp-includes/js/tinymce/ folder on your server with the fresh copy using SFTP.

Update wp-config.php

If the buttons are still missing, open your wp-config.php file. Add this code at the very top, right after the opening PHP tag:

define('CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS', false);

This forces WordPress to stop combining JavaScript files and usually fixes the editor.

7. Fix the WordPress Memory Exhausted Error – Increase PHP Memory

If your WordPress site suddenly shows a white screen of death or an error message saying “Allowed memory size… exhausted,” you have a PHP memory problem.

This happens when a WordPress plugin or script needs more memory than your server allows.

By default, WordPress tries to increase this limit, but basic limits are rarely enough for modern websites.

Here is how you can fix the WordPress memory exhausted error yourself.

Edit the wp-config.php File

Connect to your WordPress site using an SFTP client or your hosting control panel’s file manager. Find the wp-config.php file in your root folder.

Open the file and add this code snippet right before the line that says “That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging.”

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

This forces WordPress to increase the PHP memory limit to 256MB.

Save the changes and upload the file back to your server. Refresh your website, and the error should be gone.

What If It Doesn’t Work?

If you still see the error, your shared hosting provider might not allow you to manually increase the PHP limit.

If you use Cloudways, you don’t have to edit code. You can easily change this limit directly under Server Management > Settings & Packages by typing the new value into the Memory Limit field.

Plus, Cloudways Copilot proactively monitors your server. If a script constantly drains your memory, Copilot will flag the exact issue so you can fix it before your site crashes.

8. What To Do When You Are Locked Out of WordPress Admin (wp-admin)

Being locked out of your WordPress admin area is a nightmare.

It can happen if you forget your password and don’t have access to your recovery email. It can also happen due to a plugin conflict, a hacked website, or a simple database error.

Here is a look at the most common reasons you get locked out and how to regain access.

Troubles with Database Connection

If you see an “Error establishing database connection” message on the login screen, your database is corrupted, or your server is down.

See our guide above on how to fix the error establishing database connection.

Internal Server Error – 500

You might try to log in and see a blank screen with a “500 Internal Server Error.”

This usually points to a bad plugin, a corrupted .htaccess file, or a PHP memory limit issue.

We’ve already covered how to fix the 500 Internal Server Error earlier in this guide, so feel free to revisit that section.

‘Not Found’ Error – 404

If you try to go to your login page and see a 404 Not Found error, your WordPress URL settings are probably misconfigured.

You can fix this by updating your URLs directly in your theme’s functions.php file.

Connect to your site via SFTP. Go to /wp-content/themes/your-theme-folder/ and open functions.php.

Add this code to the bottom of the file:

update_option('siteurl', 'https://example.com'); update_option('home', 'https://example.com');

Make sure to change “example.com” to your actual domain name. Save and upload the file.

Once you regain access to your dashboard, you must remove this code from the functions.php file.

Forbidden Error – 403

If you see a “403 Forbidden” error when trying to access wp-admin, your server permissions are blocking you.

This is usually caused by an aggressive security plugin or incorrect file permissions on your server.

Unauthorized Error – 401

A 401 error means you are missing the proper authentication to access the page.

This happens if your wp-admin folder is password-protected or if a security plugin is blocking your IP address.

Here is how you can troubleshoot the 401 error.

1. Refresh the Firewall Cache

If you use a cloud firewall, it might be blocking your login page. You need to clear your firewall cache.

If you use Sucuri, log into your Sucuri dashboard and go to Performance > Clear Cache – Global in the Firewall settings. Click the clear cache button.

If you use Cloudflare directly, log into your Cloudflare dashboard. Go to the Caching section and click the Purge Everything button.

If you use Cloudways with the Cloudflare Enterprise add-on, you can skip those external sites. Just log into your Cloudways dashboard and clear your cache directly from your application panel.

After you clear the firewall cache, clear your browser cache and try logging in again.

2. Temporarily Deactivate Password Protection

If you password-protected your wp-admin directory in your hosting control panel, it could trigger a 401 error.

Log into your hosting dashboard. Go to the “Directory Privacy” or “Password Protected Directories” section.

Find your wp-admin folder and uncheck the password protection option. Save your changes and try to log in.

3. Disable All WordPress Plugins

A security plugin could be causing the 401 error.

Since you cannot access the admin area, you must disable plugins using SFTP. Connect to your server and go to the /wp-content/ folder.

Rename your plugins folder to disabled_plugins. This turns off all plugins at once.

If you can log in, rename the folder back to plugins and activate them one by one to find the culprit.

4. Reset WordPress Password

If you type the wrong password too many times, WordPress will block your IP address and show a 401 error.

Instead of guessing, use the “Lost your password” link.

If that doesn’t work, you will need to reset your password directly inside your database using phpMyAdmin.

5. Use a Default WordPress Theme

Sometimes a poorly coded theme will cause a 401 error on the login page.

Use SFTP to download a backup of your current theme, then delete it from the server. WordPress will fall back to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.

Locked Out by Limited Login Attempts

WordPress allows unlimited login attempts by default. Many users install a plugin to limit these attempts and stop hackers.

However, if you enter the wrong password too many times, the plugin will lock you out.

To fix this, connect to your site using SFTP.

Navigate to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder. Look for the specific security plugin you are using (such as “limit-login-attempts”, “wordfence”, or “solid-security”).

Right-click that folder and rename it to something like “wordfence-deactivated”.

This turns the plugin off so you can log in normally. You can rename it back to its original name once you are inside.

Compromised WordPress Site

If your site is hacked, hackers might change your admin password or delete your user account.

If you host with Cloudways, you can secure your site using our built-in Patchstack Vulnerability Scanning, or activate premium add-ons like Malware Protection (powered by Imunify360) to actively prevent hacks.

However, if your site gets compromised elsewhere, you will need to scan your site for malware, clean the hacked files, and restore your site from a clean backup.

Experiencing Technical Issues

WordPress has a fatal error protection feature. It might show a message saying, “The site is experiencing technical difficulties.”

When this happens, WordPress sends an email to the admin address with a special recovery link.

If you cannot receive WordPress emails, you won’t get the link.

You can force WordPress into recovery mode by adding this to the end of your domain name:

example.com/wp-login.php?action=entered_recovery_mode

Replace “example.com” with your actual domain. This lets you log in safely so you can deactivate the broken theme or plugin.

9. Fixing WordPress Login Page Refreshing and Redirecting Issue

Sometimes you enter your username and password, click log in, and the page just refreshes. It kicks you right back to the login screen.

This redirect loop is a common error. Here is how to fix it.

Clear Cookies and Cache

WordPress uses cookies to verify your login session. If your browser cookies are corrupted, WordPress will reject your login.

Go to your browser settings. Clear your browser cookies and cache. Restart your browser and try to log in again. This fixes the issue for most people.

Delete .htaccess File Code

If clearing cookies didn’t work, your .htaccess file might be corrupted.

Connect to your website using SFTP. Find the .htaccess file in your root folder.

Download a copy to your computer as a backup. Then, delete the .htaccess file from your server.

Try to log in again. If it works, go to Settings » Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard and click “Save Changes.” This creates a fresh, clean .htaccess file.

Update Site URL

If your WordPress URLs are wrong in the database, it will cause a redirect loop.

You can fix this by updating the URL in your wp-config.php file.

Connect to your site using SFTP and open the wp-config.php file. Add these two lines of code near the top:

define('WP_HOME','http://example.com'); define('WP_SITEURL','http://example.com');

Make sure to replace “example.com” with your actual domain name. Save the file and upload it back to your server.

10. Fixing Image Upload Issue in WordPress

Sometimes you might notice that all the images in your Media Library are broken. When you try to upload a new image, it fails.

This happens because the file permissions for your “uploads” folder were changed. Your server is blocking WordPress from saving new files.

How to Manually Set Your File Permissions

You need to fix your folder permissions using SFTP.

Connect to your website using an SFTP client. Go to the /wp-content/ folder.

Find the uploads folder. Right-click on it and select “File permissions.”

A new dialog box will appear. Change the numeric value to 744.

If 744 does not work, try 755.

Check the box next to “Recurse into subdirectories.” Then, select the option that says “Apply to directories only.”

Click the OK button.

Once your SFTP client finishes updating the folder permissions, go back to your WordPress dashboard. You should now be able to upload images normally.

Directly From The Platform

If you use Cloudways, you do not need to use an SFTP client to fix file permissions.

You can reset your file and folder permissions with just one click inside your hosting dashboard settings.

11. How to Fix WordPress Keeps Logging Out Problem

Sometimes WordPress will keep logging you out of your session. This is very frustrating when you are trying to work on your site.

WordPress uses a cookie in your browser to verify your login. This cookie is tied directly to your WordPress URL.

If your site settings have a mismatch between the Site Address and the WordPress Address, WordPress will constantly log you out.

Check Your URL Settings

If you can stay logged in long enough, go to Settings » General in your WordPress admin area.

Make sure the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are exactly the same. For example, check if one has “www” and the other does not. They must match perfectly.

Update URLs via SFTP

If you cannot access your admin area at all, you can fix this using SFTP.

Connect to your website and open your wp-config.php file. Add this code:

define('WP_HOME','http://www.example.com'); define('WP_SITEURL','http://www.example.com');

Make sure to replace example.com with your actual domain name. Save the file and upload it back to your server.

12. Taskbar Appears Under the Main Content

Sometimes your sidebar or taskbar will drop down below your main content area instead of sitting next to it.

This completely breaks your site layout.

The most common cause is a missing or extra <div> tag in your theme’s HTML. If you recently added a code snippet, check to make sure you closed all your tags.

You can use a free online HTML validator to find the broken tag.

It can also be a CSS issue. If you recently changed your stylesheet, your main content area and your sidebar might be too wide to fit side-by-side.

You should also check if the float property in your CSS was accidentally changed.

13. How to Fix Syntax Error in WordPress

This error usually happens when you try to add a custom code snippet to your site and miss a character.

A missing comma or an unclosed bracket will trigger a PHP parse error. This will completely break your website.

The error message on your screen will usually tell you exactly which file and line number caused the issue.

If you added the code using the WordPress dashboard editor, you are now locked out of your site. You will need to use an SFTP client to fix it.

Log in to your server using SFTP and find the file you just edited.

Open the file and correct the syntax. If you don’t know how to fix it, just delete the custom code snippet entirely.

Save the file and upload it back to your server. Refresh your site, and it should work again.

14. How to Fix “Are You Sure You Want to Do This” Error

Users often see this error inside the WordPress admin area.

The most common cause is a plugin or theme failing to use a security token called a Nonce.

Here is how you can troubleshoot and fix the error.

• Investigate Plugins: Deactivate all your plugins. If the error goes away, reactivate them one by one to find the broken plugin.
• Investigate Themes: If plugins are not the issue, try switching to a default WordPress theme. If the error disappears, your current theme is the problem.
• Replace Core Files: If you still see the error, you may need to replace your core WordPress files. Download a fresh copy of WordPress and upload the new wp-admin and wp-includes folders using SFTP.

15. How to Fix Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance Error

WordPress puts your site into maintenance mode when it updates a theme, plugin, or core file.

If the update is interrupted, your site gets stuck in maintenance mode. Visitors will just see an error page.

How to Prevent This

If you use Cloudways, you can completely avoid broken updates by using SafeUpdates. It automatically tests every update on a staging site first, ensuring your live site never crashes or gets stuck in maintenance mode.

How to Fix It Manually

If your site is already stuck, you need to use an SFTP client or your hosting file manager to fix it.

Connect to your server and go to your root WordPress folder. Look for a file called .maintenance.

Simply delete the .maintenance file.

Refresh your website, and your site will be out of maintenance mode.

16. How to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email Issue

Many beginners notice that their contact form submissions or WordPress notification emails are not arriving.

This happens because most shared web hosting companies restrict the PHP mail() function to prevent spam.

The easiest way to fix this is to use SMTP to send your emails instead.

First, install and activate the WP Mail SMTP plugin.

This plugin lets you connect your WordPress site to a reliable email service provider like Google Workspace, Brevo, or Microsoft 365.

Just follow the setup wizard in the plugin to enter your email credentials. Your WordPress emails will now bypass your hosting server and deliver directly to your inbox.

17. How to Fix WordPress RSS Feed Errors

RSS feed errors stop users from subscribing to your blog. They are usually caused by bad formatting in your XML markup.

A single missing line break or extra space can break an RSS feed.

Manually Fix Formatting

Check your theme’s functions.php file. Remove any extra spaces or blank lines after the closing PHP tag.

Disable RSS Feed Plugins

If you use a plugin to create or modify RSS feeds, temporarily disable it. If your feed starts working again, you found the culprit.

Switch to a Default Theme

Your theme might be causing the error. Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. If the error disappears, contact your theme author for support.

18. How to Fix 403 Forbidden Error in WordPress

The 403 Forbidden error means your server is blocking you from accessing a specific page.

This is usually caused by incorrect file permissions, a corrupt .htaccess file, or a poorly coded security plugin.

You can fix this error by trying these steps:

• Clear your browser cache and cookies.
• Fix your .htaccess file by generating a new one in the Permalinks menu.
• Verify and fix your file and folder permissions using SFTP.
• Temporarily deactivate all plugins to find a conflict.

For full step-by-step instructions, see our guide on how to fix the 403 forbidden error in WordPress.

19. How to Fix Error Too Many Redirects Issue in WordPress

This error traps your browser in a redirect loop. Your browser is bouncing between two pages and cannot load your site.

It usually happens because of a misconfigured WordPress URL or a plugin conflict.

To fix the too many redirects issue, try these solutions:

• Clear your browser cookies and cache.
• Deactivate all your WordPress plugins using SFTP.
• Check your WordPress Address and Site Address in settings to make sure they match.
• Delete your .htaccess file to reset your permalinks.

20. How to Fix “Upload: Failed to Write File to Disk” Error

This error stops you from uploading files to your media library. It is caused by incorrect folder permissions.

Your web server is basically blocking WordPress from saving new files.

Connect to your website using an SFTP client. Find the wp-content folder.

Right-click the folder and select “File Permissions.”

Change the numeric value to 755. Check the box for “Recurse into subdirectories” and select “Apply to directories only.” Click OK.

Next, right-click the wp-content folder again. Change the permissions to 644. Select “Apply to files only” and click OK.

Try uploading your file again. If your file is simply too large, check out our guide to fix the 413 request entity too large error.

21. How to Fix “This site ahead contains harmful programs” Error

Google shows the Deceptive Site Ahead warning when it finds malicious code on your website. This means your site has been hacked.

Sometimes, low-quality ad networks can also trigger this warning by displaying bad links.

First, you need to scan your site and remove the malware. Make sure to delete any hidden backdoors so the hackers cannot get back in.

If you host with Cloudways, you can utilize our built-in Vulnerability Scanning via Patchstack, or activate premium add-ons like Malware Protection (powered by Imunify360) and the Cloudflare Enterprise WAF to automatically clean malicious code and stop hackers before they get in.

Once your site is completely clean, go to Google Search Console and request a review. Ask them to remove the warning from search results.

22. How to Fix the Missed Schedule Post Error

WordPress has a great feature that lets you schedule posts. But sometimes, WordPress misses the schedule and fails to publish.

This is usually a cron job issue or a caching conflict.

The easiest way to fix this is to install the Missed Scheduled Post Publisher plugin. It automatically checks your site every 15 minutes and publishes any missed posts.

You should also check your timezone settings under Settings » General.

If you use a caching plugin, make sure to clear your cache regularly.

23. How to Fix Fatal Error: Maximum Execution Time Exceeded

WordPress is coded in PHP. To protect web servers from abuse, there is a time limit for how long a PHP script can run.

If a script takes too long to process, you will see the maximum execution time exceeded error.

You can fix this by editing your .htaccess file. Connect to your site using SFTP and open the file.

Add this line to the bottom:

php_value max_execution_time 300

Save and upload the file.

If you don’t use an .htaccess file, you can edit your php.ini file instead. Add this line:

max_execution_time = 300

If you still see the error, you need to contact your hosting provider and ask them to increase your execution time limits.

If your site is constantly timing out due to heavy traffic surges, consider upgrading to Cloudways Autonomous. It uses true horizontal autoscaling via Kubernetes to automatically add server nodes during traffic spikes, preventing server timeouts and crashes entirely.

For more ways to safely adjust your PHP limits, read our complete guide on how to increase max execution time.

24. How to Fix Facebook Incorrect Thumbnail Issue

Sometimes Facebook guesses the wrong thumbnail image when you share your article.

This usually happens if you have multiple images in your og:image tag or a caching issue.

You can easily fix this using an SEO plugin.

If you use All in One SEO (AIOSEO), go to the Social tab below your post editor. You can manually upload the exact Facebook thumbnail you want to show.

If you use the Yoast SEO plugin, you can do the exact same thing in the Yoast Social meta box.

Finally, you need to clear your WordPress cache. Go to the official Facebook Debugger tool, paste your URL, and click “Scrape Again.” This forces Facebook to refresh the image.

25. How to Fix the Mixed Content Error in WordPress

Mixed content errors happen when your site uses HTTPS/SSL, but some of your images or scripts are still loading with HTTP.

This hurts your SEO and makes your site look insecure to visitors.

The easiest way to fix this is with the SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin.

Install and activate the plugin. Go to its settings page and select a fix level. The “Simple” level usually works perfectly for most sites.

Save your changes and clear your WordPress cache.

If you are a Cloudways user, you can also force HTTPS redirection with just one click inside your application settings.

For more details, see our complete guide on fixing the WordPress mixed content error.

26. How to Fix Add Media Button Not Working

Sometimes the “Add Media” button on your post edit screen simply stops working. Clicking it does nothing at all.

This is almost always caused by a script conflict. Your theme or a plugin is breaking the WordPress JavaScript.

To fix it quickly, connect to your site via SFTP and open your wp-config.php file.

Add this code at the top:

define('CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS', false );

This tells WordPress to load scripts individually instead of combining them.

If the button still does not work, you need to deactivate your plugins one by one to find the bad script causing the conflict.

27. How to Turn Off PHP Errors in WordPress

Sometimes WordPress will display PHP warnings and notices directly on your live website.

These are meant to help developers debug code, but they look very unprofessional to your normal website visitors. You should always hide them.

Open your wp-config.php file. Look for the line that says:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);

Replace that line with this code snippet:

ini_set('display_errors','Off'); ini_set('error_reporting', E_ALL ); define('WP_DEBUG', false); define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

Save your changes and upload the file back to your server. The PHP errors will instantly disappear from your front end.

If you use Cloudways, you don’t need to display errors to your users. Cloudways Copilot automatically reads your server logs in the background and alerts you to PHP issues directly inside your dashboard.

28. How to Fix the 400 Bad Request Error

The 400 Bad Request error means your server could not understand the request your browser sent.

This usually happens because of corrupted browser cookies, a URL typo, or a file that is simply too large.

First, check the URL to make sure you typed it correctly.

If the URL is right, clear your browser cookies and cache. You should also try clearing your local DNS cache.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the 400 Bad Request error.

29. How to Fix the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_RESPONSE Error

This error usually appears when you try to load an external script, an iframe, or an embedded video.

It happens because a browser security feature prevents the content from loading.

The most common cause is the X-Frame-Options header. If a website sets this header to “DENY”, you cannot embed their content on your site.

To fix this, you will need to check your browser extensions and review your site’s security headers.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_RESPONSE error.

30. How to Fix the ERR_HTTP2_PROTOCOL_ERROR

You might see this error if you are using Google Chrome. It completely blocks your website from loading.

This happens when there is a problem with how the browser communicates with the server over the HTTP/2 protocol.

Most of the time, this is a local browser issue.

You can fix it by updating your browser to the latest version, disabling conflicting extensions, or clearing your browser’s internal state.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_HTTP2_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

31. How to Fix the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED Error

This error means your browser tried to connect to a website using a proxy or a VPN, but the connection failed.

Your browser cannot establish a secure tunnel to the server.

To fix this, the first thing you should do is turn off your VPN software.

You should also check your computer’s local proxy settings to make sure they are correct.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED error.

32. How to Fix the DNS Server Not Responding Error

This error means your browser cannot find the IP address of your website.

Without the IP address, your browser cannot load the site.

This is usually a problem with your local internet connection or your router. It is rarely a problem with your WordPress host.

Try restarting your router. If that doesn’t work, you can change your computer’s DNS servers to use Google’s public DNS (8.8.8.8).

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the DNS Server Not Responding error.

33. How to Fix the ERR_UNKNOWN_URL_SCHEME Error

This error happens when your browser does not recognize the protocol of a link you clicked.

For example, browsers understand http:// or https://. But if a link uses a custom scheme or has a typo, the browser will block it.

This is very common with broken mailto: (email) or tel: (phone number) links.

To fix this, check the HTML code of the link you clicked. Make sure there are no typos in the URL scheme.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_UNKNOWN_URL_SCHEME error.

34. How to Fix the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT Error

This error means a plugin or extension on your computer blocked the webpage from loading.

Almost every time, this is caused by an aggressive adblocker or a browser security extension.

To test this, try opening your website in an Incognito or Private window.

If the site loads fine in Incognito, you need to disable your browser extensions one by one to find the culprit.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT error.

35. How to Fix the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED Error

This is a very straightforward error. It means your computer or phone has lost its connection to the internet.

Your WordPress website is likely perfectly fine.

Check your wifi connection, make sure your router is plugged in, and verify your internet cables. Try restarting your computer or router.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED error.

36. How to Fix the HTTPS Not Secure Message in Chrome

Google Chrome warns users if a website does not have a valid SSL certificate. It will display a “Not Secure” message next to your URL.

This destroys trust and scares visitors away.

To fix this, you need to install an SSL certificate on your web server. Reach out to your hosting provider to see how to enable one for your domain.

If you host with Cloudways, you can easily deploy a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate directly from your Application Management panel in just a few seconds.

Even better, if you enable the Cloudflare Enterprise add-on, it automatically manages your SSL and routes your traffic securely.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the HTTPS Not Secure message.

37. How to Fix “This Site Can’t Be Reached” Error

This is a generic error message from Google Chrome. It just means your browser failed to connect to the server.

Because it is so generic, it can be caused by a few different things.

It might be a local DNS issue on your computer, a firewall blocking your IP address, or your hosting server actually being down.

Try flushing your local DNS cache and restarting your internet connection.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the “This site can’t be reached” error.

38. How to Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error

This error occurs when your server takes too long to reply to your browser’s request.

If the server is overloaded or struggling to process a heavy PHP script, the connection simply drops.

This happens a lot on cheap shared hosting when a website gets a sudden spike in traffic.

If your site constantly times out from high traffic, you should look into Cloudways Autonomous. It uses true horizontal autoscaling to instantly add server nodes when traffic spikes. Your site never gets overloaded, and the connections never time out.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error.

39. How to Fix the 429 Too Many Requests Error in WordPress

The 429 error is a server protection measure. It triggers when a user, a bot, or a script makes too many requests to your server in a short amount of time.

Your server temporarily blocks the IP address to prevent a crash.

Sometimes a poorly coded plugin will make too many API requests and accidentally lock you out.

To fix this, try temporarily disabling your plugins using SFTP. You can also try changing your default WordPress login URL to stop bots from spamming it.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the 429 Too Many Requests error.

40. How to Fix the DNS_PROBE_STARTED Error

When you type a URL into your browser, it uses DNS to look up the server’s IP address.

If you see this error, it means the DNS lookup failed to even start.

This is almost always an issue with your local computer or your internet service provider.

You can fix this by flushing your computer’s DNS cache or updating your network adapter drivers.

For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our complete guide on fixing the DNS_PROBE_STARTED error.

41. How to Fix 502 Bad Gateway Error

A 502 Bad Gateway error means one server on the internet received an invalid response from another server.

For WordPress users, this usually means your hosting server is taking too long to process a request. It is often caused by a poorly coded plugin or a massive spike in traffic.

To find the bad plugin, connect to your site via SFTP. Go to the wp-content folder. Rename the plugins folder to plugins-deactivated. If your site loads, rename the folder back, then disable your plugins one by one inside the WordPress dashboard to find the culprit.

If your site is constantly hitting 502 errors during traffic spikes, you might be outgrowing your server. Cloudways Autonomous automatically scales your server resources horizontally during traffic surges so you never see a 502 error again.

For a deeper look into server timeouts and more troubleshooting steps, check out our detailed guide on the WordPress 502 bad gateway error.

42. How to Fix 503 Service Unavailable Error

The 503 Service Unavailable error means your web server cannot handle the current request.

Unlike a 502 error, the server is actually reachable, but it is too busy or under maintenance. This usually happens because a heavy PHP script is exhausting your server resources.

Connect to your site via SFTP. Go to wp-content/themes/ and find your active theme folder. Rename it to something like twentytwentyfour-deactivated. This forces WordPress to use a default theme. If the error disappears, your original theme is causing the resource spike.

If you host with Cloudways, Cloudways Copilot will alert you in the dashboard if your server is running low on resources, allowing you to fix the bottleneck before a 503 error happens.

If switching themes does not work, you can find more advanced methods in our full article covering the 503 service unavailable error in WordPress.

43. How to Fix SSH Connection Refused

This error happens when you try to connect to your server using SSH (Secure Shell) or SFTP, but the server rejects your connection.

This usually occurs because your IP address is blocked by a firewall, the SSH service is down, or SSH access is simply disabled.

First, verify you are using the correct port. The default SSH and SFTP port is 22.

If you use Cloudways, SSH access is disabled by default on new applications. Go to Application Management » Application Settings and toggle “SSH Shell Access” to ON.

If your connection is still refused, your computer’s IP address might be blocked by the server firewall. Go to Servers » Security » Firewall in your Cloudways dashboard and ensure your IP is whitelisted.

For a complete list of terminal commands and firewall settings, read our in-depth tutorial on the SSH connection refused error.

44. How to Fix “Your Connection is Not Private” Error

Google Chrome shows this error when it cannot verify the SSL certificate of the website you are trying to visit.

Your browser blocks the site to protect you from a potentially unsecured connection. This means your SSL certificate is expired, issued incorrectly, or missing entirely.

Click the “Not Secure” warning in your browser address bar to view the certificate. Check the expiration date. If it is expired, you need to renew it with your hosting provider.

If you use Cloudways, you can easily deploy a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate directly from your Application Management panel in just a few seconds. Once installed, make sure to enable the auto-renewal feature so it never expires.

If you need more help navigating your SSL settings, check out the additional steps in our guide to your connection is not private error.

45. How to Fix Incomplete Certificate Chain Warning

This SSL error happens when your web server does not provide the intermediate certificates required to link your SSL certificate to a trusted root authority.

Browsers get confused and flag your site as insecure.

To fix this, open your certificate files in a plain text editor like Notepad. Copy the text from your intermediate certificate. Paste it directly below the text of your primary certificate file. Save the new combined file and upload it to your server.

If you use Cloudways, you do not need to edit files manually. You can simply paste the full certificate chain directly into the Custom SSL tool in your dashboard.

For detailed instructions on combining your certificate files, read our full walkthrough on fixing the incomplete certificate chain warning.

46. How to Fix ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID

This error occurs when the domain name on your SSL certificate does not match the domain name in your browser’s address bar.

For example, your certificate might be for example.com, but you are trying to load www.example.com.

Go to Settings » General in your WordPress dashboard. Check the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields. Make sure they both use https:// and match your SSL domain exactly.

If you use Cloudways with the Cloudflare Enterprise add-on, wildcard SSL certificates are automatically generated and managed for you, preventing these domain mismatch errors entirely.

To see more ways to check your domain routing and SSL setup, read our dedicated post on the ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error.

47. How to Fix ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT

This is a rare error that happens when a server requires a client certificate to authenticate the user, but the browser provides an invalid or expired one.

It can also happen if your computer’s date and time are wrong. Your browser thinks the certificate is expired because your local clock is incorrect.

On Windows, go to Settings » Time & Language. Click the “Sync now” button to fix your computer’s clock. Next, search for “Internet Options” in your Start menu. Go to the Content tab and click “Clear SSL state” to remove corrupted certificates.

If clearing your cache does not fix it, you can find further troubleshooting steps in our detailed blog on the ERR_BAD_SSL_CLIENT_AUTH_CERT error.

48. How to Fix ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH

This error means your web browser does not support the SSL protocol version or cipher suite that your web server is using.

This usually happens if you are using a very old web browser or an outdated operating system. It can also happen if your CDN is misconfigured.

If you use Cloudflare, log into your dashboard. Go to SSL/TLS » Edge Certificates. Scroll down to Minimum TLS Version. Set it to TLS 1.0 or 1.2 to ensure older browsers can still establish a connection.

For specific instructions on adjusting your CDN and TLS settings, check out our full guide on the ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH error.

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49. How to Fix ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

This error appears when your browser fails to negotiate a secure connection with the web server.

The cause is rarely your WordPress website. It is almost always a local issue on your computer, like a strict antivirus program or a bad date and time setting.

You need to clear your local SSL cache. On Windows, open the Start menu and search for “Internet Options”. Open the control panel, click the Content tab, and click the “Clear SSL state” button.

If you need more help resetting your local SSL state, follow the detailed steps in our blog on the ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR.

50. How to Fix ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE

This error happens when your browser successfully connects to the web server, but the server sends exactly zero data back.

This is usually caused by an overloaded server, a bad browser cache, or a corrupted local network configuration.

Open the Command Prompt on your computer as an administrator. Type ipconfig /flushdns and hit Enter.

Next, type netsh winsock reset and hit Enter. This will completely reset your network adapter.

To see the exact command prompt entries for resetting your network on a Mac, read our comprehensive guide on the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE error.

51. How to Fix ERR_CACHE_MISS

You will usually only see this error in Google Chrome. It is not actually a WordPress crash.

It means the browser needs you to resubmit data to a page (like a checkout form or a search bar) because the cached version of that page is gone.

In Google Chrome, press F12 to open Developer Tools. With the DevTools panel open, right-click the Chrome refresh button at the top of your browser. Select “Empty Cache and Hard Reload” from the dropdown menu to force a fresh connection.

If the form submission keeps looping, you can find additional browser fixes in our article on the ERR_CACHE_MISS error.

52. How to Fix ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND

This error means your browser is trying to load a file that no longer exists.

While it looks like a website error, it is almost always caused by a broken or corrupted Google Chrome extension trying to load a local script.

Type chrome://extensions/ in your Chrome address bar. Toggle the switch off for every single extension you have installed. Refresh your website. If it works, turn your extensions back on one by one to find the one causing the error.

For a closer look at managing browser extensions and tracing missing files, check out our dedicated post on the ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND error.

53. How to Fix ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE

This error means your router cannot find the IP address of the website you want to visit.

This is a local network problem, not a server problem. Your WordPress site is fine.

Open your computer’s Network Connections settings. Right-click your active internet connection and select Properties. Select IPv4 and click Properties again. Change your DNS server addresses to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 to use Google’s reliable public DNS.

If changing your DNS servers sounds complicated, follow the step-by-step breakdown with screenshots in our guide on the ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE error.

54. How to Fix ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED

This error happens when your internet connection drops or changes IP addresses while a webpage is trying to load.

This is very common if your laptop switches from a Wi-Fi network to a cellular hotspot, or if your VPN software suddenly disconnects.

Open the Command Prompt on Windows. Type ipconfig /release and press Enter. Then type ipconfig /renew and press Enter. This forces your computer to request a brand new IP address from your router.

If resetting your IP address does not resolve the connection drops, read more detailed steps in our blog covering the ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED error.

55. How to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_RESET

This error means your browser established a connection with the web server, but something abruptly closed it.

This is almost always a local issue on your computer. Your antivirus software or your VPN connection is aggressively blocking the data transfer.

First, temporarily turn off your VPN software. Next, pause your local antivirus shield. If you are on Windows, open Command Prompt as an administrator. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. Reload the webpage to see if the connection holds.

If you need more network troubleshooting steps, check out our guide on the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.

56. How to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

This error occurs when your browser attempts to connect to a website, but the server actively rejects the connection outright.

Unlike a timeout, the server is there, but it is refusing to let you in. This is often caused by a misconfigured local proxy server on your computer.

On Windows, open your Start menu and search for “Proxy Settings“. Scroll down to the Manual proxy setup section. Make sure the “Use a proxy server” switch is turned off. Clear your browser cache and try loading the site again.

For a full list of proxy and firewall checks, read our post on the ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED error.

57. How to Fix 501 Not Implemented Error

The 501 Not Implemented error is a server-level issue. It means your web server does not support the functionality required to fulfill the browser’s request.

This usually happens if your web hosting environment is running severely outdated software, or if a recent server update corrupted your Nginx or Apache configuration.

Since this is a server error, you usually cannot fix it yourself. You must contact your hosting provider and ask them to update your server stack.

If you use Cloudways, your server stack is constantly monitored and updated. You can also easily upgrade your PHP versions and database software directly from your Server Management panel to prevent compatibility errors.

See how to trace server request issues in our article covering the 501 not implemented error.

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58. How to Fix 408 Request Timeout Error

This error happens when your browser takes too long to send a complete request to the server. The server simply gives up waiting and closes the connection.

This can be caused by a slow local internet connection. It can also happen if the web server is completely overwhelmed by a heavy traffic spike and cannot process incoming requests fast enough.

First, test your local internet speed. If your internet is fine, your server needs more resources.

If you host on Cloudways, you can quickly scale your server vertically by adding more RAM and CPU in the dashboard. For sudden traffic spikes, Cloudways Autonomous automatically scales your resources horizontally so your server never drops a connection.

Learn more about optimizing your server response times in our guide to the 408 error.

59. How to Fix Installation Failed: Could Not Create Directory

You will see this error inside your WordPress dashboard when trying to install or update a theme or plugin.

WordPress needs to create a new folder to hold the plugin files. If your server’s file permissions are too strict, WordPress gets blocked from creating that directory.

To fix it, connect to your site via SFTP. Go to the wp-content folder. Right-click it and select File Permissions. Change the numeric value to 755. Check the box for “Recurse into subdirectories” and apply it to directories only.

If you use Cloudways, you do not need an SFTP client. You can instantly fix this by going to Application Settings and clicking the “Reset Permissions” button.

Get the exact SFTP configuration steps in our tutorial on the WordPress installation failed could not create directory error.

Final Thoughts!

That’s all. We hope this guide helped you troubleshoot and fix the WordPress errors on your website.

Fixing errors manually takes time. The best way to deal with WordPress issues is to prevent them completely.

Moving to a reliable managed WordPress host is the easiest way to do this. When you host your site on Cloudways, you don’t have to worry about server limits or bad configurations.

You get a performance-optimized stack, automated backups, and 24/7 expert human support. Plus, tools like SafeUpdates ensure routine plugin and core updates never break your site, while Cloudways Copilot actively monitors your server to catch and resolve operational errors before they take you offline.

If you’re interested in Cloudways, you can start your free 3-day trial today.

Did we miss a WordPress error you are struggling with? Let us know in the comments below so our team can help you fix it.