Something broken on your WordPress site? You’re in the right place. Below are clear, step-by-step fixes for the most common WordPress errors — written for real site owners, not just developers. Find your problem, follow the guide, and get back online fast.
Trying to prevent a problem instead of fixing one? Check our WordPress Security Alerts page for the latest critical vulnerabilities affecting WordPress core and popular plugins.
When Your Site Won’t Load at All
Error Establishing a Database Connection
A blank page that just says your site can’t reach its database. Usually wrong credentials, a corrupted database, or a downed server.
500 Internal Server Error
A generic server failure with no detail. Often a corrupted .htaccess, a plugin conflict, or an exhausted memory limit.
The White Screen of Death
A completely blank page with no error and no wp-admin. Usually a fatal PHP error from a plugin, theme, or core file.
There Has Been a Critical Error
A vague one-line message with no details. Almost always a crashed plugin, theme, or PHP setting — here’s how to find which one.
Login & Access Problems
Login Page Refreshing and Redirecting
You enter your password and the login page just reloads itself. Usually a cookie or site URL mismatch — here’s the fix.
WordPress Asking for FTP Credentials
Every plugin install or update stops to ask for FTP details? It’s a file ownership mismatch — usually a one-line fix.
Locked Out of wp-admin? Reset Your Password
Can’t log in and don’t remember your password? Here are 4 ways back in — from the email link to phpMyAdmin.
⚠️ Can’t even log in to wp-admin?
When an error blocks the dashboard itself, you can still restore your site without logging in. See how Emergency Recovery works →
Errors During Updates & Uploads
Briefly Unavailable for Scheduled Maintenance
Stuck in maintenance mode after an update? It’s a leftover file with a one-minute fix.
Allowed Memory Size Exhausted
A fatal “memory exhausted” error means a task needed more RAM than your server allows. Here’s how to fix it.
413 Request Entity Too Large
Can’t upload a theme, plugin, or media file? Your server’s upload limit is too low — here’s how to raise it.
HTTP Error When Uploading Images
A vague “HTTP error” when adding media to your library? Here are the most common causes and how to fix each one.
Destination Folder Already Exists
Plugin or theme install refuses to run? A leftover folder from a previous install is blocking it — here’s the two-minute fix.
The Link You Followed Has Expired
Uploading a theme or plugin fails with this vague message? It’s not about links — it’s an upload size limit.
Parse Error After Editing functions.php
A raw “Parse error: syntax error” message after a code edit? PHP tells you the exact file and line — here’s how to read it.
“Updating Failed” in the Block Editor
Can’t save or publish a post? A REST API request is failing behind the scenes — here’s how to find the cause.
Email & Functionality
WordPress Not Sending Emails
Contact forms, password resets or order emails missing? Here’s why PHP mail fails and how to fix it with SMTP.
Security & Recovery
Hacked WordPress Site
Strange redirects, spam pages, or a Google warning? Spot the signs, clean the infection — or restore a clean backup.
Mixed Content & “Not Secure” SSL Errors
Moved to HTTPS but the browser still shows “Not Secure”? Leftover http:// resources are the cause — here’s how to fix them site-wide.
The Best Fix Is Prevention
Almost every error on this page goes from a site-down emergency to a five-minute fix when you have a recent backup ready. Instead of troubleshooting under pressure, you simply restore the last working version of your site. A few habits that make these errors a non-event:
- Keep automatic, off-site backups. See how to back up WordPress to Google Drive.
- Back up before every update — the most common trigger for these errors. Here’s how.
- Test risky changes on staging first, then push to live. Set up a staging site.
Turn any WordPress error into a quick restore
Nota Backup & Restore keeps automatic, off-site backups and lets you recover even when wp-admin is down. Start your 14-day free trial — no credit card required.