Welcome to our “WordPress for Newbies” bonus article:

• WordPress for Newbies: What is WordPress [Part 1]
• WordPress for Newbies: WordPress Plugins 101 [Part 2]
• WordPress for Newbies: WordPress & Woocommerce [Part 3]
• WordPress for Newbies: WordPress for Business [Part 4]

The Top 6 WordPress Errors and How to Fix Them!

When building your own website, you will run into obstacles. Yet there are obstacles that arise after the website is built and made available to the public. Now that your beautiful WordPress website is ready, you now should prepare for any WordPress errors that pop up. We love to help our readers, so we will review the most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

1. Oh no! WordPress is stuck in maintenance mode
2. WordPress has error establishing a database connection
3. Why is WordPress only a blank white screen
4. What is the WordPress internal server error
5. Uh oh – I am receiving a WordPress 404 error
6. What should I do about a too many redirects error

1. WordPress Is Stuck in Maintenance Mode

When you are making major updates to your website, it is best to turn on maintenance mode in WordPress. Unfortunately, sometimes WordPress wants to keep your website in maintenance mode.

Here are the steps for getting “unstuck” from maintenance mode:

1. Go into your sFTP client (like Filezilla) and enter the root directory
2. Delete the file named “.maintenance”
3. Clear your cache using a cache plugin like WP Rocket
4. Confirm that your version of WordPress and your current plugins are update to date

Welcome back from your website construction!

2. WordPress has an Error Establishing a Database Connection

Luckily, this error message makes it clear what is going on: your website is not connected to your database. Your website’s database is an organized way to manage data online. Your website’s database contains many tables for various functions like your website’s comments, links, posts, and users.

Have you changed your database login credentials? Typically, this error means that you have used the incorrect database login credentials. Double check your:

• Database host
• Your database username
• Your password for the databas

Is your database server unresponsive or corrupt? In this case, contact your server host to confirm that your database is not corrupted.

3. WordPress is only a White Screen

When you see a white screen on your website it can be very confusing. In this scenario, there are no error messages and the location is inconsistent. Sometimes the blank screen appears on your admin page or only on a specific post page. These inconsistencies can cause a lot of questions.

The white screen of death indicates that you have exhausted your memory limit.

• On multiple sites? There is an issue with your web hosting provider.
• On all of your website’s pages? There is an issue with a plugin or theme.
• Or is the blank screen on a single page? There is a problem with your website.

Have you recently activated a new WordPress theme? Then your new theme may be to blame. Test it by going to your administrative page, then to your settings. On your settings page, set the theme to the default WordPress theme. If your website works normally, then your WordPress theme is causing the blank page.

Test your plugins. If you think a plugin may also be to blame deactivate all of your plugins. Reactivate them one by one and see if any of them cause the white screen. If you find a plugin that causes the white screen, then see if the plugin needs activating or can provide support.

4. Internal Server Error 500

First of all, this WordPress error does not give any indication of where to start debugging an error. This error is applicable to any website. For WordPress websites, the internal server error typically indicates that a plugin or theme is malfunctioning.

1. Start the repair process by checking for a corrupted “.htaccess”
   1. Go into your sFTP client (like Filezilla) and enter the root directory. Rename the file to “.htaccess_old”
   2. Reload your website.
   3. If your website is fixed you can go to Settings, then Permalinks and select save to generate a new, uncorrupted “.htaccess”
   4. If your website is still broken, move to step number two.
2. Increase your PHP memory limit (best for when the Error 500 is on your Admin page).
   1. Go into your sFTP client (like Filezilla) and enter the root directory.
   2. Create a blank text file called “php.ini”.
   3. Paste the following text into the file: “memory64MB”
   4. Save the file and add it to your /wp-admin/ folder
3. Test your plugins by deactivating them all, and then reactivate them one by one to test which plugin is malfunctioning. Get rid of that plugin.

5. WordPress 404 Error Page

The 404 error pops up when an error has occurred with your “.htaccess” file. Don’t worry, it’s simple to fix!

1. First of all, go to your Settings from your WordPress admin page. Then head to your Permalink page and click “Save Changes”.
2. If this approach doesn’t work, try updating your “.htaccess” file manually.
   1. Go into your sFTP client (like Filezilla) and enter the root directory
   2. Add the following code to your “.htaccess” file:
   3. Repeat step number one.

6. “err_too_many_redirects” WordPress Error

This error typically refers to a linking misconfiguration. Despite the complex name, it is nothing you cannot handle.

1. First of all, go to your Settings from your WordPress admin page.
   1. Go to the General section in your settings.
   2. Update the WordPress address and site address. Typically, there are conflicts with using the www prefix.
2. If that did not work, try testing your plugins.
   1. Test your plugins by deactivating them all, and then reactivate them one by one to test which plugin is malfunctioning. Get rid of that plugin.
3. Finally, if neither of these tests fixed your WordPress error try updating your “.htaccess”
   1. Go into your sFTP client (like Filezilla) and enter the root directory. Rename the file to “.htaccess_old”
   2. Reload your website.
   3. Go to Settings, then Permalinks and select save to generate a new, uncorrupted “.htaccess”

How to Get Better WordPress Support

From the WordPress Community

The WordPress support forum is a community location for WordPress experts to offer you free advice on any of your needs. If you run into a WordPress error and you are stumped, visit the community forum and politely ask your question. If you need help, your answer will be there.

 Wordpress Maintenance Plan

We recommend scheduling a WordPress maintenance plan. In some cases, that maintenance plan may be completed by you based on what you find online. Alternatively, you can work with an agency to keep your website secure, and error free. Although using an agency isn’t free, it relieves a lot of stress and time that you might otherwise spend trying to fix your website. Rather, you can put that time and energy into building your business.

Did your WordPress error disappear like the wind? If you have any questions, please leave a comment – we’re happy to help.

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