Top 10 WordPress Errors (And How to Fix Them Like a Pro)

1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

Symptom: A completely blank screen with no error message.

Cause: Usually triggered by PHP errors, plugin conflicts, or exhausted memory limits.

Fix:

• Increase memory limit in wp-config.php
• Disable all plugins via FTP and reactivate one by one
• Switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four

2. Internal Server Error (500 Error)

Symptom: “500 Internal Server Error” page on load.

Cause: Corrupted .htaccess file or PHP memory issues.

Fix:

• Rename or delete .htaccess and re-save permalinks
• Increase PHP memory limit in wp-config.php
• Re-upload core WordPress files

3. Error Establishing a Database Connection

Symptom: Site cannot connect to the database.

Cause: Incorrect database credentials or corrupted database.

Fix:

• Check and update database info in wp-config.php
• Repair the database using wp-admin/maint/repair.php
• Contact your hosting provider for server-side issues

4. 404 Page Not Found

Symptom: Pages return a 404 error but exist in the backend.

Cause: Broken permalink structure.

Fix:

• Go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes”
• Manually update .htaccess if needed

5. Connection Timed Out

Symptom: Site loads slowly or not at all.

Cause: Resource exhaustion due to heavy plugins or low hosting limits.

Fix:

• Deactivate heavy plugins
• Increase PHP memory and execution time
• Upgrade to better hosting

6. Stuck in Maintenance Mode

Symptom: “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” message doesn’t go away.

Cause: .maintenance file wasn’t deleted after an update.

Fix:

• Delete the .maintenance file in your root directory

7. Image Upload Issues

Symptom: Uploads fail or result in broken images.

Cause: Incorrect file permissions or path errors.

Fix:

• Set folder permissions to 755 and files to 644
• Check wp-content/uploads directory path

8. Login Redirect Loop

Symptom: You get redirected to the login page repeatedly.

Cause: Incorrect site URL, plugin conflicts, or cookies issue.

Fix:

• Define WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php
• Clear browser cookies and cache
• Disable plugins and re-test

9. 403 Forbidden Error

Symptom: Access to certain parts of the site is denied.

Cause: Permissions issue or security plugin misconfiguration.

Fix:

• Check .htaccess rules
• Temporarily disable security plugins
• Reset file and folder permissions

10. Syntax Error

Symptom: Site breaks after editing theme or plugin files.

Cause: Typo or incorrect PHP code.

Fix:

• Access site via FTP
• Open the file you edited and fix the code
• Use online PHP validators before editing live code

Final Thoughts

WordPress errors can be stressful, but with the right approach, most can be fixed in minutes. However, if you’re not comfortable dealing with code or server settings, it’s best to leave it to professionals.

Still stuck? Submit a support request and let us fix it for you.