WordPress Troubleshooting: Step-by-Step Fix Guide

WordPress Fix Guide: Common WordPress Issues and Their Solutions

1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

The dreaded white screen often appears without any error message, but don’t worry. Here’s how to fix it:

  1. Enable WordPress Debug Mode
    • Open wp-config.php file
    • Find the line define('WP_DEBUG', false);
    • Change it to define('WP_DEBUG', true);
    • This will show you the actual error message
  2. Increase PHP Memory Limit
    • Add this line to wp-config.php:
    phpCopydefine('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
    • If you have access to php.ini, set memory_limit = 256M
  3. Deactivate All Plugins
    • Access your hosting file manager
    • Navigate to wp-content/plugins
    • Rename the ‘plugins’ folder to ‘plugins_old’
    • If site works, activate plugins one by one to find the culprit
WordPress Fix Guide

2. Database Connection Errors

When you see “Error establishing a database connection,” follow these steps:

  1. Verify Database Credentials
    • Check wp-config.php for correct:
      • Database name
      • Username
      • Password
      • Host
  2. Test Database Connection
    • Create a new PHP file named dbtest.phpAdd this code:
    phpCopy
    <?php $link = mysqli_connect('hostname', 'username', 'password', 'database'); if (!$link) { die('Connection error: ' . mysqli_connect_error()); } echo 'Database connected successfully'; ?>
  3. Repair Database
    • Add this line to wp-config.php:
    phpCopydefine('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
    • Visit yourdomain.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php

3. WordPress Not Sending Emails

Fix email delivery issues with these steps:

  1. Check PHP Mail Function
    • Create test.php file with:
    phpCopy<?php mail('your@email.com', 'Test', 'This is a test email'); ?>
  2. Install SMTP Plugin
    • Install WP Mail SMTP plugin
    • Configure with your email provider:
      • Gmail
      • Amazon SES
      • SendGrid
      • Or other SMTP service
  3. Test Email Configuration
    • Send test email through plugin
    • Check spam folder
    • Verify sender email domain

4. Locked Out of WordPress Admin

If you can’t access wp-admin, try these solutions:

  1. Reset Password via Database
    • Access phpMyAdmin
    • Find wp_users table
    • Update password field:
    sqlCopyUPDATE wp_users SET user_pass = MD5('new_password') WHERE user_login = 'admin_username';
  2. Disable Plugins via FTP
    • Connect to FTP
    • Rename plugins folder
    • Access admin panel
    • Restore plugins folder name
    • Activate plugins individually

5. Fixing Broken WordPress Theme

When your theme stops working:

  1. Check Theme Requirements
    • PHP version
    • WordPress version
    • Required plugins
  2. Restore Default Theme
    • Via FTP, rename current theme folder
    • WordPress will switch to default theme
    • Check if issues persist
  3. Debug Theme Files
    • Check theme’s functions.php
    • Review error logs
    • Test with default WordPress content

6. Performance Optimization

Speed up your slow WordPress site:

  1. Enable Caching
    • Install caching plugin
    • Configure basic settings
    • Enable browser caching
    • Set up page caching
  2. Optimize Images
    • Compress existing images
    • Set up automatic image optimization
    • Use lazy loading
  3. Minimize HTTP Requests
    • Combine CSS files
    • Merge JavaScript files
    • Reduce external scripts

Need Professional Help?

If these steps don’t resolve your issue, our team of WordPress experts is ready to help. Contact us for:

  • Emergency WordPress fixes
  • Security audits
  • Performance optimization
  • Custom WordPress solutions

Contact Us Now or call +201000494040

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