COMMON ERRORS ENCOUNTERED ON WORDPRESS WEBSITES

 

The key to running a successful WordPress website is ensuring that it runs smoothly. But there are many things you need to be wary of – the biggest problem being the errors and problems which seem to occur so frequently with WordPress websites.

Here we will look at some of the common errors that can affect your site as well as their causes and how you can prevent them from happening.

Let’s start with the most common ones which are usually easy to resolve, but can be annoyingly intrusive over time. We are sure you have experienced one or more of these:

Table of Contents:

1) A blank page after logging in

This is one of the most frustrating errors that users experience on their WordPress websites. It means that you are logged in, but instead of seeing your homepage or other content, you see a blank screen. The source or cause can be different for different users or websites (for example, plugin conflicts) but the general steps to take to resolve this error are:

Forced mode WP_DEBUG mode Grep for “where the blank page” in wp-config.php

2) A WordPress site redirects to a “403 Forbidden” error

This occurs when a user is trying to access a restricted page on the website but they are not permitted to view it. Usually, it means that permissions have been set incorrectly in php.ini, which can be corrected by ensuring that your permissions are set to 755 for the wp-content and wp-includes folders, as well as all files within.

3) White Screen of Death or WSoD

This is another very common problem that occurs when a WordPress site loads its homepage but instead displays a blank white screen. The source can vary according to different users and websites, but a general guideline to resolving this error is

Grep for “where the blank page” in wp-config.php Use the WordPress Debug plugin to check which file is causing the problem – if it’s one of your plugins, try deactivating them one by one until you find the culprit Make sure that your permalinks are set correctly, including the use of your category and tag base URL.

4) Login redirects to a “WordPress Error

A database error occurred…etc” – This is another frustrating problem that forces you to go back to square one when using your WordPress website. Usually, it means that your database has gone wonky and needs to be repaired. Use the WP-DBManager plugin to repair your database. If this doesn’t work, you can also try using phpMyAdmin via your hosting control panel to initiate a manual repair of the database.

5) A blank page when trying to upload images

This is most likely caused by incorrect file permissions on your WordPress website directory(s). It can also be caused by incorrect file permissions on the folder where your media library is stored. The best way to resolve this is to make sure that all of your WordPress files are set to 755, as well as all subfolders within wp-content and wp-includes.

6) “Fatal Error: Maximum Execution Time Exceeded”

This one sounds scary but at least you know it’s nothing serious. The problem is that the Apache server has reached its maximum execution time limit, which means that your site can’t send or receive any more information for a certain amount of time (usually 30 seconds). Make sure to check your .htaccess file for any edits you may have made in error, and remove them if necessary. Sometimes this error can also be triggered by uploading oversized files which exceed your maximum file size limit.

7) “Parse Error: syntax error, unexpected end of file”

This one means that there is an issue with the code on your site (usually caused by a plugin or theme that you installed). The first step is to deactivate all the plugins and see if that resolves the issue. If it does, then you can reactivate them one by one (using a pen and paper to keep track of which plugin was causing the problem) until you find the culprit.

8) Images don’t show up/won’t load

This is a very common problem which usually means that your image file permissions are incorrect. You can use an FTP client to change the file permissions for any images you upload (usually they should be 644). If this doesn’t work, try switching to a different theme and see if images show up in that one. If it does, then register a support ticket with your current theme maker to make sure that it’s not an issue with the design or code itself.

9) “There doesn’t seem to be a wp-config.php file.

I need this before we can get started.” – This error usually pops up when you’re trying to install WordPress through the famous 5-minute installation wizard. WordPress needs to have your database details set up before it can send you to the next step, which means that you need to have a wp-config file created first. The easiest way is usually to use the same credentials as your hosting control panel’s phpMyAdmin section for creating your wp-config.php file, but you can also use an FTP client if you prefer.

10) “Warning: Cannot modify header information”

This is one of the most common WordPress errors which usually pop up in your web hosting control panel’s logs. It takes the form of a warning that says “Cannot modify header information – headers already sent” followed by a bunch of PHP code. It’s basically just telling you that WordPress sent some information before it could be fully processed, so the first thing you need to do is make sure that your permalink structure for your site is set up correctly. You can also use any plugins or widgets within your theme to modify your header information, but make sure that you disable them afterward.

11) “Fatal Error: Call to undefined function”

This is a common WordPress error which means that there’s been an issue with your site’s code, most likely within a plugin or theme file. The best way to solve this problem is usually to use a different theme and then delete your old one (unless you know how to fix it yourself) and then use an FTP client to delete all your plugin files, followed by the wp-content directory. Once you have done that, upload a fresh copy of WordPress so that you can set up your site again from scratch.

12) “Warning: Cannot modify header information – headers already sent”

This is almost exactly like the previous error (the “Warning: Cannot modify header information” error) but usually only happens immediately after registering a new plugin. Again, it means that WordPress sent information before it could be properly processed, so you need to make sure that your permalink structure and plugins are set up correctly. If this still doesn’t work, try switching to a different theme and plugin.

13) “File does not exist”

This error usually means that there’s an issue with the file path you have entered for your slug, page or post. If this happens on its own then it could be some kind of glitch where WordPress wasn’t able to fully process your request, so clearing your cookies and cache for your browser would usually fix this. You can also use a different theme’s functions.php file to specify the page slug, instead of using the default one which WordPress automatically assigns to you. If it doesn’t work after doing that, then register a support ticket with your web host to make sure that they don’t have any issues with the file path you’re trying to access.

14) “Requested URL Not Found”

This is usually another error that pops up because of a messy permalink structure, so make sure that you know how to use WordPress’ custom permalinks properly before jumping into this one. If it doesn’t work, then you should use a different theme and register a new one, making sure that your permalink structure is set up correctly. If the problem persists, then it might be due to some faulty code in either your theme or plugin, so it’s best to ask for help from WordPress experts who know exactly what needs to be done.

15) “Refused to allocate memory for shell_exec()”

Some web hosts are running low on resources when it comes to memory allocation, so if you try executing shell commands then this error might pop up. The best way to solve this problem is usually by using SSH access rather than the phpMyAdmin section of your hosting package, but if that doesn’t work then the only alternative is to upgrade your web hosting plan so that you don’t get any more errors of this sort.

These are a few errors that you might encounter on your website often. We hope the above article helps you identify and make it through these.

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *