Matt Hummel
Web Developer
5 common WordPress errors and how to fix them

Introduction
WordPress is the most popular web content management system (CMS), but it could be better. WordPress has bugs and issues like any other technology that can cause problems for you and your site visitors. Fortunately, there are several ways to troubleshoot common WordPress errors so you can get back up and running. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes!
Top common WordPress errors and how to fix them
Here are the top common WordPress errors and how to fix them:
- Your site is down. If your website isn’t working, it could be a problem with your host or server. An excellent place to start looking for solutions is in your wp-config file. If something looks wrong there, contact your host immediately for help.
- There is a virus on your computer or server if you download code from an infected website. This type of attack is called phishing because it attempts to get users’ passwords. You should always keep antivirus software updated before browsing the internet.
#1: Your WordPress site is down
- Check your hosting company. If you’re experiencing issues with WordPress, the first thing to do is check the status of your server. If everything is up and running, it’s time to look at the following few things.
- Look at your web server again. To verify whether the website is down or not.
- Verify WordPress by going through each plugin one at a time and disabling them to see if anything changes. Then try re-enabling those plugins one by one until you find out which causes problems.
#2: You have a virus
A virus might be to blame if you have problems with your WordPress site. To check for malware and other viruses on your computer, use an antivirus program like Norton or McAfee. You can also scan using the built-in Windows Defender tool from Microsoft–open up the Start menu and type “Defender” into the search bar (you might need to press Enter). From there, select “Run as Administrator” and click Continue.
Once you’ve scanned your computer for any viruses and removed them if necessary, head back over to WordPress’ admin panel at https://[yourwebsite].com/wp-admin/, where you’ll see a message telling you that all files have been deleted due to an attack by hackers or spammers (or similar).
#3: Your WordPress site is hacked
If your site has been hacked, fixing it as soon as possible is essential. Hackers can get into your site by exploiting a security vulnerability in the WordPress software or one of its plugins. Suppose you have a strong password for your administrator account. In that case, most hackers won’t be able to hack into it and gain access to other parts of your site–but there are still ways for them to do so:
- If they know what they’re doing (and some do), they might find out how much time has passed since someone last logged in from an IP address that isn’t yours (say, if they were able to log in themselves). This gives them an idea of whether anyone at home could catch them red-handed during their next attempt at hacking into your account; if no one has checked back recently, then there won’t be any activity on file when those logs are rechecked later on. If so–voila! You’ve just given yourself away as being away from home right now and, therefore, vulnerable!
#4: You have a broken link on your website
Suppose you need links on your website. If someone clicks on a link that doesn’t go anywhere, they will likely leave in frustration or try to find another way around the site. In that case, it can be a big problem for user experience and search engine optimization.
They may also give up entirely and not come back at all. If users don’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll assume that nothing relevant exists on your site–and that’s bad news for SEO!
#5: You have an error with your website’s theme or plugins
- You have an error with your website’s theme or plugins.
To fix this, check if any updates are available for your theme and plugins. Check for updates on the developer’s website if you use a free theme. If you are using a premium theme, contact the developer; if they still need to create one, search online. Also, if you’re using a plugin from WordPress or another third-party provider, try searching online for an update.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to look for, you can be on your way to fixing those errors. You are welcome to contact me if you still need help with any of these issues