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WordPress errors are symptoms, not diagnoses: the same blank screen can come from a plugin, theme, PHP problem or database failure, while some causes sit with your hosting provider. Start by noting the exact message, which pages fail, whether you can reach /wp-admin, and what changed recently. Then use the matching checks below before making higher-risk edits.
Start with what you can observe
Before changing settings or files, record the exact error text, whether it affects one page or the whole site, and whether the front end, dashboard, or both are unavailable. Note whether the issue followed a WordPress, plugin, theme, or PHP change. Timing can help narrow the possibilities, but it does not prove that the latest change caused the problem.
These clues help separate WordPress-level issues from host-managed services. A plugin or theme is something you may be able to isolate in WordPress; database availability, quotas, PHP configuration, filesystem permissions, and web-server behavior may require help from your host.
- One page fails: look for a page-specific setting, slug or rewrite-rule issue.
- The whole site fails but the dashboard loads: use the dashboard’s diagnostic and component controls where appropriate.
- Neither the site nor dashboard loads: check for Recovery Mode instructions or private logs, then consider file access or host assistance.
- The failure followed an update or configuration change: investigate that area first, without assuming it is the cause.
“The White Screen of Death”
A blank screen does not identify a single fault. PHP or database errors can both produce it, and plugins or themes are among the possible causes. A critical error can also involve PHP incompatibility, memory limits, or corrupted files, so avoid repeatedly changing unrelated settings.
If the dashboard is available
Use the WordPress troubleshooting guidance to test suspected plugins and, if necessary, switch temporarily to a default theme. Change one thing at a time so you can see whether the symptom changes. If the site depends on a specific theme or plugin, record its current state before testing.
If you cannot reach the dashboard
For plugin isolation, WordPress troubleshooting guidance describes using a file manager or FTP to deactivate plugins. This requires access to the site’s files and care not to delete them. Database-based deactivation is another possibility described in troubleshooting guidance, but it involves phpMyAdmin; leave it to someone comfortable with database administration or ask your host or developer for help. Have a current database backup before direct database changes.
“There has been a critical error on this website”
This message indicates a serious PHP error, but does not name the component or setting responsible. WordPress may send the site administrator an email with a Recovery Mode link.
Use Recovery Mode carefully
Check the administrator email, including spam, for Recovery Mode instructions. Recovery Mode may let you sign in while WordPress pauses a faulty plugin or theme for that administrator’s session. That can restore access to diagnose the issue; it does not permanently repair the underlying cause. Identify the paused component and investigate compatibility or recent changes before deciding whether to update, replace, or re-enable it.
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Check logs without making errors public
If the email and dashboard do not reveal the cause, a debug log may help identify a plugin, theme, PHP compatibility, memory, or file issue. Keep logs private and do not enable public error display as a casual troubleshooting step. WordPress Site Health warns that displayed errors or a potentially public log can expose sensitive information.
“Error Establishing Database Connection”
Start with the database settings in wp-config.php. Check that the database name, username, password, and host match the values supplied for the site. A typo or outdated credential can prevent WordPress from connecting.
If those values are correct, the problem may be outside WordPress: the database server could be unavailable, or the account could have reached a database quota. Ask your hosting provider to check database status and quota rather than repeatedly editing valid credentials.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Permalink and custom post type 404 errors
If a page or custom post type URL returns a 404 while other parts of the site work, rewrite rules may be involved. In the WordPress dashboard, open Settings → Permalinks and save the settings to refresh the rules. You generally do not need to change the permalink structure just to refresh it.
For custom post types, also check for slug conflicts. If refreshing the rules does not help, ask the host whether the server supports the rewrite configuration the site requires.
“Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” after an update
An interrupted update can leave WordPress showing its maintenance message. First confirm whether an update is still running or needs to be completed. WordPress’s troubleshooting FAQ documents a remedy path for this message; follow it only after checking update state, rather than removing maintenance artifacts while an update is active.
Use Site Health and know when to contact your host
In the dashboard, open Tools → Site Health. The status tab surfaces configuration, server, and permission information that may point toward the next check. As WordPress.org puts it, “The status tab allows you to see critical information about your WordPress configuration, along with anything else that requires your attention.”
Some findings are not fixable from WordPress settings. Contact your hosting provider when evidence points to a server outage, database quota or availability, PHP/server configuration, filesystem permissions, or rewrite support. Share the exact error, affected pages, when it began, and checks already performed; do not send passwords in an ordinary support message.
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