If your WordPress site keeps going down, first identify what is failing and when; then use WordPress recovery tools, Site Health, and logs to isolate the cause before changing anything. A “critical error” may point to a plugin, theme, or custom code, while a domain that cannot reach the server may require your host’s help. Make one evidence-based change at a time, and keep a restorable backup of both the site’s files and database.
First, identify what is actually down
“Going down” can describe several different problems, and the right fix depends on which one you have. Before troubleshooting, note the affected pages, the time the problem began, whether it comes and goes, and any recent changes to plugins, themes, WordPress core, PHP, DNS, hosting, or configuration.
- The whole domain is unreachable: The cause may be outside WordPress, such as a server or DNS problem. Record the exact error and affected URLs.
- The site is slow or intermittently unavailable: Note when it happens and whether it affects the whole site or particular pages. Ask your host to check server events if you cannot access the relevant logs.
- The public site works, but wp-admin does not: This is different from a complete server outage. Check for a WordPress recovery email and look for errors in the host’s logs.
- WordPress displays “There has been a critical error on this website”: A fatal PHP error may be preventing normal operation. Recovery Mode can help with some such errors.
The symptom alone does not establish the cause. Avoid deleting files, reinstalling WordPress, or making several changes at once before you have evidence and a current backup.
Recover from a WordPress critical error
Check the administrator email for Recovery Mode
WordPress Recovery Mode, introduced in WordPress 5.2, can help with certain fatal PHP errors during regular page loads. It may let an administrator sign in while the faulty plugin or theme is paused for that session, and its notice may identify the component involved. Follow the official WordPress Recovery Mode instructions to inspect the notice and address the identified component. Confirm that normal pages load before exiting Recovery Mode.
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Recovery Mode does not diagnose every kind of outage. If no recovery email arrives or the dashboard remains inaccessible, consult the official instructions for using your host’s file manager or FTP to rename a suspected plugin directory. Target a component only when logs or other evidence point to it; disabling an unrelated plugin can create new problems.
Test one suspected component at a time
If evidence points to a plugin or theme, disable that item and test the same page that was failing. If the site recovers, investigate whether the component can be fixed or replaced. Re-enable or test other components one at a time as needed so the result remains meaningful.
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Use Site Health to collect clues
In the dashboard, open Tools > Site Health. Review both the Status and Info tabs. Site Health can surface critical issues and configuration details that help distinguish a WordPress problem from a host-managed one.
- Look for PHP, server, database, plugin, and theme details that may relate to the timing of the outage.
- Check for loopback or background update problems, as well as filesystem permission issues.
- Take note if it reports publicly displayed errors or a debug log that may be accessible to visitors.
- Use the information when contacting your host, especially if a setting or server rule is controlled by the provider.
For the current checks and explanations, see the WordPress Site Health documentation. A reported issue is a clue to investigate, not proof that it caused a particular interruption.
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Check logs without exposing errors to visitors
WordPress debug logging
When configured, WordPress debugging can write PHP errors, warnings, and notices to wp-content/debug.log. The official debugging guide shows the WP_DEBUG, WP_DEBUG_LOG, and WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY settings for logging errors without printing them into page output.
WordPress says these debugging tools are intended for development and staging, and are not recommended on live sites. Debug output and logs can expose sensitive details: back up first, restrict access to any log, avoid displaying errors on a public page, and turn debugging off after collecting what you need.
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Host and server logs
If WordPress logs do not explain the failure, ask your host to inspect the relevant PHP and web-server logs. These can help identify server-level errors or resource and database failures that are not visible from the dashboard. The WordPress server-configuration guidance also explains why some settings and rules are managed by the host rather than the site administrator.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Know when to contact your host
Contact your hosting provider when the site is unreachable at the server level, logs suggest a resource or database failure, Site Health flags a host-managed setting, or you cannot safely access the files. Send a concise report that includes:
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- When the problem began, including time zone if known.
- The exact error message and affected URLs.
- Whether the whole site, only wp-admin, or particular pages are affected.
- Recent plugin, theme, core, PHP, DNS, hosting, or configuration changes.
- Relevant Site Health findings or log details, shared privately rather than posted publicly.
A host may control PHP settings, web-server rules, backups, mail, and control panels. Ask support to identify the relevant event and explain which settings they can inspect or change.
Reduce the risk and impact of another outage
Keep a complete, restorable backup
A typical WordPress site has two separate parts: files and a database. The database holds items such as posts, comments, links, and settings; files include WordPress core, themes, plugins, uploads, and configuration. A copy of only one part is not a complete site backup. Keep the files and database export together as a backup set, and make sure you understand how to restore them. See the official guides to WordPress backups and backing up WordPress files.
Downloaded backup files can be stored on a local computer; an external drive is one possible additional storage location. Storage helps preserve a recovery copy but does not prevent server outages, and one local copy alone may not be sufficient protection.
Back up before upgrades or risky repairs
WordPress recommends backing up the database before upgrades, and its plugin and theme update guidance recommends regular backups before enabling auto-updates. Update timing depends on the server, installation, and plugins. Site Health can help surface WordPress Cron problems if scheduled background tasks are not behaving as expected.
Assess hosting only when the diagnosis points there
Recurring downtime does not by itself show that you need to switch providers. If evidence points to a server-managed setting or you need provider assistance, ask prospective or current hosts how quickly support can inspect server logs, what backup and restore help is included, who controls PHP and server configuration, and whether staging is available. WordPress documentation confirms that hosts may manage these settings; it does not establish that a hosting change is the right fix for your site.
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