{"id":3577,"date":"2025-04-25T12:30:26","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T10:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniquedevs.com\/blog\/najczestsze-bledy-w-wordpressie\/"},"modified":"2025-04-29T13:40:06","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T11:40:06","slug":"the-most-common-wordpress-errors-and-how-to-fix-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniquedevs.com\/en\/blog\/the-most-common-wordpress-errors-and-how-to-fix-them\/","title":{"rendered":"The most common WordPress errors and how to fix them – a guide for site owners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1. Error connecting to a database<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It happens that you go to your website and all you see is the message \u2018Error establishing a database connection\u2019. This is a classic. This error means that WordPress<\/a> can’t establish a database connection – and this, in turn, causes your entire site to stop working. The most common cause is an incorrect configuration of the wp-config.php<\/code> file . This is where the database login details are stored: username, password, host address and the database name itself. A typo or password change without updating the file is enough for everything to stop working. Sometimes the server is also to blame – for example, if the database has been overloaded or is temporarily unavailable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solution? Start by checking the wp-config.php<\/code> file . You can also contact your hosting’s support department – they are often able to restore the connection or pinpoint the source of the problem. We describe this problem in detail in the article: Database connection error – cause, diagnosis, repair.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. White Screen of Death<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sounds dramatic and… in fact it is. A white page without any error message means that something has gone very wrong. This often happens after a theme or plugin update. WordPress stops displaying content because the PHP code is generating a critical error. One way to diagnose the problem is to enable debug mode. In the wp-config.php<\/code> file, simply add a line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

define('WP_DEBUG', true);<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
When you refresh the page, you will often see the exact error message. Most often the culprit is one of the plug-ins – so it’s worth deactivating all of them and checking if the problem disappeared. If so – activate them one by one until you find the culprit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Error 500 – Internal Server Error<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is one of the most general errors. It can have dozens of causes – from a corrupt .htaccess<\/code> file , to a faulty theme, to insufficient PHP memory limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your first step should be to delete the .htaccess<\/code> file and re-generate it from within your WordPress dashboard (Settings > Direct Links > Save Changes). If this doesn’t help, it’s worth increasing the PHP limits, for example by adding to wp-config.php<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
define(\u2018WP_MEMORY_LIMIT\u2019, \u2018256M\u2019);<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
It’s also worth checking the server logs – there you’ll find more information about what exactly triggered the error.<\/p>\n\n\n                        
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4. The website is stuck in maintenance mode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When updating WordPress, its themes, or plugins, the system automatically activates maintenance mode. This is completely normal \u2013 during the update, users see the message: \u201cBriefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute.\u201d Usually, this lasts only a few seconds and disappears on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem arises when something interrupts the update \u2013 for example, the server is too slow, the connection is lost, or there is an error in the plugin being updated. In such situations, WordPress does not have time to delete the .maintenance<\/code>file, which it creates automatically during the update. As a result, the website gets stuck in maintenance mode permanently \u2013 no matter how many times you refresh it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, the solution is simple. Simply log in to the server \u2013 preferably via FTP or the file manager in the hosting panel \u2013 and go to the main WordPress directory (where files such as wp-config.php<\/code>and the wp-content<\/code>folder are located). There you will find the .maintenance<\/code>file. Just delete it. After this operation, the website should immediately return to normal operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that, it’s a good idea to check if all updates have been completed \u2013 sometimes a plugin or theme may not work properly due to an interrupted update. If something is wrong, it’s best to update them manually or restore them from a backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Error 404 on pages or posts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, your website’s home page may work perfectly, but when you click on any post or subpage, you get a 404 error \u2013 a message saying that the page does not exist. This is usually caused by direct links (permalinks) that have stopped working properly for some reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This problem usually occurs after:<\/p>\n\n\n\n