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When WordPress displays an error, the message is a clue—not always a diagnosis. Start by noting the exact wording, affected pages, whether /wp-admin still opens, and what changed shortly before the problem began. Then use the least disruptive check that fits the symptom; database, PHP, filesystem, or server problems may require help from your hosting provider.

Start with the symptom, access, and timing

Before changing settings or files, record the complete error message and whether it affects one page, the whole site, or only the dashboard. Check whether the public site and /wp-admin are reachable. Note any recent WordPress, plugin, theme, or PHP update. A change immediately before an error is useful evidence, but does not prove that it caused the problem.

These details help distinguish a WordPress-level issue from one controlled by the host. A plugin or theme can conflict with PHP or other components; a server outage, database quota, PHP setting, or filesystem permission may be outside the site administrator’s control. WordPress’s troubleshooting guidance and Site Health documentation cover these categories without implying that one error label has only one cause.

“The White Screen of Death”

A blank page is a symptom, not a diagnosis. PHP or database errors can both result in a blank screen, and a plugin or theme problem is one possible cause. WordPress’s guide to common errors recommends checking plugins and themes among the troubleshooting steps.

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If the dashboard works

Use the dashboard to investigate suspected plugins or themes. Deactivate a suspected plugin or switch temporarily to a default theme, changing one thing at a time where practical so you can identify whether the symptom changes. If the site recovers, that narrows the investigation but does not by itself establish the underlying compatibility or configuration cause.

If the dashboard does not work

The WordPress troubleshooting FAQ describes using a file manager or FTP to deactivate plugins when the dashboard is unavailable. These changes affect site files, so take care and reverse them once you have identified the issue. Database-based changes require familiarity with phpMyAdmin; if you are not comfortable making them, ask your host or a developer rather than experimenting directly.

“Error Establishing Database Connection”

First check the database name, username, password, and host specified in wp-config.php. A mismatch in any of these settings can prevent WordPress from connecting. The WordPress common-errors guide also identifies database quota and server availability as possible host-side issues.

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  1. Compare the database name, username, password, and host in wp-config.php with the values provided by your hosting account. Avoid publishing or sending this file insecurely; it contains credentials.

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  2. If those values are correct, contact your hosting provider and ask whether the database server is available and whether the account has reached a database quota.

Do not assume that repeatedly changing credentials will help: if the server is unavailable or a quota has been reached, the host must address the relevant issue.

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“There has been a critical error on this website”

This message indicates a fatal PHP error, but does not identify its cause on its own. WordPress lists plugin or theme incompatibility, PHP incompatibility, memory limits, and corrupted files among possible causes in its common-errors documentation.

Check for Recovery Mode access

Look in the administrator email account for a Recovery Mode message and follow its instructions if available. Recovery Mode may let you access the dashboard by pausing a faulty plugin or theme for that administrator session. It is a way to regain access and investigate, not a permanent repair of the cause. See WordPress’s Recovery Mode documentation.

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Use error details privately

If you need a debug log, inspect it privately and avoid displaying errors to site visitors. WordPress warns in its Site Health documentation that publicly displayed errors or an exposed log can reveal sensitive information. Site Health’s Status tab can also surface configuration, server, and permission issues; WordPress describes it as showing critical configuration information and items needing attention.

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Permalink and custom post type 404 errors

If a page or custom post type URL returns a 404 even though the content exists, refresh the rewrite rules by opening Settings → Permalinks in the dashboard and saving the settings. WordPress includes this step in its troubleshooting guidance.

For a custom post type, also check whether its slug conflicts with another page or route. If the settings refresh does not resolve the issue, rewrite support may depend on the web server configuration; ask your host about it rather than assuming the WordPress setting is the only cause.

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“Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” after an update

An interrupted update can leave WordPress showing its maintenance message. The WordPress troubleshooting FAQ provides a specific remedy for this situation. First confirm that the update has stopped and check the site’s update state; do not remove maintenance artifacts while an update is still running. If you are unsure whether the process is complete, ask your host or developer before changing files.

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When to involve your hosting provider

Some errors cannot be fixed from WordPress settings alone. Contact the host when the evidence points to a database outage or quota, a PHP or web-server setting, or filesystem permissions. Site Health can help identify configuration, server, and permission concerns, but the host may control the setting that needs attention.

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