If your WordPress site keeps going down, first identify what is failing, when it started, and what changed recently. Then use WordPress recovery tools and private logs to narrow down the cause before changing anything. A “critical error” that blocks the dashboard calls for a different response than a domain that cannot reach the server at all.
First identify what is actually failing
“Going down” can describe several different problems. Record what you see, which pages are affected, when the problem began, and whether it comes and goes. This helps distinguish a WordPress error from a domain, server, or network problem.
- The whole domain will not load: Note whether the browser reports a connection or DNS problem, or whether the server returns an error page.
- The site is slow or intermittently unavailable: Record the affected URLs and the times of each interruption.
- Only wp-admin fails: Check whether public pages still load and whether the problem began after a login, plugin, theme, or configuration change.
- WordPress displays “There has been a critical error on this website”: Check the administrator email for a recovery message.
Write down recent plugin, theme, WordPress core, PHP, DNS, hosting, and configuration changes. The symptom alone does not establish the cause.
If WordPress reports a critical error, try Recovery Mode
WordPress Recovery Mode, introduced in WordPress 5.2, can help with certain fatal PHP errors that occur during regular page loads. It may let an administrator sign in while the faulty plugin or theme is paused for that session, and its notices can help identify the component involved. It does not diagnose every kind of outage.
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- Check the administrator email account for a WordPress recovery message and follow its instructions to enter Recovery Mode.
- Review the notice for the identified plugin or theme. Temporarily deactivate or fix that component.
- Test the affected page and check that normal operation has returned before exiting Recovery Mode.
If no recovery email arrives or you cannot access the dashboard, use the host’s file manager or FTP only when you have a reasonable suspect. Renaming that plugin’s directory can deactivate it; use error evidence to choose a target rather than renaming folders at random. If you cannot safely access the files, ask your host for help.
Use Site Health to check WordPress and server clues
In the dashboard, open Tools > Site Health and review both Status and Info. Look for critical issues and details about PHP and the server, the database, plugin and theme versions, loopback requests, background updates, and filesystem permissions.
Site Health may also flag publicly displayed errors or a debug log that could be accessible to visitors. Some PHP limits and server rules are controlled by the hosting provider, so an administrator may not be able to change them in WordPress.
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Check logs without exposing errors to visitors
Logs can help show whether a failure is coming from PHP, WordPress, the web server, or the database. WordPress debugging can record PHP errors, warnings, and notices in wp-content/debug.log when configured. WordPress documents the use of WP_DEBUG, WP_DEBUG_LOG, and WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY set to false to log errors rather than print them into page output.
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WordPress describes these debugging tools as intended for development and staging, not as a recommended live-site setting. If you need to collect evidence on a live site, back up first, keep the log inaccessible to visitors, and turn debugging off when you have what you need. Error output can expose sensitive details.
For server-level failures, check the host’s PHP and web-server logs if you have access. Otherwise, ask support to identify the relevant events using the time and affected URLs. Site Health and WordPress logs can provide clues, but host-side logs may be necessary to investigate failures beyond WordPress.
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Make one change at a time
Once logs, Recovery Mode, or other evidence points to a likely cause, isolate it rather than making several changes at once. If a plugin or theme appears responsible, disable that item, test the same failing page, and re-enable or replace components individually as appropriate. Record what you changed and whether the symptom changed.
Avoid deleting site data or reinstalling WordPress core files as a first response. Before a risky repair, make a current backup and have a specific reason for the change. Troubleshooting guidance cannot identify which plugin, theme, or hosting provider caused an individual site’s outage without site-specific evidence.
Know when to contact your hosting provider
Contact the host when evidence points to a server-managed setting or when you cannot safely investigate the site files. This is especially appropriate if the server is unreachable, logs indicate resource or database failures, Site Health identifies a host-controlled setting, or you need help accessing server logs.
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Give support useful evidence rather than only saying the site is down:
- The affected URLs and whether the whole site or only specific areas fail.
- The dates and times of interruptions, including the time zone.
- The exact error message or relevant log entry.
- Recent changes to plugins, themes, WordPress, PHP, DNS, or configuration.
Reduce the risk and impact of the next outage
Keep complete backups you can restore
A typical WordPress backup needs both the site’s files and its database. The database contains posts, comments, links, and settings; files include WordPress core, themes, plugins, uploads, configuration, and other content. A backup of only one part is not a complete restore set. Keep the file backup and database export together, and make sure you understand how restoration works.
Back up before updates and risky repairs
WordPress recommends backing up the database before upgrades, and its plugin and theme update guidance recommends regular backups before enabling automatic updates. Update timing depends on the server, installation, and plugins; Site Health can help identify WordPress Cron problems that may affect scheduled work.
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Keep an additional copy separate from the site
Downloaded backup files can be stored on a local computer or another storage device. An external drive is one possible place to keep a copy, but storage does not prevent server outages, and one local copy may not be enough protection. WordPress documentation does not endorse a particular drive or brand.
Evaluate hosting only when the evidence points there
Recurring downtime does not, by itself, prove that you need to switch hosts. If the diagnosis points to hosting, compare practical recovery capabilities: how quickly support can investigate server logs, what backups and restoration assistance are included, who controls PHP and server configuration, and whether staging is available. Managed hosts may control some of these settings, but that fact alone does not identify a better provider or establish that a move will fix the problem.
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