25 Most Common WordPress Errors and How to Fix Them

As a newbie, you may encounter certain errors while building your WordPress website. Don’t panic just Google out the issue or post your error in the WordPress forums. The experts out there are always available to help you get out from that error.

I am listing out here the top 25 most common errors which are encountered by everyone during their course of WordPress website development. Let us take them one by one.

1. White Screen of Death: In this error, you just see a blank white screen when your page is loaded. The reason may be due to coding issues either in PHP or database. Another reason can be plugin or theme compatibility issue. It may happen that WSOD is coming due to any of the theme directory missing or explorer is not able to find the page. Make sure all updations are done in code if you are renaming or modifying any directory.
2. Internal Server Error: Error starting with 500 series are often created by servers. It may happen that your server is not configured properly or it down due to maintenance or other issue (from the server side). Another reason could be that your .htaccess file has been corrupted. Try activating your plugins one by one to look out for the problem (in case it is a plugin issue). Increase the memory limit.
3. Error in establishing database connection: This error is often encountered by the newbies. Make sure that you have correctly entered the username, password, name and host for the database correctly in the wp-config.php file. If the problem still persists, try out manual editing from your database. Make sure you are using the correct prefix for the table name in the code.
4. Auto upgradation failed: It may happen that you have made certain changes in the core PHP of any of the WordPress file. This may result in failing of auto updation of the WordPress version, themes or plugins. It may happen due to a poor intent connection also. Then you have to manually do the updation process.
5. Connection Timed out: The most common reason behind this error is your internet speed is very low. It happens when website is trying to contact the server and the server is not responding to the request. Another reason may the memory limit awarded to your by the host is exhausted. To fix it, deactivate all the plugins and try loading the basic version. If it loads then certainly it’s a memory issue. Increase your memory limit as well as increase the maximum execution time in the php.ini file.
6. Maintenance mode error: When the WordPress is under updation process, it includes a .maintenance file. It may happen that the file is not removed automatically so, you need to remove that file so as to remove the maintenance error. Just login to your FTP server and do the needful.
7. Changes not reflecting: It may happen that you have made certain changes, and when you reload the page, changes do not reflect. It may be a browser caching issue. Recheck again the file you are loading, it may happen you have made changes in the wrong file.
8. Sidebar displaced from its actual location: It may happen the after adding any code snippet, the layout of the web page goes messy and does not get properly displayed in the browser. Just check, you have either put an extra or forgot to include it.
9. Syntax Error: Sometimes while parsing, the WordPress parser throws the syntax error corresponding to some line. Just go into the code and check that line or its nearby code. It may happen you have forgotten to end the PHP or may be braces.
10. Unexpected Error: This is a type of syntax error. Here it depicts missing of any of the following =, (,), or a mismatch between if and else statements.
11. Undefined error: This occurs when a reference of a variable is used and you forgot to declare it. Again it’s a coding side error.
12. 404 Error: This again is a very common error. The reason is, browser cannot find your file. Recheck the path again with complete directory. Or sometimes the path is misspelled.
13. Memory exhaust error: It clearly means you are not having sufficient memory to carry out the activity you are intending to do. Just increase the memory limit in wp-config.php file. Also increase the execution time in php.ini file.
14. Database CREATE command error: Sometimes database doesn’t allow any user to CREATE the table. The reason is that the permission is not imparted to the user.
15. Unknown column: This is an SQL error. The reason is that, you are asking for output from a column which does not exist in the table. Check again carefully the number of arguments you are passing in the query with correct column name.
16. Error 28: Don’t mix it up with database error. It is from the server side. It may happen that the server cache is full. Contact your web host provider immediately. Clear out your /tmp folder and try again.
17. Error 145: This is typical SQL database error. It states that the table isn’t working or is corrupted. Contact your web host to repair it for you.
18. Unable to login to admin panel: It may happen due to database corruption or if your website is hacked. Try resetting password from phpMyAdmin.
19. Image display error: sometimes the images do not show up on website or show as broken links. Just very calmly check the path and directory listing. It may happen you are using the wrong path. Uploading of images will also not work in this case.
20. Email issue: it may happen that you are not able to receive any emails from the contact form on your WordPress website. There is certainly a server side issue. Contact your web host provider immediately.
21. 403 Forbidden error: This error does not allow anyone to enter that webpage or the web page doesn’t show up. Only the word Forbidden is written over it. Again it is due to lack of sufficient file permissions or very badly coded plugin or themes.
22. Redirect loop: This error occurs when the browser get confused where to redirect. It happens due to some misconfigured redirection URLs. Another reason may be conflict between a SEO plugin and some other plugin having same functionality.
23. Web host error: It may happen that your site isn’t loading. Contact your host provider immediately. The reason may be that the server is down or you have met your maximum quota.
24. RSS feed Error: If your RSS feeds aren’t getting displayed then certainly the XML file is not properly formatted.
25. Failed Uploading: If you don’t have sufficient permissions, you will not be able to upload any file. Ask your admin or host to change the permissions and grant you 777 permission modes.

Before fixing any issue, take a complete backup of your website so that it can be recovered easily in case something really bad happens. Good Luck!!!