How to Fix Common WordPress Errors: White Screen, 404, and More

WordPress is reliable, but errors can happen. Seeing a white screen or 404 error is frustrating, but most WordPress problems have simple fixes. Here is how to solve the most common issues.

White Screen of Death

A completely white screen with no error message is called the WordPress White Screen of Death. It is usually caused by a PHP memory limit issue or a faulty plugin. Fix it by renaming the plugins folder via FTP (wp-content/plugins to wp-content/plugins_old) to disable all plugins. If that works, rename the folder back and deactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit. If plugins are not the issue, increase the PHP memory limit in wp-config.php by adding define(WP_MEMORY_LIMIT, 256M).

404 Errors on Pages

404 errors mean WordPress cannot find the page. First, go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes without changing anything. This refreshes the permalink structure. If 404s persist, check that your .htaccess file exists and is writable. You may need to update your permalink structure or recreate the .htaccess file.

Connection Timing Out

If your site is slow or timing out, the problem is often the PHP memory limit. Increase it in wp-config.php or contact your hosting provider. Also check if a plugin is using too many resources. Deactivate plugins one by one to identify resource hogs.

Error Establishing Database Connection

This error means WordPress cannot connect to your database. Check your wp-config.php file for correct database name, username, password, and host. If those are correct, contact your hosting provider as the database server may be down. Restarting your database server often fixes this.

Plugin or Theme Conflicts

When a WordPress update breaks your site, the problem is often an incompatible plugin or theme. Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) to check if the problem is your theme. Disable all plugins and re-enable them one by one to find conflicts.