Fix common WordPress errors

Before you start

• Access to the hosting control panel for the site
• A recent backup, or time to create one before changing files

Applies to: WordPress Cloud, Managed WordPress, Cloud Hosting.

Match the message to the likely cause

Steps

1. Back up before changing anything

   Create a files-and-database backup. See Create an on-demand backup.

2. Read the error log

   In the control panel, open the logs section and view the error log. A “fatal error” line usually names the plugin or theme folder at fault.

3. Deactivate the likely culprit

   On WordPress plans, use the plugin or theme list in the WordPress tools to deactivate it. On any plan, you can rename the plugin’s folder in wp-content/plugins with File Manager to switch it off.

4. Show the real error if needed

   In File Manager, edit wp-config.php and set WP_DEBUG to true, reload the page to read the message, then set it back to false straight away so visitors do not see it.

5. Raise the PHP memory limit if the log says memory was exhausted

   Increase memory_limit in the PHP settings. See Change your PHP version and PHP settings.

6. Fix a database connection error

   Compare DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD and DB_HOST in wp-config.php with what MySQL Databases shows. The server name shown there is the database host. If the details match, repair the tables with wp db repair over SSH or the repair option in phpMyAdmin.

7. Regain dashboard access

   Reset the administrator password from the WordPress tools’ Users screen. If a security plugin blocks you, rename its folder to deactivate it temporarily.

Troubleshooting and common mistakes

Nothing in the error log explains the fault.

Run through Fix a website that is not loading, which also checks the domain, SSL and malware status.

A 403 appears only when saving a particular page or form.

The firewall rule that blocked it can only be adjusted by support. Open a ticket with the page address and the time it happened.

The site broke after an update and none of the above helps.

Restore the backup taken before the update. See Restore files or a database from a backup.

Related guides

• Fix a website that is not loadingCheck in this order: the service status page, your service’s status in your account, the domain’s DNS, then the error logs in the control panel. Most outages that affect one site are caused by a PHP or plugin error, an expired domain, an unpaid service or a DNS change. The error message and the log usually point to the cause.
• Use the WordPress tools in your control panelWordPress Cloud and Managed WordPress services include WordPress tools in the hosting control panel. From one screen you can check the WordPress version, update core, manage plugins, themes and users, reset a WordPress password, run a search and replace, open the WordPress dashboard and create a staging copy. Advanced users can also use WP-CLI over SSH.
• Change your PHP version and PHP settingsOpen the control panel and select Change PHP Version to choose the version your site needs; the change usually applies within a minute. Use PHP Configuration to adjust settings such as upload_max_filesize and memory_limit, which both start at 128M. Take a backup and check that your themes, plugins or application support the new version first.
• Restore files or a database from a backupBefore restoring anything, create and download a fresh backup of the site as it is now. Then open Backup/Restore, choose a restore mode (replace existing files, add missing files only, or restore to a temporary folder), tick Restore Databases only if you want the database replaced, and upload a ZIP made by this tool. Check the site carefully afterwards.
• What to do if your website is hackedChange your passwords first, then find the damage with the malware scanner and access logs. Recover by restoring a clean backup or replacing infected files with fresh copies, update everything, and scan again. FoxFolio Cloud support helps you understand scan results and the hosting tools, but malware cleanup is not included in any plan; it can be quoted separately.