Solving the “There has been a critical error on this website” Issue in WordPress

Introduction

WordPress is one of the most popular and widely used content management systems in the world. However, like any other system, users may encounter some problems and errors. One of the most common issues is the appearance of the message “There has been a critical error on this website.” In this article on HMSTEL.COM, we will explore the causes of this problem and how to solve it.

Causes of the Problem

The “There has been a critical error on this website” issue usually occurs due to:

  1. Plugin Conflicts: Some plugins may conflict with each other or with the site theme.
  2. Theme Issues: The theme being used may contain coding errors.
  3. Incompatible Updates: Updating WordPress or one of the plugins may cause conflicts.
  4. Database Issues: There may be problems connecting to the database.

Steps to Solve the Problem

To solve this problem, you can follow these steps:

1. Enable Debug Mode

Enable debug mode in WordPress to learn more about the error. You can do this by editing the wp-config.php file and adding the following line:

PHP

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
AI-generated code. Review and use carefully. More info on FAQ.

This line will allow you to see the error details on the screen.

2. Disable Plugins

Disable all plugins to see if the problem is caused by one of them. You can do this by accessing the WordPress dashboard and disabling the plugins one by one, or by renaming the plugins folder in wp-content to plugins_old.

3. Check the Theme

Change the theme to the default theme (such as Twenty Twenty-One) to see if the problem is caused by the theme being used. You can do this through the dashboard or by directly editing the database.

4. Check for WordPress and Plugin Updates

Ensure that all plugins and themes are updated to the latest version compatible with the WordPress version you are using. You may need to update WordPress itself if a new version is available.

5. Check the Database

Use the built-in WordPress database repair tool. You can enable it by adding the following line to the wp-config.php file:

PHP

define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
AI-generated code. Review and use carefully. More info on FAQ.

Then visit the link http://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php and follow the instructions.

Conclusion

The “There has been a critical error on this website” issue is a common problem in WordPress, but by following the steps mentioned above, you can easily solve it and restore your site to its normal state. If the problem persists, you may need to consult a professional WordPress developer for additional assistance. For more articles and tips on WordPress, visit HMSTEL.COM.

Best regards, Hussein Abu Hussein