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How to Fix ‘The Site Is Experiencing Technical Difficulties’ in WordPress

Like other platforms, WordPress can encounter technical issues from time to time. One such common problem is encountering the dreaded error message: “The site is experiencing technical difficulties.”

This error can be frustrating for some users. But don’t worry, we will guide you, and explain the steps to troubleshoot and fix this error, helping you get your WordPress site back up and running smoothly.

So, let’s continue.

Fix Now “The Site Is Experiencing Technical Difficulties”

There are some easy methods that can help you to fix your WordPress website.

Let’s discuss them, one by one.

Step 1: Enable Debugging

Debugging is an essential tool that allows you to get more detailed error messages, aiding in the identification of the specific issue causing the error. To enable debugging, follow these steps:

  1. Access your site’s root directory via FTP or your hosting control panel.
  2. Locate the wp-config.php file and open it in a text editor.
  3. Just before the line that says “That’s all, stop editing!” add the following lines of code: define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
  4. Save the changes and upload the file back to the server.

Now, reload your website, and if an error occurs, WordPress will log the details in a file named debug.log located in the wp-content directory.

Step 2: Check for Backup

Before attempting any troubleshooting, it’s crucial to have a recent backup of your WordPress site. A backup ensures you can restore your site to a stable state if anything goes awry during the fixing process. If you have a backup, you can proceed with confidence.

Step 3: Disable Plugins

Plugins are powerful tools that can enhance your website’s functionality, but they can also cause conflicts leading to “technical difficulties” errors. To check if a plugin is the culprit:

  1. Access your site’s root directory via FTP or the hosting control panel.
  2. Locate the wp-content folder and rename the plugins folder to something like plugins_disabled.
  3. Create a new, empty folder named plugins.
  4. Check if the error is resolved. If it is, the issue lies with one of the plugins.

Now, start reactivating plugins one by one, reloading the site after each activation, until the error reappears. This will help you identify the problematic plugin.

Step 4: Switch to a Default Theme

Themes can also cause conflicts leading to technical difficulties. To check if your theme is causing the issue:

  1. Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and go to “Appearance” > “Themes.”
  2. Activate a default WordPress theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-One) instead of your current theme.
  3. Refresh your website to see if the error persists.

If the error disappears with the default theme, you know that your original theme is the culprit.

Step 5: Check Server Logs

Sometimes, the error might be related to server settings. Check your server’s error logs to get more information about the issue:

  1. Access your server via FTP or your hosting control panel.
  2. Locate the server logs (e.g., error_log) and open it in a text editor.
  3. Look for any error messages related to your WordPress site.

The server logs may provide valuable insights into the root cause of the error.

Step 6: Reinstall WordPress Core Files

If none of the above steps resolved the issue, the problem might be with your WordPress core files. Reinstalling WordPress core without affecting your content, themes, or plugins can help:

  1. Visit WordPress.org and download the latest version of WordPress.
  2. Extract the downloaded files on your computer.
  3. Connect to your site via FTP or the hosting control panel.
  4. Replace all files and folders in the WordPress root directory, except the wp-config.php and wp-content folder, with the freshly downloaded ones.

This process ensures that you have the latest WordPress files, potentially fixing any corruption issues.

Step 7: Contact Plugin/Theme Developers

If you identified a specific plugin or theme as the cause of the error, reach out to its developers for support. They might have a solution or be aware of the issue and working on a fix. Reliable plugin and theme developers are usually responsive to user queries.

Step 8: Ask for Help

If you’ve exhausted all options and still can’t resolve the error, it’s time to seek help from the WordPress community or your hosting provider.

The WordPress community is known for its helpfulness, and you can post your issue on the WordPress support forums for assistance. Additionally, hosting providers often offer support, so don’t hesitate to reach out to their support team.

Best Practices for Avoiding Future Errors

Prevention is always better than cure. To avoid encountering such errors in the future, consider implementing the following best practices:

  1. Take regular backups.
  2. Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins to ensure compatibility and security.
  3. Use reputable plugins and themes from trusted sources.
  4. Before implementing major changes, test new features on a staging site to avoid disrupting the live site.

Conclusion

Encountering the “The site is experiencing technical difficulties” error in WordPress can be a frustrating experience, but you can easily recover your website from this issue by following the above steps.

Remember to enable debugging, check for backups, and systematically identify and address the root cause.

By following best practices and reaching out for help when needed, you’ll keep your WordPress site running smoothly and efficiently.