How to Troubleshoot and Recover Your Broken WordPress Site

A broken WordPress site can be a nightmare, especially if you rely on it for your business or blog. Whether your website suddenly goes down, shows a 500 internal server error, or displays the dreaded White Screen of Death (WSOD), these issues can be frustrating and damaging.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the best troubleshooting methods to identify and fix common WordPress issues. By following these steps, you can restore your website, improve its stability, and prevent future breakdowns.

---

1. Introduction to WordPress Site Issues

WordPress is a powerful platform, but it’s not immune to problems. A broken site can hurt your SEO rankings, traffic, and user experience. Common causes of WordPress site issues include:

• Plugin or theme conflicts
• Corrupt database or files
• Server issues or hosting problems
• Hacked or compromised website
• Incorrect updates or misconfigurations

No matter the cause, knowing how to troubleshoot and recover your WordPress site is crucial. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process to get your site back on track.

---

2. Identify the Cause of the Problem

Before fixing your broken WordPress site, the first step is to identify the root cause. Taking action without knowing the issue can make things worse and even lead to data loss.

Check for Error Messages

WordPress often displays error messages that can give you clues about the issue. Some common errors include:

• Error Establishing a Database Connection – This usually means your database credentials are incorrect, the database is corrupted, or the server is down.
• White Screen of Death (WSOD) – A completely blank screen with no errors, often caused by plugin or theme conflicts, PHP errors, or memory limits.
• 500 Internal Server Error – A general error that may be due to a corrupted .htaccess file, faulty plugins, or server misconfigurations.
• 404 Errors on Pages – This indicates broken permalinks or deleted pages without proper redirects.

If you see any of these errors, take note of the message, as it will help in troubleshooting.

Review Recent Changes

Did you recently update a plugin, theme, or WordPress core? Did you add custom code or change your server settings? These updates can sometimes break your site due to incompatibility or misconfigurations.

To check:

1. Think about the last change you made before your site broke.
2. Disable any recently installed or updated plugins/themes to see if the issue resolves.
3. If you added custom code, try removing it and checking if the site works again.

Check Site Health Status

WordPress has a built-in Site Health tool that helps you detect common issues. To access it:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Tools → Site Health.
3. Review the critical issues and recommendations provided.

This tool can alert you about outdated PHP versions, security issues, database errors, and other problems that might be affecting your site.

Once you’ve identified the cause, you can move on to fixing the issue.

---

3. Backup Your Website Before Troubleshooting

Before making any changes to your site, it’s critical to take a full backup. Troubleshooting often involves modifying files, deactivating plugins, or even restoring the database. Without a backup, you risk losing important data if something goes wrong.

Why Backing Up is Important

• Prevents data loss – If a fix doesn’t work, you can restore your site to its previous state.
• Ensures website stability – You can experiment with solutions without worrying about permanent damage.
• Provides a safety net – If the issue is worse than expected, you have a way to revert changes.

How to Backup Your WordPress Site

1. Backup Using cPanel or Hosting Tools

Most web hosts offer built-in backup solutions. To check:

1. Log in to your hosting account (e.g., Bluehost, SiteGround, or Hostinger).
2. Navigate to cPanel → Backup or Backup Wizard.
3. Download a full backup of your site, including files and the database.

If your host provides automated daily backups, you may already have a recent restore point.

2. Backup Using WordPress Plugins

If you prefer an easy, automated solution, WordPress backup plugins are the best option. Some popular choices include:

• UpdraftPlus – Free and easy to use, allows backups to Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.
• VaultPress – Part of Jetpack, offers real-time cloud backups.
• BackupBuddy – Premium plugin with scheduled backups and malware scans.

How to Backup with UpdraftPlus:

1. Install and activate the UpdraftPlus plugin.
2. Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups in your WordPress dashboard.
3. Click Backup Now and choose files + database.
4. Store your backup on Google Drive, Dropbox, or local storage for safety.

3. Manual Backup via FTP and phpMyAdmin

For full control, you can manually back up your site using FTP and phpMyAdmin.

Step 1: Backup Website Files via FTP

1. Use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your site.
2. Navigate to your public_html folder.
3. Download all your WordPress files to your computer.

Step 2: Backup Your Database via phpMyAdmin

1. Log in to your hosting cPanel and open phpMyAdmin.
2. Select your WordPress database from the left panel.
3. Click Export, choose Quick method, and click Go to download the SQL file.

Once you have a safe backup, you’re ready to start troubleshooting without fear of losing your data.

---

4. Fix Common WordPress Errors

WordPress errors can be frustrating, but most of them have simple fixes. Below, we’ll go through some of the most common wordpress website issues and how to resolve them step by step.

4.1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

The White Screen of Death is one of the most confusing WordPress errors because it provides no error message—just a blank screen.

What Causes It?

• Theme or Plugin Conflicts – A faulty update or incompatible plugin can crash your site.
• PHP Memory Limit Reached – Your server doesn’t have enough memory to execute scripts.
• Corrupt WordPress Files – A failed update may have caused corruption.

How to Fix It

1. Increase PHP Memory Limit
   • Open your wp-config.php file via FTP.
   • Add the following line before /* That's all, stop editing! */:
     define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

   • Save the file and refresh your site.
2. Disable Plugins and Themes via FTP
   • Connect to your site via FileZilla or cPanel File Manager.
   • Navigate to wp-content/plugins/ and rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
   • If the site works, rename it back and disable plugins one by one to find the culprit.
   • If it’s not a plugin issue, rename wp-content/themes/your-theme/ to your-theme_old and check if the default theme fixes the issue.

4.2. Error Establishing a Database Connection

This error occurs when WordPress can’t connect to your database, making your site inaccessible.

Common Reasons

• Incorrect database credentials in wp-config.php.
• Database corruption due to a sudden crash.
• Hosting server issues affecting MySQL.

How to Fix It

1. Check wp-config.php for Database Credentials
   • Open your wp-config.php file via FTP or cPanel.
   • Verify these credentials:
     define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name');  
     define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user');  
     define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password');  
     define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

   • If they are incorrect, update them with the correct values from your hosting dashboard.
2. Repair the Database Using phpMyAdmin
   • Log in to cPanel → phpMyAdmin.
   • Select your WordPress database.
   • Click the Check All box and choose Repair Table from the dropdown menu.
3. Contact Hosting Support
   • If the issue persists, your database server may be down. Reach out to your host for assistance.

4.3. 500 Internal Server Error

A 500 Internal Server Error is a generic error that doesn’t tell you exactly what’s wrong.

Common Causes

• Corrupt .htaccess file
• Exceeding PHP memory limit
• Conflicting plugins or themes

How to Fix It

1. Rename or Regenerate the .htaccess File
   • Connect via FTP and find the .htaccess file in the root folder.
   • Rename it to .htaccess_old and refresh your site.
   • If your site loads, go to WordPress Dashboard → Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes to regenerate the file.
2. Increase PHP Memory Limit (Same as White Screen of Death fix)
3. Enable Debugging Mode
   • Edit wp-config.php and add:
     define('WP_DEBUG', true);  
     define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);  
     define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

   • This will log errors in wp-content/debug.log, helping you pinpoint the issue.

4.4. 404 Errors on Posts and Pages

Why Does This Happen?

• Changes to permalinks or .htaccess
• Deleting or moving posts without proper redirection

How to Fix It

1. Reset Permalinks
   • Go to WordPress Dashboard → Settings → Permalinks.
   • Click Save Changes (even if you don’t change anything).
2. Manually Update .htaccess
   • Open the .htaccess file and replace its contents with:
     # BEGIN WordPress  
     RewriteEngine On  
     RewriteBase /  
     RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]  
     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f  
     RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d  
     RewriteRule . /index.php [L]  
     # END WordPress

4.5. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

This happens when a WordPress update is interrupted, leaving your site stuck in maintenance mode.

Quick Fix

1. Connect to your site via FTP or cPanel File Manager.
2. Go to the root directory (public_html).
3. Delete the .maintenance file.
4. Refresh your site, and it should be back to normal.

With these step-by-step fixes, your site should be back up and running!

---

5. Disable Plugins and Themes for Troubleshooting

Sometimes, a faulty plugin or theme can break your WordPress site. Identifying and disabling the problematic one is crucial for fixing issues like crashes, slow performance, or blank pages.

How Do Plugins or Themes Cause Issues?

• Incompatible or outdated plugins can conflict with WordPress updates.
• Badly coded themes may cause styling or functionality issues.
• Multiple plugins conflicting with each other can break site features.

Step-by-Step Process to Disable Plugins and Themes

1. Deactivate All Plugins via cPanel or FTP

If you can’t access your WordPress dashboard, deactivate all plugins manually:

Using FTP (FileZilla):

1. Connect to your site via FTP or cPanel File Manager.
2. Navigate to wp-content/plugins/.
3. Rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
4. Try accessing your website. If it works, a plugin is the issue.

Using phpMyAdmin (Database Method):

1. Log in to cPanel → phpMyAdmin.
2. Select your WordPress database and open the wp_options table.
3. Find the active_plugins row and click Edit.
4. Delete all the values and save changes.

2. Switch to a Default WordPress Theme

If deactivating plugins doesn’t fix the issue, your theme may be causing the problem.

Using FTP:

1. Navigate to wp-content/themes/.
2. Rename your active theme folder (e.g., yourtheme_old).
3. WordPress will automatically switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.

Using phpMyAdmin:

1. Open the wp_options table.
2. Locate template and stylesheet, and change their values to twentytwentyfour.
3. Check your website—if it works, your theme was the problem!

3. Reactivate Plugins One by One

1. Rename the plugins_old folder back to plugins.
2. Activate plugins one at a time from the WordPress dashboard.
3. After activating each plugin, check your site for issues.
4. Once you find the faulty plugin, either update, replace, or remove it.

By following these steps, you can isolate and fix theme or plugin-related issues without breaking your site further.

---

6. Restore WordPress Core Files

Sometimes, WordPress core files get corrupted due to:

• Failed updates that leave incomplete or broken files.
• Malware infections modifying core files.
• Accidental deletions or incorrect file edits.

Restoring these files ensures your website runs on a clean and stable WordPress version.

Method 1: Manually Reinstall WordPress Core Files via FTP

1. Download a Fresh Copy of WordPress
   • Visit WordPress.org and download the latest version.
   • Extract the ZIP file on your computer.
2. Connect to Your Website via FTP
   • Open FileZilla or your preferred FTP client.
   • Navigate to your website’s root directory (usually public_html).
3. Replace Core Files
   • Delete the following folders from your server:
     • wp-admin
     • wp-includes
   • Upload the fresh wp-admin and wp-includes folders from the downloaded WordPress files.
   • Upload all individual WordPress files from the ZIP folder, except wp-content/.
4. Check Your Website
   • Visit your website and log in to see if the issue is resolved.

Method 2: Restore WordPress Core Using WP-CLI (For Advanced Users)

If you have SSH access, WP-CLI can quickly restore core files:

1. Connect to your server via SSH.
2. Navigate to your WordPress directory:
   cd /path/to/your/wordpress-site

3. Run the command to reinstall core files:
   wp core download --skip-content --force

4. Once done, clear the cache and check your site.

By restoring WordPress core files, you remove corrupted files while keeping your content safe.

---

7. Fix Broken Links and Missing Images

Broken links and missing images can hurt your SEO, user experience, and website credibility. They create frustration for visitors and reduce your site’s ranking in search engines. Fixing them ensures a smooth browsing experience and helps maintain your site’s authority.

How Do Broken Links and Missing Images Affect Your Site?

• SEO Impact – Search engines penalize sites with too many broken links.
• User Experience Issues – Visitors may leave your site if they encounter broken pages.
• Loss of Traffic – Missing images or links can make your content less engaging.

How to Find and Fix Broken Links

Several tools can help you identify and fix broken links:

1. Google Search Console (Free)
   • Go to Google Search Console → Coverage Report.
   • Look for 404 errors under “Excluded.”
   • Update or remove the broken URLs.
2. Broken Link Checker Plugin (For WordPress Users)
   • Install the Broken Link Checker plugin.
   • It scans your website and lists all broken links.
   • Update or remove the broken links directly from the plugin dashboard.
3. Ahrefs or Screaming Frog (For Advanced Users)
   • Use Ahrefs Site Audit or Screaming Frog SEO Spider to crawl your site.
   • Identify broken internal and external links.
   • Update or redirect them using 301 redirects.

How to Fix Missing Images

1. Check the Image Path
   • Go to Media Library in WordPress and check if the image exists.
   • If the image URL is incorrect, update it in the post/page editor.
2. Reupload the Missing Image
   • If the image is missing, re-upload it via Media Library.
   • Update the new image URL wherever necessary.
3. Use a CDN or Image Optimization Plugin
   • A CDN (Content Delivery Network) can store backups of your images and prevent broken image links.
   • Plugins like Smush or Imagify can help optimize and restore images.

Fixing Broken Internal and External Links

• Update the Link – If the page moved, replace it with a working URL.
• Set Up 301 Redirects – If the content was removed, redirect users to a relevant page.
• Remove the Link – If no replacement exists, consider removing it.

By keeping your links and images intact, you improve your SEO, site usability, and user trust.

---

8. Scan and Remove Malware (If Hacked)

Malware is one of the most dangerous threats to a WordPress site. A hacked website can result in:

• Website crashes or errors
• Redirections to spam or malicious sites
• Google blacklisting and SEO penalties
• Data theft and loss of user trust

If your site is behaving strangely, displaying spam, or being flagged by Google, it may be infected with malware.

Step 1: Scan Your WordPress Site for Malware

Use a Security Plugin
There are several free and premium tools to scan your site for malware:

• Wordfence – Free and premium firewall and malware scanner.
• Sucuri Security – Offers a free scanner and premium security services.
• MalCare – A lightweight scanner with automatic malware removal.

How to Scan with Wordfence:

1. Install the Wordfence Security plugin.
2. Go to Wordfence → Scan and start a full site scan.
3. If malware is found, Wordfence will suggest actions to remove it.

Step 2: Remove Malware from Your Site

Option 1: Remove Malware Using a Plugin
Most security plugins, like Sucuri and MalCare, offer automatic malware removal. However, this is a premium feature in most cases.

Option 2: Manual Malware Removal
If you prefer to clean the site manually:

1. Restore a Clean Backup
   • If you have a recent backup (from Step 3), restore it to overwrite infected files.
2. Delete Suspicious Files
   • Use FTP or File Manager in cPanel.
   • Look for unfamiliar PHP files in /wp-content/plugins/ or /wp-content/themes/.
   • Check .htaccess for unexpected redirects or strange code.
3. Check WordPress Core Files
   • Download a fresh copy of WordPress from WordPress.org.
   • Replace everything except wp-content and wp-config.php.
4. Clean the Database
   • Go to phpMyAdmin → Check wp_options, wp_posts, and wp_users tables for suspicious entries.
   • Look for unknown admin users and remove them.

Step 3: Secure Your Site to Prevent Future Attacks

• Change All Passwords – Update passwords for WordPress, FTP, database, and hosting.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Use plugins like Wordfence or Google Authenticator.
• Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Sucuri and Cloudflare offer protection against future attacks.
• Keep WordPress, Themes, and Plugins Updated – Hackers exploit outdated software.

If the malware infection is severe, contact your hosting provider for professional malware removal. Many hosts offer free security assistance.

By scanning, removing, and securing your site, you restore its health and protect it from future attacks.

---

9. Optimize Website Performance After Recovery

After recovering your WordPress site, it’s crucial to optimize its performance to ensure faster loading times and a better user experience. A slow website can hurt SEO rankings, increase bounce rates, and reduce conversions.

Step 1: Clear Cache and Optimize the Database

Clear WordPress Cache
Caching helps speed up your site by storing static versions of pages, but after recovery, outdated cache files can cause display issues.

How to Clear Cache:

• If you use a caching plugin like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, go to the plugin settings and clear the cache.
• If your hosting provider offers server-side caching (e.g., SiteGround, Kinsta), clear it from your hosting panel.

Optimize the Database
Over time, your WordPress database accumulates post revisions, spam comments, and transients that slow down performance.

How to Optimize the Database:

• Install WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner.
• Run a scan and remove unnecessary data like revisions, spam, and expired transients.

Step 2: Use Performance Plugins

A well-optimized site relies on powerful performance plugins to enhance speed.

Recommended Performance Plugins:

• WP Rocket – All-in-one caching and performance optimization.
• W3 Total Cache – Advanced caching options for technical users.
• Autoptimize – Minifies CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.

Steps to Optimize with WP Rocket:

1. Install and activate WP Rocket.
2. Enable Page Caching and Browser Caching.
3. Turn on GZIP Compression for faster data transfer.
4. Enable Minification of CSS and JavaScript to reduce file sizes.

Step 3: Enable Lazy Loading and Use a CDN

Enable Lazy Loading
Lazy loading prevents images and videos from loading until they’re visible on the screen, improving speed.

How to Enable Lazy Loading:

• If using WP Rocket, enable lazy loading under Media settings.
• For a free option, use Lazy Load by WP Rocket or Smush.

Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A CDN distributes your website’s files across multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times for users in different locations.

Best CDN Services:

• Cloudflare – Free and paid plans with security features.
• BunnyCDN – Affordable and high-performance CDN.
• StackPath – Strong caching and security options.

How to Set Up a CDN with Cloudflare:

1. Sign up at Cloudflare.
2. Add your website and update your DNS nameservers to Cloudflare’s.
3. Enable caching, image optimization, and minification in settings.

Final Tip: Test Your Website Speed

After applying these optimizations, test your site’s speed using:

• Google PageSpeed Insights
• GTmetrix
• Pingdom Tools

By implementing these performance optimizations, your recovered WordPress site will run faster, rank better in search engines, and provide a smoother experience for visitors.

---

10. Prevent Future Issues with Best Practices

Recovering a broken WordPress site is one thing, but ensuring it never happens again is even more important. By following best practices, you can protect your site from crashes, hacks, and performance issues.

1. Perform Regular Backups

Backups act as a safety net in case your website crashes, gets hacked, or faces unexpected errors.

How to Back Up Your WordPress Site:

• Hosting Backups – Many hosting providers (e.g., SiteGround, Kinsta, Bluehost) offer automatic backups.
• Backup Plugins – Use plugins like UpdraftPlus, VaultPress, or BackupBuddy to schedule regular backups.
• Manual Backups – Download your site files via FTP and export your database via phpMyAdmin.

Best Practice: Schedule daily or weekly backups and store them on Google Drive, Dropbox, or an external server.

2. Keep WordPress, Themes, and Plugins Updated

Outdated WordPress core, themes, or plugins create security vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

Update Checklist:

• Always use the latest WordPress version.
• Regularly update themes and plugins from the official WordPress repository.
• Remove unused themes and plugins to reduce security risks.

Best Practice: Enable automatic updates for essential plugins and WordPress core.

3. Use a Reliable Hosting Provider

Your web hosting plays a crucial role in security, performance, and uptime. Cheap or unreliable hosting can lead to slow loading times, frequent downtime, and security vulnerabilities.

Top Recommended Hosting Providers:

• Kinsta – Best for speed and security (Managed WordPress Hosting).
• SiteGround – Excellent performance and support.
• Cloudways – Cloud-based hosting with flexibility.
• Bluehost – Beginner-friendly and officially recommended by WordPress.

Best Practice: Choose hosting with automatic backups, malware protection, and strong firewalls.

4. Avoid Nulled Themes and Plugins

Using nulled (pirated) themes and plugins may seem like a way to save money, but they come with serious risks:

Why You Should Avoid Nulled Themes/Plugins:

• Security Risks – Many contain malware, hidden backdoors, or malicious code.
• No Updates – You won’t receive important security and compatibility updates.
• No Support – You’ll miss out on developer support and bug fixes.
• SEO Damage – Some nulled themes insert spammy links, hurting your search rankings.

Safe Alternatives:

• Get themes from official sources like ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, or the WordPress repository.
• Use GPL-licensed alternatives from reputable sites like GeneratePress, Astra, or OceanWP.

Best Practice: Always buy themes and plugins from trusted developers to ensure security and performance.

---

11. Conclusion

A broken WordPress site can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can quickly identify and fix issues. In this guide, we covered:

• Identifying the cause – Checking error messages, recent changes, and site health.
• Backing up your site – Ensuring you have a full backup before making changes.
• Fixing common WordPress errors – White Screen of Death, database connection issues, 500 errors, and more.
• Disabling plugins and themes – Finding conflicts by deactivating and reactivating them one by one.
• Restoring WordPress core files – Repairing corrupted files via FTP or WP-CLI.
• Fixing broken links and missing images – Improving SEO and user experience.
• Scanning for malware – Removing hacks and securing your website.
• Optimizing performance – Speeding up your site with caching, lazy loading, and a CDN.
• Following best practices – Regular backups, updates, security monitoring, and avoiding nulled plugins/themes.

By proactively maintaining your WordPress site, you can prevent major issues before they happen and ensure long-term stability, security, and performance.

---

Share Your Experience!

Have you ever faced a broken WordPress site? What troubleshooting steps worked for you? Drop your questions or experiences in the comments below! I’d love to help!