Troubleshooting your WordPress website

⚠️ Important: Always make a full backup before attempting any troubleshooting steps.


This article provides guidance on investigating and resolving issues with your WordPress website. We recommend following the steps below in order. If an earlier step resolves your issue, there is no need to continue with the others.

While this article covers the most common solutions, it may not address every specific issue. In that case, you can contact a web developer or use our Extra Service "Problem Solving".

Check your log files
Enable WP_DEBUG
Check your PHP version
Reset your htaccess file
Disable your plugins
Clear the cache
Check PHP settings


ℹ️ Did you know? WordPress Hosting packages include basic troubleshooting assistance!

Check your log files

Always start by checking the error logs.
Focus on lines marked [ERROR] and [WARNING].
See also: Viewing Logs for Web- en Reseller Hosting and Viewing Logs for WordPress Hosting.

Enable WP_DEBUG

Open your site's wp-config.php file.
Add or update the following line:

define("WP_DEBUG", true);

Any errors will now appear on your website.

Check your PHP version

Verify which PHP version is currently active.
WordPress and most plugins work best on PHP 8.1 or higher.
See also: Change PHP Version for Web- and Reseller Hosting and Change PHP Version for WordPress Hosting.
Older websites might not support newer PHP versions immediately.

Reset your htaccess file

Back up your current .htaccess file.
Replace its content with:

# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
# END WordPress

Save the file and check if your website functions properly.

Disable your plugins

Deactivate all plugins.
Reactivate them one by one to identify the problematic plugin.
Can’t access WordPress? Rename the plugins folder (e.g., to plugins-off) via FTP or File Manager.
Refresh your website several times.

ℹ️ Note: Replace voorbeeld.cc with your own domain name in the file path domains/voorbeeld.cc/public_html.

Clear the cache

Clear the cache via your caching plugin, such as LiteSpeed Cache or W3 Total Cache.
Your website might temporarily load slower until the cache is rebuilt.

Check PHP settings

Increase memory_limit to 512 MB.
Increase max_input_vars to 5000.
See also: Optimize WordPress Website and Change PHP Settings for Web and Reseller Hosting.

ℹ️ Good to know: WordPress Hosting packages are already optimized for best performance.

Updated on: 23/05/2025