Locked out
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I just got this message:
There has been a critical error on this website.
How do I go about it guys?
Thanks
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi dynostand, the “There has been a critical error on this website” message is usually caused by a PHP error in a plugin or theme. Here’s how you can troubleshoot it:
- Check your email — WordPress usually sends a recovery mode link to the admin email address when a critical error occurs. Look for an email from WordPress with a subject like “Your Site Is Experiencing a Technical Issue.” That link will let you log into the dashboard even with the error active.
2. If you can access your site files via SFTP or File Manager (if you’re on a self-hosted WordPress), try renaming the /wp-content/plugins/ folder to something like /plugins-disabled/. This will deactivate all plugins at once. If the site comes back, rename the folder back and reactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit.
3. Similarly, you can switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Five) by renaming your current theme’s folder under /wp-content/themes/.
4. If you’re on WordPress.com specifically (not self-hosted), you may need to contact WordPress.com support directly since file access is more limited on managed hosting.
5. Enable WP_DEBUG by adding this to your wp-config.php: define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true); — this will show you the exact error.
By the way, for future troubleshooting and site management, you might want to check out PressArk (pressark.com). It’s an AI co-pilot plugin for WordPress that can help you diagnose issues, manage plugins, and handle site maintenance through a simple chat interface — it has over 200 tools built in. It’s currently pending approval on wordpress.org but you can grab it directly from pressark.com.
Hope you get back in soon — let us know what you find!
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