WordPress is not just a portal; it is an entire content management system using which you will be able to design any kind of website. WordPress websites have become exceedingly popular these days WordPress comes with a huge range of features. However, WordPress may face different types of issues from time to time. One start error which is quite commonly faced by the WordPress users is “The site is experiencing technical difficulties” error. It especially occurs when there is any kind of underlying problem with your WordPress website. Before WordPress 5.2, no error message appeared on the screen. It only turned black white. This error was called the white screen of death issue, however. After WordPress 5.2, an error message is displayed on your screen which says “The site is experiencing technical difficulties.”

If you wish to get rid of this problem, first and foremost, you have to know what exactly is causing this issue. There are several simple ways by which you can get rid of this error. One such way is to rollback your website which basically means to go back to the previous version of your website. However, for that, you need to have a proper backup of your website. Otherwise, you will end up losing all your data. Most WordPress users do not back up their data properly. So, this method might not be a very convenient one.

Different ways to fix “The site is experiencing technical difficulties” error:

Start WordPress in debug mode

wordpress technical difficulties error
wordpress technical difficulties error

The best way to fix the error is by starting WordPress in debugging mode. In this way, you will be able to see all PHP errors that your website may encounter while you are trying to access your website. When you set WordPress in debug mode, a log file is produced. Now you will have to look at the wp-config.php file on your system. You can do so by using the cPanel. Navigate to the File Manager. You can also directly FTP into your server. The file is mostly present in the WordPress root directory.

In order to start the debug mode, you will have to create a private log file where you can add the following lines of code:

define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);

define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);

define( ‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false );

After adding the lines you will have to save the content and then refresh a page on your website. Next, go to the wp-content folder from the file manager and look for a line that mentions PHP fatal error. This will give you an idea regarding where the actual issue lies. It can either be a theme or a plugin which is causing the issue. You will then be able to delete that particular theme or plugin and your website will start to function properly. It is also recommended that you let the creator of the plugin or the theme know of this error so that they are able to fix the problem.

Also Read: How to Fix WordPress Custom Post Type 404 Error

Troubleshoot the Theme

A very good option to get rid of the error is troubleshooting the theme by temporarily switching to a default theme. The troubleshooting can be performed either by using FTP or by taking the help of the web host’s File Manager. This process will not cause any loss of data in the theme setting. You need to disable the folder of your active theme’s folder. You can do so by renaming the folder by including a disable to the theme’s name. Now refresh your website and check whether the error goes away or not. If it still remains, then the problem is not with your theme.

Also Read: Learn To Fix Common WordPress Errors

Troubleshoot the plugin

If there is no problem with your WordPress theme, then the error must be with your plugin. In that case, you will have to troubleshoot the plugin. Once again you will have to rename the plugin folder. Navigate to your website and turn off the plugins one by one. Once you have turned off all the plugins, you will have to rename the folder to its original name. From the WordPress admin area, you can re-active the plugins. After reactivating each plugin, check whether your website is facing the same issue. In that way, you will be able to isolate the defective plugin and remove it from your system.

Upgrade your version of PHP

The error might also offer because you are using an older version of PHP. WordPress may not support the version of PHP that you are currently using for your website. PHP versions lower than 5.6 do not work anymore. So, if you have a PHP version less than 5.6, you might be facing “The site is experiencing technical difficulties” error. You might have to switch to the latest PHP version to get rid of the error. You may use the PHP compatibility checker to see whether the themes and the plugins that you are using on your website are compatible with the latest PHP versions or not.

Conclusion

So, these were some of the most trusted ways by which you will be able to get rid of “The site is experiencing technical difficulties” error. If the first method doesn’t work for you, then you may move on to the subsequent methods. Remember to undo all the changes that you have made if you could not successfully remove the error.

Interesting Read:

Best WordPress Plugins To Reset Your WordPress Site 

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Author

A WordPress enthusiast, Shashank is a writer, reader and loves exploring places worldwide. He believes in gathering knowledge and bringing it to constructive use. His motto in life is YOLO, You Only Live Once. Reach out to him via Gmail: [email protected]

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