A secure WordPress website is crucial for protecting your valuable digital assets, maintaining user trust, and ensuring your site’s stability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

In this comprehensive guide, we will divulge valuable insights into securing your WordPress website, discussing methods such as using strong passwords, maintaining regular updates, implementing security plugins, and employing advanced techniques like two-factor authentication.

We will explore various strategies to enhance your WordPress site’s security, equipping you with the necessary knowledge to protect your website against potential hacks, data breaches, and other malicious activities.

By understanding the importance of website security and implementing the best practices shared in this guide, you can reinforce your site’s defenses and maintain a robust digital platform that safeguards your data, safeguards user information, and promotes a secure browsing environment.

1. The White Screen of Death (WSoD)

One of the most dreaded yet common WordPress issues is the White Screen of Death (WSoD), where the user encounters a blank, white screen when trying to access their website, often caused by PHP errors or server memory issues.

• Solution 1 – Increase PHP memory limit: Edit the wp-config.php file and add the following line of code: `define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ’64M’);`. This increases the PHP memory limit to 64MB, potentially resolving the WSoD.

• Solution 2 – Deactivate plugins: Disable all your plugins via FTP by renaming the “plugins” folder within the “wp-content” directory, e.g., “plugins_disabled.” Check if the WSoD persists–if resolved, rename the folder back to “plugins” and re-enable each plugin one by one until the problem recurs, identifying the faulty plugin.

• Solution 3 – Switch to a default theme: Access your WordPress installation via FTP, navigate to “wp-content/themes”, and rename your active theme’s folder. WordPress will revert to a default theme, enabling you to check if the WSoD issue is resolved and pinpoint a problematic theme.

2. Error Establishing a Database Connection

This error occurs when WordPress is unable to communicate with the site’s database, typically caused by incorrect database credentials or a server-side issue.

• Solution 1 – Check database credentials: Verify your database credentials (database name, username, password, and host) in the wp-config.php file, ensuring they match your web host’s provided information.

• Solution 2 – Repair database: Add the line `define(‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true);` to your wp-config.php file, then access “https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php” to repair your database. Remember to remove the line from the wp-config.php file once the repair is complete.

• Solution 3 – Contact your web hosting provider: If the issue persists, reach out to your web hosting provider to assess and resolve any server-side issues that may be causing the error.

3. 404 Page Not Found Error

A 404 error signals that a user or search engine is attempting to access a page that doesn’t exist on your site, often resulting from broken links, deleted content, or incorrect permalink settings.

• Solution 1 – Update permalinks settings: Navigate to “Settings” > “Permalinks” in your WordPress dashboard, save the current permalink settings or choose a new structure, and click “Save Changes” to refresh your site’s permalinks.

• Solution 2 – Check for broken links: Use a broken link checker plugin or online tool to identify any broken links, delete or update them to ensure proper navigation and prevent future 404 errors.

• Solution 3 – Create a custom 404 page: Design a custom 404 page that directs users to the homepage or provides helpful navigation links, improving user experience and reducing frustration when encountering a 404 error.

4. Image Upload Issues

Struggling to upload images to your media library or encountering broken image links can be frustrating – these issues often stem from incorrect file permissions or a full website cache.

• Solution 1 – Adjust file permissions: Access your WordPress installation via FTP, navigate to the “wp-content” directory, and ensure that the permissions are correctly set: 755 for folders and 644 for files.

• Solution 2 – Clear your website’s cache: Empty your website’s cache under your caching plugin settings, ensuring a full cache doesn’t interfere with the image upload process.

• Solution 3 – Check the file type: Confirm that you’re attempting to upload a supported image file type (e.g., JPG, PNG, or GIF) and that the file is not corrupt or too large for your server’s settings.

5. WordPress Stuck in Maintenance Mode

During plugin or theme updates, WordPress enters a temporary “Maintenance Mode,” which may become stuck, blocking access to your site.

• Solution 1 – Remove the .maintenance file: Access your WordPress files via FTP, locate the “.maintenance” file in the root directory, and delete it to force WordPress out of maintenance mode.

• Solution 2 – Check for failed updates: Identify any plugins or themes with incomplete updates and manually update them via FTP by uploading the updated files directly to the appropriate folders in the “wp-content” directory.

• Solution 3 – Restore from a backup: If the issue persists, revert to a reliable site backup and attempt to perform updates again, ensuring that your site has the latest versions of all installed plugins and themes.

Conclusion

While encountering common WordPress issues can be frustrating, understanding how to troubleshoot and resolve them effectively is essential in maintaining a fully operational and seamless website experience.

Through the expert insights and solutions provided by SwiftPress Support, you can confidently tackle these challenges and prevent future occurrences.

At SwiftPress Support, our team of skilled WordPress technical support professionals is dedicated to helping you fortify your WordPress website against various vulnerabilities and cyber threats with essential security tips, expert advice, and tailored solutions that cater to your unique needs.

We are dedicated to providing tailored solutions to meet your unique needs, ensuring your website remains stable, user-friendly, and successful.

Let us be your trusted partner in navigating the complexities of website security, empowering you with the resources and expertise needed to create a secure, stable, and thriving WordPress website.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment!