Fix WordPress plugin errors
Follow these steps to fix plugin errors in WordPress.
Prepare your WordPress site for the troubleshooting:
- You should always make a backup of your site before performing any troubleshooting.
- Disable all WordPress plugins; especially any caching plugins.
- Disable WP_CACHE if your site uses it.
Understanding a WordPress related PHP error
If your previous troubleshooting revealed a PHP error, use the following table to help understand the error.
| Error Type | Definition and Next Steps |
|---|---|
| E_ERROR | This is a fatal error that causes script termination. These are typically caused by calling a non-existing object like a class or function. This can often occur with version incompatibility. You should update your WordPress version, themes, and plugins. |
| E_WARNING | This is a run-time warning that does not cause script termination. These are potential issues that occur but do not stop the processing of PHP. These can often include deprecation warnings, which indicates that your code may be using an outdated version of PHP and needs to be updated. A warning in your PHP logs may not necessarily be related to the issue you are experiencing. |
| E_PARSE | This is a compile time parse error. This is usually indicative of a PHP syntax error, such as a missing semicolon ;, parenthesis (), opening or closing bracket {}, or any number of other syntax errors. You should review the file and line specified in the error message and look for potential syntax errors. |
| E_NOTICE | This is a run-time notice caused by an error in code. These are typically PHP errors that don't cause script termination. These errors indicate that there could be an issue with the code but may be normal functionality of the script. One common cause can be using a PHP variable that is undefined. A notice in your PHP logs may not necessarily be related to the issue you are experiencing. |
Update your WordPress components
When your WordPress version, themes, or plugins update, it can cause conflicts with the others. Updating all of your WordPress components can bring your site back to normal.
Update the following to the latest versions:
-
- WordPress core
- Theme
- Plugins
- PHP version (
cPanel / Plesk / Web Hosting )
Next steps
- If the issue persists after the above troubleshooting, then you may need to uninstall and reinstall your plugin.
More info
- Return to Troubleshoot and fix WordPress plugin errors
- You may need to diagnose your plugin issue before trying these troubleshooting steps.