{"id":4950,"date":"2026-06-24T17:10:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T17:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/?p=4950"},"modified":"2026-06-25T13:39:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T13:39:46","slug":"there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix &#8220;There Has Been a Critical Error on This Website&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>&#8220;There has been a critical error on this website&#8221; is WordPress&#8217;s way of telling you that a fatal PHP error stopped your site from loading. It usually comes from a plugin or theme conflict, a PHP memory limit being exceeded, an outdated PHP version, or corrupted core files. In most cases it&#8217;s fixable in minutes \u2014 without rebuilding anything \u2014 by identifying the faulty component and disabling or updating it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Fixing the WordPress critical error message on a website\" class=\"wp-image-4951\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/critical-error-wordpress-cover.png 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Few messages are as alarming as seeing your site replaced by <em>&#8220;There has been a critical error on this website. Please check your site&#8217;s administration email inbox for instructions.&#8221;<\/em> The page is vague on purpose, and often it locks you out of your own dashboard too. The good news: this is almost always recoverable, and your content is safe in the database. This guide explains what the error means, then walks you through fixing it \u2014 starting with the fastest, safest steps and moving to more advanced ones only if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#What_does_%E2%80%9Cthere_has_been_a_critical_error_on_this_website%E2%80%9D_mean\" title=\"What does &#8220;there has been a critical error on this website&#8221; mean?\">What does &#8220;there has been a critical error on this website&#8221; mean?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Critical_error_vs_white_screen_vs_500_error\" title=\"Critical error vs. white screen vs. 500 error\">Critical error vs. white screen vs. 500 error<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#What_causes_the_critical_error\" title=\"What causes the critical error?\">What causes the critical error?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#How_to_fix_the_critical_error_step_by_step\" title=\"How to fix the critical error (step by step)\">How to fix the critical error (step by step)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_1_%E2%80%94_Check_the_admin_email_recovery_mode\" title=\"Step 1 \u2014 Check the admin email (recovery mode)\">Step 1 \u2014 Check the admin email (recovery mode)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_2_%E2%80%94_Enable_debugging_to_find_the_real_error\" title=\"Step 2 \u2014 Enable debugging to find the real error\">Step 2 \u2014 Enable debugging to find the real error<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_3_%E2%80%94_Deactivate_all_plugins\" title=\"Step 3 \u2014 Deactivate all plugins\">Step 3 \u2014 Deactivate all plugins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_4_%E2%80%94_Switch_to_a_default_theme\" title=\"Step 4 \u2014 Switch to a default theme\">Step 4 \u2014 Switch to a default theme<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_5_%E2%80%94_Increase_the_PHP_memory_limit\" title=\"Step 5 \u2014 Increase the PHP memory limit\">Step 5 \u2014 Increase the PHP memory limit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_6_%E2%80%94_Check_your_PHP_version\" title=\"Step 6 \u2014 Check your PHP version\">Step 6 \u2014 Check your PHP version<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Step_7_%E2%80%94_Restore_a_backup_or_replace_core_files\" title=\"Step 7 \u2014 Restore a backup or replace core files\">Step 7 \u2014 Restore a backup or replace core files<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#How_hosting_affects_the_critical_error\" title=\"How hosting affects the critical error\">How hosting affects the critical error<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#How_to_prevent_critical_errors\" title=\"How to prevent critical errors\">How to prevent critical errors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Frequently_asked_questions\" title=\"Frequently asked questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/there-has-been-a-critical-error-on-this-website\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_%E2%80%9Cthere_has_been_a_critical_error_on_this_website%E2%80%9D_mean\"><\/span>What does &#8220;there has been a critical error on this website&#8221; mean?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This message appears when WordPress hits a <strong>PHP fatal error<\/strong> \u2014 a problem serious enough that the script powering your page cannot finish running. Rather than show a blank page or expose sensitive technical details to visitors, WordPress displays this generic, protective message instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s worth knowing the history: before WordPress 5.2 (released in May 2019), this same situation produced the infamous <strong>&#8220;white screen of death&#8221;<\/strong> \u2014 a completely blank page with no clue as to what went wrong. If you get a pure blank page with no message at all, see our guide on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wordpress-white-screen-of-death\/\">white screen of death<\/a>, which is usually a memory issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress 5.2 introduced <strong>fatal error protection<\/strong> and <strong>recovery mode<\/strong>, which is why you now get a message (and usually an email) instead of a blank screen. So while the message looks scary, it&#8217;s actually WordPress <em>helping<\/em> you \u2014 it caught a fatal error and paused the site to prevent further damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two reassuring points before we start: this is <strong>not<\/strong> a sign of hacking in most cases, and it is <strong>not<\/strong> irreversible. Your posts, pages, and settings live in the database and are typically untouched. You&#8217;re fixing a code\/configuration problem, not rebuilding your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Critical_error_vs_white_screen_vs_500_error\"><\/span>Critical error vs. white screen vs. 500 error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These three are often confused. A quick distinction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin:24px 0; overflow-x:auto; font-family:inherit; color:#1A2238;\">\n  <table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:0; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; overflow:hidden; min-width:560px;\">\n    <thead>\n      <tr style=\"background:#1A2238; color:#fff; text-align:left;\">\n        <th style=\"padding:12px 14px;\">What you see<\/th>\n        <th style=\"padding:12px 14px;\">What it is<\/th>\n        <th style=\"padding:12px 14px;\">Typical cause<\/th>\n      <\/tr>\n    <\/thead>\n    <tbody>\n      <tr style=\"background:#FFF4ED;\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Critical error message<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">A PHP fatal error caught by WordPress 5.2+ (with recovery mode).<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Plugin\/theme conflict, memory, PHP version.<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">White screen of death<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">A blank page \u2014 what the same fatal error looked like before WordPress 5.2.<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Same as above, on older WordPress.<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr style=\"background:#FFF4ED;\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">500 internal server error<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; color:#334155;\">A server-level HTTP error, often the same PHP failure seen from the server side.<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; color:#334155;\">PHP error, .htaccess, server config.<\/td><\/tr>\n    <\/tbody>\n  <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, they overlap: a critical error and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/http-error-500-in-wordpress\/\">500 internal server error<\/a> are often the same underlying PHP failure shown in different ways, and the white screen of death is what the critical error looked like before WordPress 5.2. For the gateway version of a server error, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/502-bad-gateway-nginx\/\">502 Bad Gateway<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_causes_the_critical_error\"><\/span>What causes the critical error?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A WordPress critical error almost always traces back to one of these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin:24px 0; overflow-x:auto; font-family:inherit; color:#1A2238;\">\n  <table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:0; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; overflow:hidden; min-width:520px;\">\n    <thead>\n      <tr style=\"background:#1A2238; color:#fff; text-align:left;\">\n        <th style=\"padding:12px 14px;\">Cause<\/th>\n        <th style=\"padding:12px 14px;\">How to fix it<\/th>\n      <\/tr>\n    <\/thead>\n    <tbody>\n      <tr style=\"background:#FFF4ED;\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Plugin or theme conflict<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Deactivate plugins \/ switch to a default theme (Steps 3\u20134).<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">PHP memory exhausted<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Increase the PHP memory limit (Step 5).<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr style=\"background:#FFF4ED;\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Outdated\/incompatible PHP<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Update the PHP version in your hosting panel (Step 6).<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Corrupted core files<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Replace WordPress core via FTP (Step 7).<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr style=\"background:#FFF4ED;\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Malware \/ hack<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; color:#334155;\">Scan and clean before anything else (Step 7).<\/td><\/tr>\n\n<tr style=\"\"><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Wrong file permissions<\/td><td style=\"padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #FBE4D5; color:#334155;\">Reset to 644 for files and 755 for folders (Step 7).<\/td><\/tr>\n\n\n    <\/tbody>\n  <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The single most common culprit is a <strong>plugin or theme conflict<\/strong> \u2014 usually right after an update, a new install, or a code edit. That&#8217;s why the fixes below start there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_fix_the_critical_error_step_by_step\"><\/span>How to fix the critical error (step by step)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Work through these in order \u2014 from the fastest and safest to the more advanced. Stop as soon as your site comes back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_%E2%80%94_Check_the_admin_email_recovery_mode\"><\/span>Step 1 \u2014 Check the admin email (recovery mode)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the fastest fix and the one most people miss. When WordPress catches a fatal error, it emails your site&#8217;s admin address with the subject line similar to <strong>&#8220;Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue.&#8221;<\/strong> Check that inbox (and the spam folder).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That email often tells you <strong>exactly what broke<\/strong> \u2014 the specific plugin or theme \u2014 and includes a special <strong>recovery mode link<\/strong>. Clicking it lets you log into wp-admin <em>even though the public site is down<\/em>, so you can deactivate the faulty plugin or theme with a couple of clicks. If you have access to this email, you may not need any of the steps below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>No email? You can still try recovery mode directly.<\/strong> If the email never arrives (more on why below), you can attempt to enter recovery mode manually by visiting <code>https:\/\/yoursite.com\/wp-login.php?action=enter_recovery_mode<\/code> in your browser. If WordPress generated a valid recovery session, this opens the login screen in recovery mode, letting you reach the dashboard and disable the faulty plugin or theme. If it doesn&#8217;t work, move on to the manual steps below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"display:flex; align-items:flex-start; gap:12px; background:#EFF6FF; border:1px solid #BFDBFE; border-left:4px solid #2563EB; border-radius:8px; padding:14px 16px; margin:18px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n  <svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#2563EB\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" style=\"flex:0 0 auto; margin-top:2px;\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"10\"><\/circle><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"16\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"12\"><\/line><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"8\" x2=\"12.01\" y2=\"8\"><\/line><\/svg>\n  <div style=\"color:#1E3A5F; line-height:1.6;\"><strong style=\"color:#1E40AF;\">Tip:<\/strong> If you&#8217;re not sure which email is your admin address, it&#8217;s the one you entered when you installed WordPress \u2014 often the same as your hosting account email.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why the email often doesn&#8217;t arrive:<\/strong> many sites can&#8217;t send email reliably \u2014 there&#8217;s no SMTP configured, the sending domain isn&#8217;t authenticated (SPF\/DKIM), or the message lands in spam. Since the critical error itself can break parts of the site, the notification sometimes never goes out. So if you waited and nothing came, don&#8217;t get stuck here \u2014 go straight to the manual steps below (debug log, plugins, theme), which don&#8217;t depend on that email at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_%E2%80%94_Enable_debugging_to_find_the_real_error\"><\/span>Step 2 \u2014 Enable debugging to find the real error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there&#8217;s no helpful email, get the actual error message. WordPress has a built-in debug log. Connect to your site via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/ftp-meaning\/\">FTP<\/a> or your hosting file manager, open <strong>wp-config.php<\/strong> in the root folder, and just above the line that says <code>\/* That's all, stop editing! *\/<\/code> add:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin:20px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n  <div style=\"background:#1A2238; border-radius:10px; padding:18px 20px; overflow-x:auto;\">\n    <code style=\"display:block; color:#FFD9C2; font-family:'Courier New',monospace; font-size:14px; line-height:1.7; white-space:pre;\">define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );\ndefine( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );\ndefine( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );<\/code>\n  <\/div>\n  <div style=\"color:#64748B; margin-top:8px; line-height:1.6;\">This logs errors to <code style=\"background:#FFF4ED; padding:1px 6px; border-radius:4px; color:#B45309; font-family:'Courier New',monospace;\">wp-content\/debug.log<\/code> without showing them to visitors.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then reload the broken page and open <strong>wp-content\/debug.log<\/strong>. (For a full walkthrough of enabling and reading logs, see our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/wordpress-error-logs\/\">WordPress error logs<\/a>.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look for the most recent line marked <strong>PHP Fatal error<\/strong> \u2014 it usually names the exact plugin, theme, or file causing the crash. This points you straight at the problem instead of guessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reading your error logs is the single most useful debugging skill in WordPress \u2014 it turns a vague &#8220;critical error&#8221; into a specific, fixable cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"display:flex; align-items:flex-start; gap:12px; background:#FEF6E7; border:1px solid #F5D89A; border-left:4px solid #D97706; border-radius:8px; padding:14px 16px; margin:18px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n  <svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#D97706\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" style=\"flex:0 0 auto; margin-top:1px;\"><path d=\"M10.29 3.86 1.82 18a2 2 0 0 0 1.71 3h16.94a2 2 0 0 0 1.71-3L13.71 3.86a2 2 0 0 0-3.42 0z\"><\/path><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"9\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"13\"><\/line><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"17\" x2=\"12.01\" y2=\"17\"><\/line><\/svg>\n  <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\"><strong style=\"color:#92400E;\">Important:<\/strong> once you&#8217;ve fixed the issue, set <code style=\"background:#fff;padding:1px 5px;border-radius:4px;color:#B45309;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;\">WP_DEBUG<\/code> back to <code style=\"background:#fff;padding:1px 5px;border-radius:4px;color:#B45309;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;\">false<\/code> (or remove the lines), so errors aren&#8217;t logged or shown in production.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_%E2%80%94_Deactivate_all_plugins\"><\/span>Step 3 \u2014 Deactivate all plugins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can&#8217;t reach wp-admin, deactivate plugins manually. Connect via FTP or file manager, go to the <strong>wp-content<\/strong> folder, and <strong>rename the <code>plugins<\/code> folder<\/strong> to something like <code>plugins.deactivated<\/code>. WordPress can no longer find your plugins, so it deactivates all of them at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now reload your site. If it works, a plugin was the cause. Rename the folder back to <code>plugins<\/code> (this reactivates nothing on its own \u2014 your plugins stay inactive until you enable them), then re-enable plugins one by one from the dashboard, reloading the site after each, until the culprit reappears. Delete or replace that plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the error appeared right after <strong>updating<\/strong> a specific plugin, the new version is likely incompatible. Instead of deleting it, you can roll it back to the previous working version with a tool like the WP Rollback plugin, then wait for a fixed update before upgrading again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_%E2%80%94_Switch_to_a_default_theme\"><\/span>Step 4 \u2014 Switch to a default theme<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If plugins weren&#8217;t it, suspect the theme. Via FTP, go to <strong>wp-content\/themes<\/strong> and rename your active theme&#8217;s folder. WordPress will fall back to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four). If the site loads, your theme \u2014 often a <code>functions.php<\/code> edit or a child-theme file \u2014 caused the crash. Common with page builders and custom snippets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_%E2%80%94_Increase_the_PHP_memory_limit\"><\/span>Step 5 \u2014 Increase the PHP memory limit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A surprising number of &#8220;critical errors&#8221; are simply <strong>memory exhaustion<\/strong>. Edit <strong>wp-config.php<\/strong> and add, above the &#8220;stop editing&#8221; line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin:20px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n  <div style=\"background:#1A2238; border-radius:10px; padding:18px 20px; overflow-x:auto;\">\n    <code style=\"display:block; color:#FFD9C2; font-family:'Courier New',monospace; font-size:14px; line-height:1.7; white-space:pre;\">define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );<\/code>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This raises the memory available to PHP. If it doesn&#8217;t help, the limit may need to be raised at the server level (php.ini or your hosting panel) \u2014 something a good host lets you do easily, or handles for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also read this article about how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/increase-php-memory-limit-cpanel\/\">increase PHP memory limit in cPanel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_6_%E2%80%94_Check_your_PHP_version\"><\/span>Step 6 \u2014 Check your PHP version<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher, and recommends <strong>PHP 8.x<\/strong> for performance and security. A plugin or theme that worked yesterday can break today if your host updated PHP and the code isn&#8217;t compatible \u2014 or, conversely, if you&#8217;re stuck on an old PHP version. You can check and change your PHP version from your hosting control panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can reach the dashboard (for example, through recovery mode), WordPress has a built-in diagnostics tool at <strong>Tools \u2192 Site Health<\/strong>. The <strong>Info<\/strong> tab shows your PHP version, memory limit, and server configuration, while the <strong>Status<\/strong> tab flags issues WordPress itself detects \u2014 a quick way to confirm whether PHP or a resource limit is behind the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_7_%E2%80%94_Restore_a_backup_or_replace_core_files\"><\/span>Step 7 \u2014 Restore a backup or replace core files<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If nothing above works: restore your most recent <strong>backup<\/strong> (the fastest route back to a working site). If the logs point to corrupted <strong>WordPress core files<\/strong>, replace them by uploading a fresh copy of WordPress via FTP (overwriting wp-admin and wp-includes, leaving wp-content and wp-config.php intact). If you suspect <strong>malware<\/strong> (the site broke with no changes on your end), scan and clean it before anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Regenerate the .<a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/htaccess\/\">htaccess<\/a> file.<\/strong> A corrupted <code>.htaccess<\/code> can also cause errors. Rename it (via FTP) to something like <code>.htaccess_old<\/code> and reload your site. If it loads, go to <strong>Settings \u2192 Permalinks<\/strong> in the dashboard and click <strong>Save Changes<\/strong> \u2014 WordPress generates a fresh, clean <code>.htaccess<\/code> automatically. (This is more common with 500 errors, but worth ruling out.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Check file permissions.<\/strong> Incorrect file or folder permissions can also trigger a critical error, especially after a migration or a manual file upload. The standard is <strong>644 for files<\/strong> and <strong>755 for folders<\/strong>. You can reset these through your hosting file manager or an FTP client (most let you apply permissions recursively). Avoid setting anything to 777 \u2014 it&#8217;s a security risk and won&#8217;t fix the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_hosting_affects_the_critical_error\"><\/span>How hosting affects the critical error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s worth being honest about where many of these errors come from: the <strong>server environment<\/strong>. The PHP memory limit, the PHP version available, server resource limits, and how easily you can access files and logs are all determined by your hosting. On cheap, overcrowded shared plans, low memory limits and outdated PHP are common triggers \u2014 and you often can&#8217;t change them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One frequent cause is PHP running out of memory \u2014 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/fatal-error-allowed-memory-size-exhausted\/\">allowed memory size exhausted error<\/a>, fixed by raising the memory limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good hosting plan reduces critical errors at the source: adequate PHP memory, current PHP versions you control, easy access to error logs and a file manager, one-click backups to roll back fast, and staging environments to test updates <em>before<\/em> they reach your live site. Much of the troubleshooting above becomes simpler \u2014 or unnecessary \u2014 on infrastructure built for WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_prevent_critical_errors\"><\/span>How to prevent critical errors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"display:grid; grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit, minmax(220px, 1fr)); gap:14px; margin:24px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n\n  <div style=\"background:#FFF4ED; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; padding:18px;\">\n    <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; margin-bottom:6px;\">\n      <span style=\"flex:0 0 auto; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:34px; height:34px; border-radius:9px; background:#F26C21;\">\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M21 12a9 9 0 1 1-6.219-8.56\"><\/path><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"><\/polyline><\/svg>\n      <\/span>\n      <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Keep everything updated<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#475569; line-height:1.55;\">Update WordPress core, themes, and plugins regularly \u2014 most conflicts come from outdated code.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"background:#FFF4ED; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; padding:18px;\">\n    <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; margin-bottom:6px;\">\n      <span style=\"flex:0 0 auto; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:34px; height:34px; border-radius:9px; background:#F26C21;\">\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M20 6 9 17l-5-5\"><\/path><\/svg>\n      <\/span>\n      <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Back up regularly<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#475569; line-height:1.55;\">Automatic backups let you roll back to a working site in minutes if something breaks.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"background:#FFF4ED; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; padding:18px;\">\n    <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; margin-bottom:6px;\">\n      <span style=\"flex:0 0 auto; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:34px; height:34px; border-radius:9px; background:#F26C21;\">\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><rect x=\"2\" y=\"3\" width=\"20\" height=\"14\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><line x1=\"8\" y1=\"21\" x2=\"16\" y2=\"21\"><\/line><line x1=\"12\" y1=\"17\" x2=\"12\" y2=\"21\"><\/line><\/svg>\n      <\/span>\n      <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Test on staging<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#475569; line-height:1.55;\">Try updates and changes on a staging copy before applying them to your live site.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"background:#FFF4ED; border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:12px; padding:18px;\">\n    <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; margin-bottom:6px;\">\n      <span style=\"flex:0 0 auto; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:34px; height:34px; border-radius:9px; background:#F26C21;\">\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"><\/path><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"><\/polyline><\/svg>\n      <\/span>\n      <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238;\">Use solid hosting<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#475569; line-height:1.55;\">Adequate PHP memory, current PHP versions, and easy log access prevent many errors at the source.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin:20px 0; font-family:inherit;\">\n\n  <div style=\"border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:10px; padding:16px 18px; margin-bottom:12px; background:#fff;\">\n    <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238; margin-bottom:6px;\">What does &#8220;there has been a critical error on this website&#8221; mean?<\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\">It means WordPress hit a PHP fatal error and could not finish loading your site. Instead of a blank page or exposing technical details, it shows this generic message and pauses the site. It usually points to a plugin or theme conflict, a memory limit, an outdated PHP version, or corrupted files.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:10px; padding:16px 18px; margin-bottom:12px; background:#fff;\">\n    <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238; margin-bottom:6px;\">How do I fix the WordPress critical error?<\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\">Start with the admin email for a recovery mode link. If there&#8217;s none, enable debugging to read the error log, then deactivate plugins, switch to a default theme, increase the PHP memory limit, check your PHP version, and finally restore a backup or replace core files \u2014 in that order.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:10px; padding:16px 18px; margin-bottom:12px; background:#fff;\">\n    <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238; margin-bottom:6px;\">Will I lose my content?<\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\">Almost never. Your posts, pages, and settings are stored in the database and are not affected by a critical error, which is a code or configuration problem. Still, always back up before making changes, just in case.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:10px; padding:16px 18px; margin-bottom:12px; background:#fff;\">\n    <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238; margin-bottom:6px;\">How do I access wp-admin if the site is down?<\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\">Use the recovery mode link in the admin email WordPress sends when it detects the error \u2014 it lets you log in even while the public site is down. If you can&#8217;t access the email, deactivate plugins or the theme manually via FTP or your hosting file manager.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"border:1px solid #FBD9C0; border-radius:10px; padding:16px 18px; background:#fff;\">\n    <div style=\"font-weight:700; color:#1A2238; margin-bottom:6px;\">Is the critical error the same as the white screen of death?<\/div>\n    <div style=\"color:#334155; line-height:1.6;\">Essentially yes \u2014 they&#8217;re the same kind of PHP fatal error. The white screen of death was what you saw before WordPress 5.2; since then, WordPress shows the critical error message and recovery mode instead of a blank page.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does \\\"there has been a critical error on this website\\\" mean?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It means WordPress hit a PHP fatal error and could not finish loading your site. Instead of a blank page or exposing technical details, it shows this generic message and pauses the site. It usually points to a plugin or theme conflict, a memory limit, an outdated PHP version, or corrupted files.\"}},\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do I fix the WordPress critical error?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Start with the admin email for a recovery mode link. If there's none, enable debugging to read the error log, then deactivate plugins, switch to a default theme, increase the PHP memory limit, check your PHP version, and finally restore a backup or replace core files \u2014 in that order.\"}},\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Will I lose my content?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Almost never. Your posts, pages, and settings are stored in the database and are not affected by a critical error, which is a code or configuration problem. Still, always back up before making changes, just in case.\"}},\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do I access wp-admin if the site is down?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Use the recovery mode link in the admin email WordPress sends when it detects the error \u2014 it lets you log in even while the public site is down. If you can't access the email, deactivate plugins or the theme manually via FTP or your hosting file manager.\"}},\n    {\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the critical error the same as the white screen of death?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Essentially yes \u2014 they're the same kind of PHP fatal error. The white screen of death was what you saw before WordPress 5.2; since then, WordPress shows the critical error message and recovery mode instead of a blank page.\"}}\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width:760px; margin:32px auto; background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1A2238 0%,#F26C21 100%); border-radius:16px; padding:32px 28px; font-family:inherit; color:#fff; box-shadow:0 10px 30px rgba(242,108,33,.25);\">\n  <div style=\"display:flex; align-items:flex-start; gap:16px; flex-wrap:wrap;\">\n    <div style=\"flex:0 0 auto; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:52px; height:52px; border-radius:12px; background:rgba(255,255,255,.18);\">\n      <svg width=\"28\" height=\"28\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M12 22s8-4 8-10V5l-8-3-8 3v7c0 6 8 10 8 10z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"flex:1 1 320px; min-width:260px;\">\n      <div style=\"font-weight:800; line-height:1.25; margin-bottom:8px;\">Fewer errors start with better hosting<\/div>\n      <p style=\"margin:0 0 18px; line-height:1.6; color:#FFE6D5;\">Copahost gives your WordPress site the PHP memory, up-to-date PHP versions, easy log access, and one-click backups that prevent most critical errors \u2014 backed by real support when you need it.<\/p>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/web-hosting\/\" style=\"display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:8px; background:#fff; color:#F26C21; font-weight:700; text-decoration:none; padding:13px 26px; border-radius:10px; box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,.15);\">\n        See web hosting plans\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#F26C21\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M5 12h14M13 6l6 6-6 6\"><\/path><\/svg>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There has been a critical error on this website&#8221; looks frightening, but it&#8217;s WordPress doing its job \u2014 catching a fatal PHP error and protecting your site. In most cases the fix takes minutes: check the admin email for the recovery link, read your debug log to find the cause, and disable the offending plugin or theme. Memory limits and PHP versions account for many of the rest \u2014 and those come down to your hosting. Keep backups, test changes on staging, and run your site on infrastructure that gives you the PHP resources and control to avoid these errors in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This error is one of several common WordPress and server errors \u2014 for the full picture, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copahost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\">complete guide to common WordPress errors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;There has been a critical error on this website&#8221; is WordPress&#8217;s way of telling you that a fatal PHP error stopped your site from loading. It usually comes from a plugin or theme conflict, a PHP memory limit being exceeded, an outdated PHP version, or corrupted core files. In most cases it&#8217;s fixable in minutes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wordpress"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Fix &quot;There Has Been a Critical Error on This Website&quot; - Copahost<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There has been a critical error on this website&quot; in WordPress? 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