An update broke it

A WordPress update broke your site. Stop updating.

It is almost always one plugin conflicting with something. You can usually recover without losing anything, as long as you change one thing at a time.

Get help recovering it(330) 305-2750

First four minutes

  • Stop updating. Every change makes the cause harder to find.
  • Check the admin email inbox, and spam, for a WordPress recovery link.
  • Back up the site as it is now, broken.
  • Write down which updates you ran, in order.

Get back in, then find the cause

  1. Use the recovery email

    After a fatal error, WordPress emails the admin a login link that pauses the broken plugin. Log in and deactivate it. Most people never learn this exists.

  2. Read the error

    In wp-config.php set WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG to true and WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY to false. Reload, then open wp-content/debug.log. The first line usually names the plugin.

  3. Turn off every plugin at once

    In the file manager, rename wp-content/plugins to plugins-off. If the site comes back, rename it back and turn plugins off one folder at a time until it breaks.

  4. Rule out the theme

    Rename the active theme folder and WordPress falls back to a default theme. If the site returns, the theme is the problem.

  5. Check the PHP version

    If it broke without anyone updating, the host may have upgraded PHP. Setting it back one version is a two-minute test. Treat it as a diagnosis, not the fix.

  6. Roll back one plugin, not the whole site

    Install the previous version of the plugin that broke. A full restore throws away every order and form entry since the backup, so save that for last.

What usually breaks

Two plugins conflicting

Most common

Signs: Turning plugins off fixes it. Often two that do the same job, like two caching or two SEO plugins.

Fix: Roll back the plugin that broke, then decide if you need both.

Stuck in maintenance

Common

Signs: "Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" that never goes away.

Fix: Delete the .maintenance file in the WordPress root, then rerun the update.

PHP upgrade at the host

Common

Signs: Broke without you touching it. The log mentions a syntax error or undefined function.

Fix: Switch PHP back to confirm, then replace whatever is incompatible.

Looks broken, no error

Less common

Signs: The site loads unstyled or with pieces in the wrong place.

Fix: Clear every cache: plugin, host, CDN, and browser.

Get help if

  • You have no backup and the site is how customers find you.
  • The error mentions the database, not a plugin.
  • The site takes orders and you can't tell if any were lost.
  • You have tried several fixes and aren't sure what state it is in.
WordPress backupsSet up the backup before you need it.Website maintenanceWe run and test updates for you.My website is downIf it isn't an update after all.

Questions

Can I roll back just one plugin?

Yes, and it is almost always the right move. Previous versions are in the WordPress plugin directory, and rollback plugins do it in a couple of clicks.

Should I turn off automatic updates?

No. Out-of-date plugins are the most common way small sites get hacked. Keep security updates on and test the big ones on a staging copy.

How do I stop this happening again?

An automatic backup you have tested restoring, a staging copy for updates, and fewer plugins.

Can you fix it if I already tried a few things?

Usually. Tell me what you tried and in what order, including anything you deleted. That history helps.

Still down after an update?

Send the domain, what you updated, and the error text. Most of these are a rollback, not a rebuild.

Get help now(330) 305-2750