How to Fix a Broken WordPress Installation?

A broken WordPress installation can happen because of plugin conflicts, theme errors, corrupted files, database issues, or even server problems. If your site is down or showing errors, don’t worry — you can usually fix it step by step. Below is a complete guide to troubleshoot and repair your WordPress site.

🔎 Step-by-Step Guide to Fix a Broken WordPress Site

1️⃣ Check and Note the Error

First, determine what’s actually broken.

• Is your site showing a White Screen of Death (completely blank)?
• Is there a PHP error message?
• Are you stuck in maintenance mode?
• Does it show a database connection error?

If you see an error message, copy it or take a screenshot — it often tells you exactly what file or plugin is causing the problem.

2️⃣ Backup Your Site

Before making any changes, backup your website files and database.
You can use:

• Hosting cPanel > File Manager and phpMyAdmin
• FTP/SFTP to download files
• WordPress backup plugins (if you still have access)

3️⃣ Disable Plugins

A corrupt or incompatible plugin is the most common cause of a broken site.

• If you can access the dashboard:
  • Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
  • Deactivate all plugins.
  • Reactivate them one by one to identify the culprit.
• If you can’t access the dashboard:
  • Use FTP or File Manager.
  • Navigate to /wp-content/ and rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
  • Check your site. If it works now, rename it back and deactivate plugins one by one.

4️⃣ Switch to a Default Theme

A faulty theme can also break WordPress.

• If you can log in:
  • Go to Appearance > Themes and activate a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four).
• If you can’t log in:
  • Use FTP/File Manager.
  • Navigate to /wp-content/themes/ and rename your active theme folder.
  • WordPress will automatically revert to a default theme if available.

5️⃣ Repair the Database

Sometimes the database becomes corrupted.

• Add the following line to your wp-config.php file: phpCopyEditdefine('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
• Visit: https://yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php
• Click “Repair Database”.
• Remove the line from wp-config.php after repair.

6️⃣ Check .htaccess File

A corrupted .htaccess file can also crash your site.

• Go to your WordPress root directory.
• Rename .htaccess to .htaccess_old.
• Then log into the dashboard, go to Settings > Permalinks, and click “Save Changes” to generate a fresh .htaccess.

7️⃣ Re-upload Core WordPress Files

If your WordPress files are corrupted:

• Download the latest WordPress from wordpress.org.
• Extract it on your computer.
• Upload the wp-admin and wp-includes folders via FTP, overwriting the existing ones.
• Do NOT upload the wp-content folder, as it contains your themes, plugins, and uploads.

8️⃣ Check File Permissions

Incorrect file and folder permissions can also cause problems.

• Files should have permission 644
• Folders should have permission 755
• You can change permissions via FTP or cPanel > File Manager.

9️⃣ Increase PHP Memory Limit

Sometimes your site breaks due to insufficient PHP memory.

• Edit your wp-config.php and add: phpCopyEditdefine('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
• Or contact your hosting provider to increase it.

🔟 Look for Malware or Hacks

If none of the above works, your site might have been hacked.

• Scan with a plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri.
• Check your files for unknown code or suspicious changes.

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1. Is Hostinger supporting WordPress?

2. Which is the best international hosting for WordPress?

🧪 Other Tips

• Check your hosting server’s status — maybe the issue is on their end.
• Review PHP version compatibility.
• Check error logs (from hosting panel or wp-content/debug.log) for clues.

🚀 When to Seek Help?

If you can’t fix it yourself after trying the above, contact:

• Your hosting support
• A WordPress developer
• Professional repair services

🔄 Summary Table

Issue	Solution
Plugin Conflict	Deactivate plugins one by one
Theme Problem	Switch to a default theme
Corrupted Database	Repair via wp-config.php
Corrupted Files	Re-upload WordPress core
.htaccess Error	Rename & regenerate it
Low Memory	Increase PHP memory limit

By following these steps systematically, you can usually fix a broken WordPress installation without too much trouble. Always make regular backups to prevent future headaches.