Something wrong with your site?

This error means WordPress can't reach the database that holds your content, so no page can load. Your data is almost always still there.

'Too many redirects' means two settings keep bouncing visitors between addresses, often after adding SSL. Nothing is lost; the loop just needs breaking.

A 500 Internal Server Error means your server hit a problem it couldn't finish, usually a plugin, theme or settings issue. Your content is almost always safe.

The white screen of death is a blank page WordPress shows when an error stops it loading, often after an update. Your content is almost always safe.

If your WordPress site won't load, first find out whether it's down for everyone or only for you. Here's how to tell, and what each kind of outage means.

Your host upgraded PHP and your WordPress site went blank or shows an error. An old plugin or theme can't run on the new version. Your content is safe.

A WordPress site that goes down again and again usually has one cause: a hosting limit, a heavy plugin, an attack or a bad update. Here's how to tell which.

WordPress sends this email when a plugin or theme crashes part of your site. Your content is almost always safe. Here's what it means and what to do first.

A syntax error means PHP found a typo in a site code file, often from code pasted into functions.php or a plugin your server's PHP can't run. Content is safe.

WordPress shows this message when a plugin, theme or code error crashes your site. Your content is almost always safe. Here's what it means and what to do.

If the homepage loads but every other page says 'not found', your pages still exist. WordPress has lost its page address settings. It's common and fixable.

'Publishing failed' means the editor couldn't save to your server, usually because a plugin, firewall or SSL issue blocked it. Your work is usually safe.

A broken WooCommerce checkout is usually a plugin, theme or caching conflict, or a payment gateway or SSL problem. Here's how to stop losing sales.

'HTTP error' on upload means your server refused the image, usually because it's too big or needs more memory than your host allows. Your site itself is fine.

A 403 Forbidden error means a security rule or permission setting is blocking access to your site or a page. Your content is still there.

'Allowed memory size exhausted' means WordPress needed more memory than your host allows, often because of a heavy plugin. Your content is safe.

After a move to a new address, your WordPress site keeps sending visitors back to the old one. The old address is still stored in its settings. Here's why.

If your site shows plain text with no design, or boxes where images should be, the pages are fine. The files that style them aren't loading. Here's why.

'Not Secure' means the browser can't confirm your site's SSL certificate, usually because it's missing, expired or set up wrong. It rarely means a hack.

'Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance' is WordPress's update holding page. If it won't go away, an update was interrupted. Your content is safe.

WordPress emails usually go missing because inbox providers distrust how the site sends them, so they're blocked or sent to spam without any error.

This WordPress message usually means an upload was bigger than your hosting allows, often a theme or plugin file. Your site is fine. Here's what to do.

If your site looks fine to you but broken to visitors, a stored (cached) copy is usually to blame: visitors get the stored page, you see the live one.

Chrome's red 'Dangerous site' page means Google flagged your site as harmful, usually after a hack. Here's what it means and the safe first steps.

Google shows 'This site may be hacked' when it thinks someone changed your pages or added spam. Here's what it means and what to do first.

Google emailed you, or Search Console shows a Security issues or hacked content notice. Here's what it means and the safe first steps to take.

Your hosting company switched your site off after finding malware. It's a pause to protect visitors, not a deletion. Here's what it means and what to do first.

If your WordPress site sends visitors to a spam, gambling or pharmacy site, it has been hacked. Here's what's going on, what to check, and how it gets fixed.

Spam redirects, strange ads or a Google warning usually mean your WordPress site was hacked. It can almost always be cleaned up without starting over.

An administrator account you don't recognise usually means someone got into your WordPress site. Here's what to do first, and what not to delete yet.

A login redirect loop sends you back to the login page even with the right password, usually from mismatched address settings or confused cookies.

Most WordPress lockouts come from a lost password, a security plugin block, or a plugin error. Access can almost always be restored without losing anything.