WordPress Problems? 15 Common Issues & Permanent Solutions

Dealing with WordPress problems is exhausting. Plugin conflicts, security breaches, slow loading — the list never ends.

In this guide, we cover the 15 most common WordPress issues, temporary fixes, and the one permanent solution that eliminates them all.

The 15 Most Common WordPress Problems

1. WordPress Is Slow

Symptoms:

• Pages take 3-8 seconds to load

• Admin dashboard is sluggish

• Mobile users leave immediately

Why It Happens:

• Unoptimized database

• Heavy themes (Divi, Elementor)

• Too many plugins

• Shared hosting resource limits

Temporary Fix:

• Install caching plugin (WP Rocket)

• Optimize images

• Use CDN

Permanent Fix: Migrate to a static site → Learn how

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2. Plugin Conflicts

Symptoms:

• White screen of death

• Features stop working

• "Plugin conflicting with..." errors

Why It Happens:

• Plugins not tested together

• Version mismatches

• Poorly coded plugins

Temporary Fix:

• Deactivate all plugins

• Enable one by one

• Replace conflicting plugin

Permanent Fix: Migrate away — static sites don't need plugins

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3. WordPress Hacked

Symptoms:

• Spam links injected

• Redirects to malicious sites

• Defaced homepage

• New admin users created

Why It Happens:

• Outdated WordPress/plugins

• Weak passwords

• Vulnerable plugins

Temporary Fix:

• Clean malware

• Update everything

• Install security plugin

• Change all passwords

Permanent Fix: Static sites can't be hacked (no database, no login)

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4. White Screen of Death

Symptoms:

• Blank white page

• Works for some pages, not others

• Admin works, frontend doesn't (or vice versa)

Why It Happens:

• PHP memory limit

• Plugin error

• Theme error

• Corrupted .htaccess

Temporary Fix:

// wp-config.php
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
define('WP_DEBUG', true);

Permanent Fix: Static sites have no PHP to crash

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5. 500 Internal Server Error

Symptoms:

• Generic "500 Internal Server Error"

• No specific error message

Why It Happens:

• .htaccess corrupted

• PHP error

• Plugin malfunction

• Exceeded PHP limits

Temporary Fix:

• Rename .htaccess

• Check error logs

• Increase PHP limits

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6. Error Establishing Database Connection

Symptoms:

• Complete site down

• "Error establishing a database connection"

Why It Happens:

• Wrong DB credentials

• MySQL server down

• Corrupted database

• Exceeded connection limits

Temporary Fix:

• Check wp-config.php credentials

• Contact host

• Repair database

Permanent Fix: Static sites have no database

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7. Memory Exhausted Error

Symptoms:

Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 67108864 bytes exhausted

Why It Happens:

• Plugin/theme using too much memory

• Too many plugins

• Poor hosting

Temporary Fix:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');

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8. WordPress Keeps Logging Out

Symptoms:

• Logged out repeatedly

• Sessions not saved

• Cookie issues

Why It Happens:

• Incorrect site URL

• Cookie issues

• Caching plugin

• Browser settings

Temporary Fix:

• Check WordPress URL settings

• Clear cache

• Disable security plugins

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9. Images Not Loading

Symptoms:

• Broken image icons

• Media library empty

• Images show on some browsers

Why It Happens:

• File permissions

• Hotlinking protection

• File size limits

• CDN issues

Temporary Fix:

• Check permissions (755/644)

• Disable hotlink protection

• Increase upload limits

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10. Updates Failing

Symptoms:

• "Update failed" messages

• Stuck in maintenance mode

• Incomplete updates

Why It Happens:

• File permissions

• Low disk space

• Plugin conflicts

• Timeout issues

Temporary Fix:

• Update via FTP

• Delete .maintenance file

• Increase timeout

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11. RSS Feed Errors

Symptoms:

• "XML parsing error"

• Feed validation fails

• No posts in feed

Why It Happens:

• Extra whitespace in PHP files

• Plugin output before feed

• Encoding issues

Temporary Fix:

• Check theme files for extra spaces

• Disable recently added plugins

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12. SSL/HTTPS Issues

Symptoms:

• Mixed content warnings

• "Not secure" in browser

• Redirect loops

Why It Happens:

• HTTP content on HTTPS page

• Incomplete migration

• Plugin conflicts

Temporary Fix:

• Use Really Simple SSL plugin

• Update URLs in database

• Force HTTPS in .htaccess

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13. Scheduled Posts Not Publishing

Symptoms:

• Posts stuck on "Scheduled"

• "Missed schedule" warning

Why It Happens:

• WP-Cron not running

• Server timezone issues

• Caching interfering

Temporary Fix:

• Disable alternate cron

• Set up real cron job

• Check timezone settings

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14. Comment Spam

Symptoms:

• Hundreds of spam comments

• Legitimate comments buried

• Spam links everywhere

Why It Happens:

• WordPress comment form is a bot target

• No spam protection

• Popular site

Temporary Fix:

• Akismet plugin

• reCAPTCHA

• Close comments on old posts

Permanent Fix: Use Giscus (GitHub-based, spam-free)

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15. Slow Admin Dashboard

Symptoms:

• Dashboard takes 10+ seconds

• Post editor freezes

• Timeout saving content

Why It Happens:

• Too many plugins

• Heavy admin pages

• Unoptimized database

• Admin heartbeat API

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The Root Cause of All WordPress Problems

Notice a pattern? Most WordPress problems stem from:

1. PHP Architecture — Dynamic page generation on every request

2. Database Dependency — MySQL single point of failure

3. Plugin Ecosystem — Thousands of poorly maintained plugins

4. Attack Surface — Login pages, admin area, REST API

The Permanent Solution: Go Static

Static sites (Next.js, Astro, Hugo) eliminate these problems entirely:

WordPress Problem

Static Site

Slow load times

Sub-second loads

Plugin conflicts

No plugins needed

Security hacks

No attack surface

Database errors

No database

Memory exhaustion

No server processing

Failed updates

No updates needed

Migrate to Static in 5 Minutes

LeaveWP converts your WordPress site to a static Next.js or Astro site:

1. Enter your WordPress URL

2. Choose destination (Next.js, Astro)

3. Download your static site

4. Deploy to Vercel (free)

→ Fix WordPress Problems Permanently

Still Want to Fix WordPress?

If you're committed to staying on WordPress, here's a maintenance checklist:

Weekly Tasks

• [ ] Update plugins

• [ ] Update themes

• [ ] Check for broken links

• [ ] Review security logs

Monthly Tasks

• [ ] Update WordPress core

• [ ] Optimize database

• [ ] Check site speed

• [ ] Review user permissions

Quarterly Tasks

• [ ] Audit plugins (remove unused)

• [ ] Security scan

• [ ] Backup verification

• [ ] Performance audit

FAQs

Why do WordPress problems keep recurring?

Because the architecture creates them. PHP, MySQL, and plugins are fundamentally problematic. Learn why WordPress is slow →

How much time do WordPress problems waste?

Average WordPress site owner spends 5-10 hours/month on maintenance and troubleshooting. See the true cost of WordPress →

Is it worth fixing WordPress or should I migrate?

If you're spending more time fixing than creating, it's time to migrate. Explore WordPress alternatives →

Will migration fix all my problems?

Yes. Static sites eliminate 95% of WordPress problems by removing the root causes. Learn about Next.js →

Conclusion

You have two choices:

1. Keep fixing WordPress — Spend hours every week on maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting

2. Migrate to static — One-time migration, then enjoy zero maintenance

→ End WordPress Problems Forever

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Related guides:

• Why WordPress is Slow (And How to Fix It)

• Ditch WordPress: Modern Alternatives

• WordPress Security Issues

• Export WordPress Site Guide