Fix “There Has Been a Critical Error on Your Website”

This guide will cover WordPress Critical Errors such as “There Has Been a Critical Error on Your Website” and WooCommerce cart page errors.

Understanding the WordPress Critical Error

If you’ve been using WordPress for a while, you might have encountered “There Has Been a Critical Error on Your Website” one of its most frustrating problems: the white screen of death. In recent versions, WordPress has replaced this blank page with a message that reads:

“There has been a critical error on your website. Please check your site admin email inbox for instructions.”

While this message gives more guidance than a blank screen, it still doesn’t tell you exactly what’s wrong. In most cases, this error is triggered by PHP-related issues, such as:

• Exceeding PHP memory limits
• Conflicts with plugins or themes
• Database corruption

To get your site back up and running, you need to diagnose and fix the root cause of the problem.

How to Fix the WordPress Critical Error

Before making any changes for critical WordPress error, back up your website to prevent data loss. If you can’t access your WordPress dashboard, you may need to use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to troubleshoot the issue.

1. Enable Debug Mode

Activating WordPress debugging will show PHP errors, helping you pinpoint the source of the problem.

Steps to Enable Debug Mode:

1. Connect to your site using FTP (use a client like FileZilla).
2. Open the wp-config.php file in the root folder.
3. Add these lines of code just before the final message:

PHP

define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );
define( ‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false );
define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true );

4. Save and close the file.
5. Check the debug.log file in the wp-content folder to identify the issue.

Once you’re done debugging, remove these lines from your wp-config.php file.

2. Restore a Backup

If your hosting provider offers automatic backups, restoring an earlier version of your website is the quickest fix.

• If you use a WordPress backup plugin, follow the plugin’s documentation to restore your site.
• Many US-based hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, and Kinsta offer one-click backup restoration.

3. Switch to a Default Theme

A poorly coded or outdated theme could be causing the error.

How to Change Your Theme via FTP:

1. Connect to your website using FTP.
2. Navigate to wp-content/themes.
3. Rename your current theme’s folder (e.g., change “mytheme” to “mytheme_old”).
4. WordPress will automatically switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One.
5. Check if your website loads.

If the site works, your theme was the issue. You may need to update or replace it.

4. Disable All Plugins

A plugin conflict is one of the most common causes of critical errors.

How to Disable Plugins via FTP:

1. Connect to your site using FTP.
2. Go to wp-content/plugins.
3. Rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
4. Try accessing your WordPress dashboard.

• If your site loads, rename the folder back to plugins and reactivate plugins one by one to find the faulty one.
• If you find the culprit, delete it or look for an update.

5. Increase the PHP Memory Limit

If your server runs out of memory, WordPress can crash.

Steps to Increase Memory Limit:

1. Open your wp-config.php file via FTP.
2. Add this code before the final comment:

PHP

define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘128M’ );

3. Save the file and refresh your website.
4. If the error persists, try increasing it to 256M.

Some hosting providers, such as GoDaddy and HostGator, may limit memory allocation. If you can’t increase it, contact your hosting provider.

6. Update PHP Version

Running an outdated PHP version can cause compatibility issues with themes and plugins.

• Log into your hosting account (cPanel or custom dashboard).
• Find the PHP settings or PHP version manager.
• Upgrade to PHP 8.0 or higher (the latest version supported by WordPress).

Many US hosting providers, such as DreamHost and A2 Hosting, offer an easy way to update PHP from their control panels.

7. Clear Cache

If your site partially loads or shows outdated errors, clearing the cache might help.

• If you use a caching plugin like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, clear the cache from its settings.
• If your host provides server-side caching (like Cloudflare or Kinsta), clear the cache from your hosting panel.

8. Check for Malware

If none of these steps work, your site might be infected with malware.

• Scan your site using a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri.
• If you find suspicious files, contact your web host or a WordPress security expert for help.

Fixing WooCommerce Cart Page Errors

If your WooCommerce cart page is throwing a critical error, try these steps:

1. Disable plugins (especially payment and cart-related ones).
2. Switch to a default theme to rule out theme conflicts.
3. Update WooCommerce, WordPress, and all plugins.
4. Clear WooCommerce transients and cache.
5. Check server logs for 500 errors (common in US-based shared hosting plans).
6. Increase memory limits if you see “Allowed memory size exhausted” errors.

If the issue persists, contact your web hosting provider (like Bluehost, WP Engine, or Liquid Web) for server-side troubleshooting.

See WordPress Services at Software System, to fix your any critical WordPress errors.

Conclusion

A critical error in WordPress can be frustrating, but it’s usually caused by plugin conflicts, PHP memory issues, or outdated software.

Quick Fixes Recap:

• Enable debug mode to find errors
• Restore a backup if available
• Switch to a default theme
• Disable all plugins
• Increase PHP memory limits
• Update the PHP version
• Clear cache
• Scan for malware

If none of these solutions work for “There Has Been a Critical Error on Your Website“, contact your hosting provider or a WordPress expert. Keeping your site updated, backed up, and optimized will prevent future errors and keep your website running smoothly.