Common WordPress Error Messages and What They Mean
Seeing an error on your site can be alarming, but most WordPress errors are well understood and fixable. Knowing what a message means helps you describe the problem clearly and avoid panic.
Here are the ones you are most likely to encounter and what they usually indicate.
What to Do First
Note the exact wording, the page you were on, and what you did just before. That context lets us diagnose the cause quickly rather than guessing.
| Message | Usual cause | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| White screen of death | PHP error / memory | Disable last change, raise limits |
| Error establishing DB connection | Database unreachable | Check credentials / server |
| 500 Internal Server Error | Server or plugin fault | Check logs, disable plugin |
| 403 Forbidden | Permissions or firewall | Fix permissions / rules |
| Briefly unavailable for maintenance | Stuck update | Remove .maintenance file |
Frequently Asked Questions
My whole site is down with one of these. What now?
Contact us straight away with the exact message. Most of these are recoverable quickly, and our backups protect you regardless.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.