WordPress is the most popular CMS (content management system) to manage websites. While WordPress is in use on millions of websites active on internet. So any security vulnerability can effect millions of websites and can put precious data of customers and visitors into risk. To keep WordPress secure there are updates in WordPress very often. Sometime a new WordPress update or a plugin or theme’s update produce PHP FATAL error. When there is a FATAL error WordPress doesn’t disclose the information of error to avoid further security issues. In this case WordPress simple show up there has been a critical error on this website.
- Its always recommended to get professional support for WordPress updates.
- If you are running website for business you can consider WordPress maintenance service.
- Our partners at Webful Creations can help you Fix there has been a critical error on this website.
So as you know, there has been critical error is due to a FATAL error in PHP. To fix the error you need to know the reason like which plugin, theme or even WordPress producing the error.
What does it mean when there is a critical error on a website?
WordPress is installed in a website hosting server. And every server is configured differently when WordPress release a new update they also upgrade WordPress requirements. Before updating WordPress you should always check the latest requirements for WordPress to make sure its compatible with your current website hosting. So in case your current website hosting doesn’t support the requirements latest WordPress release needs. Avoid updating the WordPress core and contact web hosting support.
As WordPress runs on PHP so in case now WordPress needs latest version of PHP but your hosting doesn’t have that version. This can put you in trouble with such error.
On other hand every plugin should be checked before updating on their support page if anyone have raised any concern or problem with their latest release. As you can see RepairBuddy Repair Shop WordPress plugin support page.
What can cause there has been a critical error on this website?
So there can be following reasons your website can bring there has been a critical error on this website.
- Memory exhausted which can bring error Allowed memory size of exhausted.
- FATAL error of bad code, missing function or for any reason.
So basically the main reason of there has been critical error in your WordPress website is because of FATAL error produced by PHP.
WordPress also try to send you email to inform you that your website have some problem the email can look something like this.
Subject: [Your Website] Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue
Email Body
Howdy!
Since WordPress 5.2 there is a built-in feature that detects when a plugin or theme causes a fatal error on your site, and notifies you with this automated email.
In this case, WordPress caught an error with your theme, Webful Creations.
First, visit your website (https://www.webfulcreations.com/) and check for any visible issues. Next, visit the page where the error was caught (https://www.webfulcreations.com/wp-admin/themes.php) and check for any visible issues.
Please contact your host for assistance with investigating this issue further.
If your site appears broken and you can’t access your dashboard normally, WordPress now has a special “recovery mode”. This lets you safely login to your dashboard and investigate further.
Recovery Mode URL here.
To keep your site safe, this link will expire in 1 day. Don’t worry about that, though: a new link will be emailed to you if the error occurs again after it expires.
When seeking help with this issue, you may be asked for some of the following information:
WordPress version 5.4
Current theme: Webful Creations (version 1.0)
Current plugin: (version )
PHP version 7.1.14
Error Details
=============
An error of type E_PARSE was caused in line 52 of the file /home2/ateeqrafeeq/public_html/wp-content/themes/webfulcreations/functions.php. Error message: syntax error, unexpected ‘endif’ (T_ENDIF), expecting end of file
How to resolve there has been a critical error on this website?
Before we move forward to suggest you solutions to fix there has been a critical error on this website error. If you are not technical and doesn’t know how to fix the problems in code or make server settings appropriate or raise the memory. Its always great to get support of a professional to fix there has been a critical error on this website.
There are different ways you can try to fix the error on your WordPress website. But as your website is down because of there has been a critical error on this website. You would not able to access the WordPress admin panel. In this case you need access to your web server. Let’s try to explore some ways to fix the problem in WordPress.
What you need to fix there has been a critical error on this website?
You would need access of your web server so you can edit the files and turn on debug mode or disable plugins or theme also if you need to roll back your WordPress version. If you do not know how to get the access of your web server you may contact your web hosting. There are two ways you can manage access to your web server.
- Manage FTP access you can use FTP client like FileZila
- Get Web hosting panel access to use File Manager
Enable Debug in WordPress
To turn debug on in your WordPress website so you can get the details about error being produced by PHP. To know the details of error so you can fix it you need to turn on Debug mode in your WordPress so you can see the FATAL error details.
First of all access your web server using FTP client or your Web hosting panel’s file manager. So you can edit wp-config.php file.
Open wp-config.php file in some IDE like notepad++ or Microsoft Visual Studio Code and find out the line WP_DEBUG
//Turn on Debug Mode.
//Find following like in wp-config.php and replace FALSE with TRUE
//FIND
define('WP_DEBUG', false);
//And replace with
define('WP_DEBUG', true);After making this change upload wp-config.php back to your web server so you can see the detail of error your website is producing.
Roll Back WordPress Website
In case your website hosting doesn’t support the latest version of WordPress and you are unable to do anything about it. In such cases you can revert back to previous version of WordPress. So you can at least bring your website live from error there has been a critical error on this website.
Let’s try to explore the FTP option which can help you re install your WordPress website. Please follow these steps carefully to avoid any problem or deleting important data from your web server.
- Make a backup
- Delete everything in your WordPress installation except w-content folder and wp-config.php file
- Now get the previous version of WordPress release.
- Extract your downloaded release in your computer
- Upload everything using FTP except wp-content
- That’s it
Revert to Default WordPress theme
Is there something wrong with your WordPress theme? You want to deactivate the theme. Yes that can help you to bring your website live at least. However the design and style and some features would may not remain same but after bringing your website live you can get support from your theme authors.
To revert your website to default WordPress theme you can follow the following steps.
- Access your web server using FTP or cPanel file manager
- Go to wp-content >> Themes
- Rename your theme folder to something like mytheme_BK
- Now try to load your website admin panel
- Go to Appearance >> Themes and activate Twenty Twenty Three WordPress theme
- For better supported premium WordPress themes always get best themes.
Disable All Plugins
If a plugin produce the FATAL error cause of any reason like memory leak, missing function or broken code. That can also put your website on critical error. In such cases you can disable all plugins and then turn on them one by one whichever produce the error again that’s the plugin you should get rid of.
- Access website hosting using FTP or File Manager
- Go to wp-content folder
- Rename plugins folder to something else like plugins_bk
- Now run the website if it runs problem is a plugin
- Now go to plugins section in WordPress admin
- Going to plugins section WordPress will deactivate all plugins itself as they aren’t available
- Rename plugins_bk to plugins back.
- Activate each plugin one by one to find out the troublemaker.
Increase PHP limit
If Allowed memory size of have exhausted that can also produce the FATAL php error. Which can put your website into there has been a critical error on this website. For this situation you can fix error by increasing the PHP limit. There are simple steps you can follow to increase the PHP memory limit. If your website hosting panel is different than cPanel you may contact your website hosting provider for support.
- Sign in your cPanel account
- Go to MultiPHP INI Editor from Software section
- Select website for which you want to increase php memory limit
- Change number for memory_limit directive.
Clear your website cache
Sometime the error already have been removed but your server cache might loading the error pages. So if your web hosting have cache like NGINX cache you should sign in your web hosting panel and clear the cache. This can help to bring your website back if the cache is showing error pages from time they produced cache.
Upgrade your PHP Version
You may ask your website hosting support to upgrade your PHP version. If you are in a cPanel website hosting you can easily go to MultiPHP Manager and change the version of your PHP.
- Sing in your cPanel or website hosting manager
- Under software section click MultiPHP Manager
- Select website for which you want to upgrade PHP version
- Select PHP version and apply
Conclusion
Well we have tried to explain some ways how you can know the reason of there has been a critical error on this website. And then try to fix the error with some different ways but as its very technical we still recommend you to get WordPress assistant to fix the problem for you quickly. When your website is critical error it can damaging for your online reputation and if error stay there for long time search engines can also de list your website. Good luck if you have any questions please post a comment below.
