WordPress - The website has technical issues.

First of all, don't panic. Fortunately, error sources can be quickly found in WordPress.

Analyzing Errors

First, we need to find the error.

Activating Error Messages (Debug Mode)

Open the WordPress configuration file (wp-config.php), which is located in the main directory of WordPress.

Add the following lines there and check that they are not already present:

// Activate Debug Mode
define('WP_DEBUG', true);

// Disable output of debug messages
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

// Write debug messages to the log file
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true); /

Reopen the Page

Now open the page that generated the error again. When the page is accessed, the generated error messages will now be written to the WordPress log file.

Analyzing the WordPress Log File

You can now conveniently open the WordPress log file.

Notices: They tell you what you should and shouldn't do.

Warnings: These occur during the execution of the code but do not interrupt the process.

Errors: These also occur during the execution of the code and cause an interruption.

The errors are of particular interest to you, as they are what caused your website to stop functioning as desired.

Fixing Errors

Now that you have found the error, you can begin to fix the error message "The website has technical issues".

Warning: Before you proceed, you should definitely back up your website and database.

Errors can only occur in the following areas:

• WordPress (Core)
• Theme
• Plugin
• Database

However, you can already rule out the database, as you would receive a different error message (Error establishing a database connection).

If you take a closer look at the error messages, you will see that the path to the file that generated the error is indicated behind the error message. Often, there are also several files listed, which is a call stack. Look at all the files until you reach a "Plugin" or "Theme" path.

Based on the path, you can determine whether it is a plugin, a theme, or a WordPress core problem.

For plugins, you will find a file that is in a subfolder of "wp-content/plugins/". If it is a theme, the file will be in a subfolder of "wp-content/themes".

Error Caused by a Plugin

Errors generated by a plugin can fortunately be easily fixed by deactivating the plugin. Since you probably do not have access to the WordPress backend, you can simply deactivate the plugin manually.

Warning: Deactivating the plugin will also make it unusable. This can cause display errors, among other things. It can also lead to data loss. Therefore, we recommend contacting an expert beforehand. We are happy to assist you with the repair.

For this, switch to an FTP program of your choice (e.g., Filezilla). Now connect to your server. Then navigate to the plugin directory (wp-content/plugins). To deactivate the plugin, you only need to change the name of the folder (e.g., from abc to !abc).

By renaming the directory, the plugin is deactivated. Settings stored in the database will remain intact.

Now try to log in through your WordPress admin panel. If you still receive an error message, there is another error present. You should then take another look at the log file.

Error Caused by a Theme

If the error is caused by a theme, the problem is usually that your theme is no longer up to date. (Or you have worked on it yourself; in that case, you should also have the experience to find the error; if not, feel free to contact us).

Warning: Deactivating the theme will also make it unusable. This can cause display errors, among other things. It can also lead to data loss. Therefore, we recommend contacting an expert beforehand. We are happy to assist you with the repair.

You now have the following options:

• Check for an update for the theme
• Temporarily deactivate the theme

Check for a Theme Update

Usually, developers offer paid updates so that themes can continue to be used.

If you are no longer sure which theme you are using, you can check this in the "style.css" in the theme folder (wp-content/themes/). You will usually also find a link to the developer there.

Once you find an update, you can simply upload it to your server via FTP.

If everything worked, you can now log in again through your WP login.

Temporarily Deactivate the Theme

Alternatively to the update, you can simply deactivate the theme. This is advisable if you want to install a new theme or if no update is offered anymore.

To deactivate the theme, simply connect to your server using an FTP program of your choice (e.g., Filezilla). Now navigate to the theme directory (wp-content/themes). You can now rename your theme's folder and thereby deactivate the theme (e.g., from abc to !abc).

Completing the Repair

To complete the repair, you should definitely deactivate the debug mode of your WordPress instance again. To do this, open the WordPress configuration file, wp-config.php. Change or add the following lines to deactivate the debug mode.

// Activate Debug Mode
define('WP_DEBUG', false);

// Disable output of debug messages
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

// Write debug messages to the log file
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', false); /

I hope this small guide was able to help you find and fix your error. If not, we are happy to assist you. You can feel free to contact us anytime.

If the guide helped you or if you have questions, feel free to leave a comment.