WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, but occasionally, you may encounter issues that result in a broken WordPress admin dashboard. This can be frustrating, as it can prevent you from managing your website effectively. In this troubleshooting guide, we’ll explore common reasons for a broken WordPress admin and provide step-by-step solutions to get it back up and running.
Step 1: Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
Sometimes, a broken admin dashboard can be a result of cached data or corrupted cookies in your web browser. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
- Log out of your WordPress admin: If you can access the login page, log out.
- Clear browser cache: Access your browser’s settings and find the option to clear the cache. This process may vary depending on your browser.
- Clear cookies: In your browser settings, locate the option to clear cookies and site data.
- Restart your browser: Close and reopen your web browser.
- Log in again: Attempt to log in to your WordPress admin.
Step 2: Deactivate Plugins
Conflicts with plugins can often cause issues with the WordPress admin. To identify if a plugin is the culprit:
- Access your website via FTP: Use an FTP client or your hosting control panel to access your website’s files.
- Navigate to the “wp-content” folder: This is where WordPress stores plugins.
- Rename the “plugins” folder: Change the name of the “plugins” folder to something like “plugins_backup.” This will deactivate all your plugins.
- Attempt to log in: Try accessing the WordPress admin again. If it works, a plugin was causing the issue.
- Rename the “plugins_backup” folder: Rename the folder back to “plugins.”
- Activate plugins one by one: Activate each plugin individually and check the admin dashboard after each activation. This will help you identify the problematic plugin.
- Remove or update the problematic plugin: Once you identify the troublesome plugin, consider updating it or finding an alternative.
Step 3: Switch to a Default Theme
Themes can also be a source of admin issues. To test if your theme is causing the problem:
- Access your website via FTP: Use FTP or your hosting control panel to navigate to the “wp-content/themes” folder.
- Rename your active theme folder: Change the name of the folder of your active theme (e.g., “twentytwenty” for the default WordPress theme).
- WordPress will automatically switch to a default theme: This change will occur automatically when WordPress can’t find your active theme.
- Attempt to log in: Try logging in to your WordPress admin.
- Check for theme-related issues: If your admin dashboard works with the default theme, your active theme may be the problem. Consider contacting the theme developer for support or choosing a different theme.
Read: How To Create A WordPress Website
Step 4: Increase PHP Memory Limit
If your WordPress site runs out of PHP memory, it can lead to a broken admin. To increase the memory limit:
- Access your website via FTP: Use FTP or your hosting control panel to access your website’s files.
- Locate the “wp-config.php” file: This file is in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
- Edit “wp-config.php”: Add the following code just before the line that says, “That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging.”
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
- Save the file: Save the changes and upload the file back to your server.
- Attempt to log in: Try logging in to your WordPress admin.
Read: PHP Development For WordPress
Step 5: Check for JavaScript Errors
JavaScript errors can cause issues in the WordPress admin. To check for errors:
- Access your website in Google Chrome: Use Google Chrome as your web browser.
- Open Chrome DevTools: Right-click anywhere on your WordPress admin page and select “Inspect” or press
Ctrl + Shift + I
(orCmd + Option + I
on Mac) to open DevTools.
- Go to the “Console” tab: In DevTools, navigate to the “Console” tab.
- Look for JavaScript errors: If there are JavaScript errors listed, they may provide clues about the issue.
- Resolve JavaScript errors: Address the errors by fixing or disabling the problematic script. This may involve identifying and troubleshooting specific plugins or theme functions.
Step 6: Reinstall WordPress Core Files
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, you can attempt to reinstall the WordPress core files:
- Back up your website: Before proceeding, ensure you have a complete backup of your WordPress site.
- Download the latest version of WordPress: Visit the official WordPress website and download the latest version of WordPress.
- Access your website via FTP: Use FTP to access your website’s files.
- Delete the “wp-admin” and “wp-includes” folders: In your website’s root directory, delete the “wp-admin” and “wp-includes” folders.
- Upload the new folders: Upload the “wp-admin” and “wp-includes” folders from the freshly downloaded WordPress files to your website.
- Attempt to log in: Try logging in to your WordPress admin.
Read: The Importance Of WordPress Security Headers
Conclusion
A broken WordPress admin can be frustrating, but with the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide, you can often identify and resolve the issue causing the problem. By systematically checking for browser issues, plugin conflicts, theme problems, PHP memory limits, JavaScript errors, and, as a last resort, reinstalling WordPress core files, you can get your WordPress admin dashboard back in working order.