Every website owner’s nightmare: you visit your site and instead of landing on your homepage, you see an error message. Panic sets in. How long has it been broken? Are customers seeing this? Is this serious?
Website errors are inevitable. Even the best-maintained sites encounter them occasionally. The key is understanding what each error means, how urgent it is, and what to do about it.
This guide covers the 10 most common website errors you’ll encounter, what causes them, how to troubleshoot them, and when to call for professional help.
Understanding Website Error Codes
Error codes follow a pattern:
HTTP Status Code Structure
- 1xx: Informational (rarely seen by users)
- 2xx: Success (everything worked)
- 3xx: Redirection (page moved)
- 4xx: Client errors (problem with the request)
- 5xx: Server errors (problem with the server)
When you see an error, the code tells you where the problem is: with your request, your browser, or the server.
The 10 Most Common Website Errors
1. 404 Page Not Found
What it means:
The server can’t find the page you requested. The URL either never existed or no longer exists.
Common causes:
- Page was deleted without setting up a redirect
- URL was changed or restructured
- Typo in the URL
- Broken internal or external links
How to fix it:
- Check the URL for typos
- Search the site for the content you’re looking for
- Go to the homepage and navigate from there
- Contact your web master/web developer
If you’re the site owner:
- Set up 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones
- Run regular broken link audits (use Broken Link Checker plugin)
- Create a custom 404 page with helpful navigation
- Monitor 404 errors in Google Search Console
Read our complete guide on 404 errors and solutions.
Urgency: Medium – Multiple 404 errors hurt SEO over time.
2. 500 Internal Server Error
What it means:
Generic server-side error. Something went wrong on the server, but the server doesn’t know what.
Common causes:
- PHP errors or timeouts
- Corrupted .htaccess file
- Plugin or theme conflicts
- Exceeded PHP memory limit
- Server configuration issues
How to troubleshoot:
- Refresh the page (might be temporary)
- Check if it’s just one page or the entire site
- Try accessing from a different browser or device
- Clear your browser cache
- Contact your web master/web developer
If you’re the site owner:
- Check error logs (access via hosting control panel)
- Deactivate recently installed plugins
- Switch to a default WordPress theme temporarily
- Increase PHP memory limit in wp-config.php
- Check .htaccess file for corruption
Urgency: HIGH – Entire site may be down. Contact hosting provider immediately if you can’t fix it quickly.
3. 503 Service Unavailable
What it means:
Server is temporarily unable to handle requests, usually due to maintenance or overload.
Common causes:
- Server maintenance
- Too much traffic (server overloaded)
- DDoS attack
- Resource limits exceeded on shared hosting
How to fix it:
- Wait 10-15 minutes and try again (often temporary)
- Check hosting provider’s status page
- Contact hosting support if it persists
- Contact your web master/web developer
If you’re the site owner:
- Check if you’re experiencing a traffic spike
- Deactivate resource-intensive plugins
- Consider upgrading hosting if traffic has grown
- Enable maintenance mode if doing updates
Urgency: HIGH – Site is inaccessible to visitors.
4. SSL Certificate Errors (Not Secure Warning)
What it means:
Browser can’t verify the site’s SSL certificate, or no certificate exists. Shows as ‘Not Secure’ in address bar or full-page warning.
Common causes:
- No SSL certificate installed
- SSL certificate expired
- Mixed content (HTTPS page loading HTTP resources)
- Certificate configured incorrectly
- Certificate doesn’t match domain name
How to fix it:
- Install an SSL certificate if you don’t have one
- Renew expired certificates (Let’s Encrypt auto-renews)
- Fix mixed content warnings (update HTTP links to HTTPS)
- Ensure SSL covers www and non-www versions
- Contact your web master/web developer
In 2026, SSL is mandatory, not optional:
- Google Chrome shows warnings on all non-HTTPS sites
- Google penalizes non-HTTPS sites in rankings
- Browsers block forms on non-HTTPS sites
- Users don’t trust sites without SSL
Urgency: HIGH – Visitors see scary warnings and won’t proceed.
5. 502 Bad Gateway
What it means:
Server received an invalid response from another server it was trying to access.
Common causes:
- Server overload or crash
- PHP timeout
- Firewall issues
- Server is rebooting
How to fix it:
- Refresh the page after a few minutes
- Clear browser cache
- Try from a different browser or device
- Contact your web master/web developer
If you’re the site owner:
- Check server status with hosting provider
- Review error logs
- Increase PHP timeout limits
- Disable problematic plugins
Urgency: HIGH – Site is down. Contact hosting if it persists over 10 minutes.
6. Database Connection Error (WordPress Specific)
What it means:
WordPress cannot connect to the database. Shows ‘Error establishing a database connection’ message.
Common causes:
- Incorrect database credentials in wp-config.php
- Database server is down
- Database is corrupted
- Database tables are missing or corrupted
How to fix it:
- Verify database credentials in wp-config.php
- Check if database server is running (contact host)
- Repair database using phpMyAdmin
- Restore from backup if database is corrupted
- Contact your web master/web developer
Urgency: CRITICAL – Entire site is down. This requires immediate technical attention.
7. White Screen of Death (WordPress Specific)
What it means:
Blank white screen with no error message. WordPress encountered a fatal error but error display is disabled.
Common causes:
- PHP memory limit exceeded
- Plugin or theme conflict
- Corrupted core files
- PHP errors with error display turned off
How to fix it:
- Enable WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php to see actual error
- Increase PHP memory limit to 256MB or higher
- Deactivate all plugins via FTP (rename plugins folder)
- Switch to default theme via FTP
- Re-upload fresh WordPress core files
- Contact your web master/web developer
Urgency: CRITICAL – Site is completely inaccessible.
8. Malware/Hacked Site Warning
What it means:
Browser or Google has detected malware, phishing attempts, or other malicious content on the site.
Common causes:
- Site was hacked and infected with malware
- Vulnerable plugins or themes were exploited
- Weak passwords allowed unauthorized access
- Outdated WordPress core, plugins, or themes
How to fix it:
- Scan site with security plugin (Wordfence, Sucuri)
- Remove malicious code (requires technical expertise)
- Change all passwords (hosting, FTP, WordPress, database)
- Update everything to latest versions
- Submit for review in Google Search Console after cleaning
- Contact your web master/web developer
Prevention:
- Keep WordPress, plugins, and themes updated
- Use strong passwords and 2FA
- Use reputable security plugins
- Regular backups
- Limit login attempts
Urgency: CRITICAL – Site is blacklisted and potentially spreading malware. Requires immediate professional cleanup.
9. Domain Expired or Suspended
What it means:
Shows message like ‘This domain is available for purchase’ or ‘Domain suspended.’ Your domain registration has expired or hosting account is suspended.
Common causes:
- Forgot to renew domain registration
- Payment method failed
- Hosting account suspended (non-payment or ToS violation)
How to fix it:
- Log into domain registrar immediately
- Renew domain registration ASAP
- Contact hosting provider about suspension
- Set up auto-renewal to prevent future issues
- Contact your web master/web developer
Warning: If domain expires and you don’t renew quickly, someone else can buy it. Act within hours, not days.
Urgency: CRITICAL – Entire site is down and domain could be lost permanently.
10. 403 Forbidden
What it means:
Server understands the request but refuses to authorize it. You don’t have permission to access this resource.
Common causes:
- File or folder permissions are incorrect
- Security plugin blocking access
- Missing index file in directory
- .htaccess file misconfigured
- IP address blocked by firewall
How to fix it:
- Check file permissions (should be 644 for files, 755 for folders)
- Review security plugin settings
- Check .htaccess file for restrictive rules
- Ensure index.php or index.html exists in directories
- Contact your web master/web developer
Urgency: Medium to High – Depends on which pages are affected.
When to DIY vs. Call for Help
You may be able to Fix Yourself:
- 404 errors on individual pages (set up redirects)
- Expired SSL certificate (renew through hosting)
- Expired domain (renew immediately)
- Simple plugin conflicts (deactivate and test)
Call a Professional Immediately For:
- 500 errors you can’t diagnose
- Database connection errors
- White screen of death
- Malware/hacked site warnings
- 502/503 errors persisting over 30 minutes
- Any error you don’t understand
- Any error affecting your entire site
Why Professional Help Matters:
Website errors can cause:
- Lost revenue while site is down
- Damaged SEO rankings
- Security breaches if not properly fixed
- Data loss if handled incorrectly
- Worsened problems if you attempt fixes beyond your expertise
Professional WordPress developers can diagnose issues quickly, fix them properly, and prevent them from recurring.
Preventing Website Errors
Regular Maintenance
- Update WordPress core, plugins, and themes monthly
- Run security scans weekly
- Check for broken links quarterly
- Monitor uptime continuously
- Review error logs monthly
Backups
- Daily automated backups
- Off-site backup storage
- Test restores quarterly
- Keep 30+ days of backups
Security
- Use strong passwords and 2FA
- Limit login attempts
- Keep everything updated
- Use reputable security plugins
- Regular security audits
Quality Hosting
- Ensure adequate resources (memory, bandwidth)When to DIY vs. Call for Help
- Choose reliable WordPress specific hosting providers
- Don’t outgrow your hosting plan
- Use managed WordPress hosting for best reliability
Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Hosting
Q: How do I know if an error is serious?
If your entire site is down or visitors see scary warnings, it’s serious. If it’s one page or intermittent, it’s less urgent but still needs attention. Any error affecting revenue (checkout, forms) is high priority. When in doubt, assume it’s serious and investigate immediately.
Q: Can website errors hurt my SEO?
Yes. 404 errors in large numbers signal poor site quality to Google. Sites that are frequently down get demoted. Slow-loading error pages hurt user experience metrics Google tracks. Malware warnings can get you blacklisted from search results entirely. Fix errors promptly to protect rankings.
Q: Should I fix errors myself or hire someone?
Simple issues like 404 redirects or expired SSL certificates you can handle if you’re comfortable with WordPress. Anything involving server errors, database issues, malware, or code you don’t understand should go to a professional. The cost of hiring help is far less than the cost of making things worse or having your site down for days.
Q: How often should I check for website errors?
Use uptime monitoring to alert you immediately when the site goes down. Check Google Search Console weekly for crawl errors. Run broken link checks quarterly. Review error logs monthly. Don’t wait for visitors to tell you something’s broken.
Q: What should I do first when I see an error?
First, determine scope: is it one page or the entire site? Is it just you or are other people seeing it? Check from different browsers and devices. Take a screenshot. Check when it started. If the entire site is down or shows malware warnings, call for help immediately. If it’s a single page, investigate the specific error code.
Don’t Face Website Errors Alone
Website errors are scary, but they don’t have to be catastrophic. Understanding what each error means, knowing basic troubleshooting steps, and recognizing when to call for professional help can minimize downtime and prevent small issues from becoming disasters.
The most important things: maintain regular backups, keep everything updated, use quality hosting, and don’t wait to address errors you see. The longer an error persists, the more damage it does to your SEO, user experience, and revenue.
At TinyFrog Technologies, we’ve diagnosed and fixed thousands of website errors. We know how to quickly identify root causes, implement proper fixes, and prevent recurrence. Whether you’re seeing mysterious 500 errors, dealing with database connection issues, or recovering from a malware infection, we can help get your site back online quickly and properly. Contact TinyFrog for expert WordPress troubleshooting and support.