In this guide · 8 sections
- 01What the error message tells you
- 02Step 1: Use recovery mode if you got the email
- 03Step 2: No email? Disable plugins by FTP or file manager
- 04Step 3: Roll back the plugin or restore a backup
- 05PHP versions: the hidden cause
- 06A safer update routine
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Check your admin email for WordPress's recovery mode link, log in through it and deactivate the plugin or theme it names. No email? Rename the plugins folder by FTP or file manager to switch plugins off, then reactivate them one by one. If that fails, restore the backup taken before the update.
What the error message tells you
| What you see | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| 'There has been a critical error on this website' | A plugin or theme causing a PHP fatal error | Use the recovery mode link in the admin email |
| Blank white page | Same as above, with error display turned off | Disable plugins by renaming the folder |
| 'Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance' | An update stopped halfway and left a .maintenance file | Delete the .maintenance file, then rerun the update |
| Site loads but layout or forms are broken | Plugin or theme not yet compatible with the new version | Roll back that plugin or theme |
| 'Error establishing a database connection' | Database or hosting problem, rarely the update itself | Check with your host |
| Site broke after the host upgraded PHP | Old plugin or theme not compatible with the new PHP version | Update or replace it, or ask the host to switch PHP back temporarily |
Before changing anything, write down what was updated and when. Your host's control panel or the Dashboard's update history often shows this.
Step 1: Use recovery mode if you got the email
When a plugin or theme causes a fatal error, WordPress pauses it and emails the site's admin address with a subject like 'Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue'. The email names the plugin or theme and includes a special recovery mode login link.
Open the recovery link
Use the link in the email. It only works for a limited time, so act on it soon.
Log in as an administrator
You are now in recovery mode, where the faulty plugin or theme is paused for you only.
Deactivate the named plugin
Go to Plugins and deactivate the one WordPress flagged. For a theme, switch to a default theme.
Exit recovery mode and test
Check the home page, contact form, checkout and anything else important.
Check the admin email's spam folder too. If the admin address belongs to a former employee or the old web designer, you will not get the email; update it under Settings, General once you are back in.
Step 2: No email? Disable plugins by FTP or file manager
The WordPress troubleshooting FAQ describes this method for when you cannot reach the admin area.
Open your site files
Use FTP or your host's file manager and go to the wp-content folder.
Rename the plugins folder
Rename plugins to plugins.hold. This disables every plugin but keeps their settings.
Log in to WordPress
Go to /wp-admin/plugins.php. WordPress shows the plugins as missing and deactivates them.
Rename the folder back
Change plugins.hold back to plugins. All plugins stay deactivated.
Reactivate one at a time
Turn plugins back on one by one and reload the site after each. The one that breaks it is your culprit.
If the site is still broken with all plugins off, the theme is the likely cause. Rename your theme's folder inside wp-content/themes so WordPress falls back to a default theme, if one is installed.
Step 3: Roll back the plugin or restore a backup
Once you know which plugin broke the site, you have three options:
- Wait for a fix: leave it deactivated and check the plugin's support forum. Popular plugins often release a fix within days.
- Roll back: install the previous version. Many plugins on WordPress.org list older versions under Advanced View, or your host or backup tool may keep earlier copies.
- Restore a backup: if several things changed at once or the database was altered, restore the full backup from just before the update, files and database together.
A restore brings back the old state of everything, so any orders, form entries or posts created since the backup will be lost. For a shop, note recent orders first.
A safer update routine
Update checklist
WordPress's automatic background updates documentation explains which updates run by default and how to change them. Our website maintenance cost guide shows what a care plan should include, and backing up Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace covers the rest of your business data.
Do it yourself or get help?
If you got the recovery mode email and know which plugin broke, you can usually fix it yourself in 15 minutes. If you cannot log in, have no FTP access or are unsure whether a restore will lose orders, get help before trying more fixes.
Quick Fix (1 hour) (S$119) finds and fixes the broken plugin or restores your site from backup. Care (S$129 a month) handles updates on a schedule with backups first and testing after. If you have no working backups, Backup & Ransomware Recovery (S$290) sets up automatic off-site backups and tests a restore.
Frequently asked questions
Check the site admin's email for a message from WordPress with a recovery mode link. Log in through it and deactivate the plugin or theme it names. If there is no email, rename the wp-content/plugins folder by FTP or file manager to disable all plugins, then reactivate them one by one to find the faulty one.
Using FTP or your host's file manager, go to wp-content and rename the plugins folder to something like plugins.hold. Log in to WordPress, then rename the folder back to plugins. All plugins will be deactivated with their settings kept, so you can reactivate them one at a time.
WordPress creates a file named .maintenance in the site's main folder during updates. If an update stops halfway, the file stays and visitors keep seeing the message. Delete the .maintenance file using FTP or your host's file manager, then run the update again.
WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher. As of October 2026, WordPress 7.0 and 7.1 support PHP 7.4 through 8.5, and WordPress 7.0 dropped support for PHP 7.2 and 7.3. Check that your plugins and theme also support your PHP version before your host upgrades it.
Keep automatic minor core updates on, because they carry security fixes. For plugins, turn on auto-updates for simple, well-maintained ones, and update complex plugins such as page builders or WooCommerce manually after a backup, ideally on a staging copy first.