What to Check When Your WordPress Website Breaks After an Update



WordPress updates are essential to keep your website secure, fast, and compatible with the latest technologies. However, sometimes after an update, things can go wrong—your site might crash, display errors, or lose functionality. If you’ve ever faced WordPress update issues, you know how frustrating it can be.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the key steps to troubleshoot your WordPress site when it breaks after an update. Whether you’re a business owner or a site manager, this guide will help you quickly identify common problems and get your site back on track. If you need expert help, I also offer professional WordPress maintenance and troubleshooting services designed to prevent these headaches.

Why WordPress Updates Can Cause Problems

Updates to WordPress core, themes, or plugins improve security, performance, and features. But compatibility conflicts or improper update processes can lead to issues such as:

  • White screen of death

  • Broken layouts or missing content

  • Plugin or theme functionality failures

  • Slow performance or errors

Understanding what to check after an update is the first step in resolving these issues efficiently.

Key Checks When Your WordPress Site Breaks After an Update

1. Restore From a Backup

Before making any changes, ensure you have a recent backup of your website. Reliable backup solutions are vital for any WordPress site to quickly restore a working version if updates cause issues. Tools like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy automate backups and make restoration straightforward.

If you don’t have a backup, proceed carefully with the following troubleshooting steps.

2. Identify Plugin Conflicts

Plugins are often the main culprits for update-related problems. To check for conflicts:

  • Deactivate all plugins at once via your WordPress dashboard or FTP.

  • If the site works again, reactivate plugins one by one, testing your site after each to identify which plugin causes the issue.

  • Once identified, check for updates for that plugin or look for alternatives.

3. Check Theme Compatibility

Themes control the look and feel of your site but can also break when WordPress or plugins update. To troubleshoot:

  • Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Five.

  • If the problem resolves, your active theme likely needs an update or patch.

  • Contact the theme developer or consider a professional theme customization to fix compatibility.

4. Enable Debugging Mode

WordPress has a built-in debugging tool to reveal PHP errors that often cause issues after updates:

  • Add define('WP_DEBUG', true); to your wp-config.php file.

  • Review error messages displayed or in the debug log file to identify problematic code.

Make sure to disable debugging after troubleshooting by setting it back to false.

5. Clear Your Caches

Caching plugins or server-level caching can sometimes cause your site to serve outdated files after updates:

  • Clear all caches via caching plugin settings (like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache).

  • Clear your browser cache and reload the page.

  • If your host uses CDN (Content Delivery Network), clear that cache as well.

6. Review .htaccess and File Permissions

Incorrect .htaccess rules or file permissions can lead to server errors:

  • Check your .htaccess file for unexpected changes, especially if redirects or permalinks break.

  • Ensure WordPress files have correct permissions (usually 644 for files, 755 for folders).

Best Practices to Avoid WordPress Update Issues

While troubleshooting is important, prevention is better. Follow these maintenance tips:

  • Always backup your site before updates.

  • Use a staging site to test updates safely before applying them live.

  • Keep themes and plugins updated regularly.

  • Choose well-coded, reputable themes and plugins to reduce conflicts.

  • Implement website security measures to protect your site from vulnerabilities exposed by outdated software.

When to Hire a Professional WordPress Developer

If troubleshooting does not resolve your issues or you want to avoid downtime altogether, hiring an experienced WordPress developer is a smart choice. Experts can:

  • Provide safe update management with backups and staging environments

  • Fix complex plugin or theme conflicts

  • Optimize your website’s performance and security post-update

  • Offer ongoing WordPress maintenance to prevent future problems

FAQs About WordPress Website Breaks After Updates

Why did my WordPress site break after an update?

Most often, updates cause conflicts between plugins, themes, or WordPress core. Incompatible or outdated software can trigger errors and site malfunctions.

How can I restore my website if an update broke it?

If you have a backup, restoring your site to a previous state is the fastest solution. Without a backup, follow troubleshooting steps such as deactivating plugins or switching themes.

What is the best way to update WordPress without breaking my site?

Use a staging environment to test updates before applying them on your live site. Always back up your site and update plugins/themes regularly to minimize risk.

Can I fix update issues myself or do I need a developer?

Basic troubleshooting like plugin deactivation and caching can be done by non-technical users. However, for complex problems or to prevent recurring issues, professional help is recommended.

How often should I perform WordPress maintenance?

Monthly maintenance, including updates, backups, security scans, and performance checks, is ideal to keep your site secure and running smoothly.

Conclusion

WordPress update issues can be stressful, but with the right approach, most problems are solvable. Always start with a backup, systematically check plugins and themes for conflicts, and use WordPress debugging tools to find errors. If you want to avoid these headaches or need expert assistance fixing update problems, I’m here to help. With over eight years of experience in WordPress development and maintenance, I deliver reliable solutions that keep your site secure, fast, and error-free.

Ready to fix your WordPress site or build a robust, update-proof website? Contact me for professional WordPress services tailored to your business needs.

Comments

  1. valheim modsJune 30, 2025 at 2:37 AM

    Check for plugin or theme incompatibility, hostgenics as updates can conflict with existing code. Also, review error logs and restore from a backup if needed to fix the issue quickly.








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