A “Fatal Error – Site Down” message usually means something in your WordPress environment has broken unexpectedly. 

This can be caused by a bad plugin update, a theme conflict, corrupted files, incompatible PHP versions, or custom code errors. It can also happen if your hosting server runs out of resources or if a required file was accidentally deleted or modified. In most cases, the site is reacting to a conflict or malfunction that stops WordPress from loading properly.

Go over the list of troubleshooting options below to works towards a solution.

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Fatal Error / Site Down – Troubleshooting Questions

1. Basic Access & Error Details

• Are you able to access the WordPress admin dashboard, or is that also down?

• Did you see the exact error message on the screen? If so, what does it say?

• When did the error first appear? (Exact time if possible.)

• Have you made any changes to the website within the last 24 hours?

2. Recent Website Changes

• Did you install, update, or delete any plugins recently?

• Did you update your theme or switch themes?

• Did you update WordPress core or PHP settings?

• Did you or anyone on your team add custom code (snippets, functions.php edits, custom CSS/JS, etc.)?

3. Hosting & Server Environment

• Who is your hosting provider?

• Have you recently upgraded or downgraded your hosting plan?

• Did you receive any emails from your host about server updates, resource limits, or PHP errors?

• Do you know which PHP version your site is currently running?

4. Login & Security

• Are you experiencing any login attempts, lockouts, or security notifications (Wordfence, iThemes, Sucuri, etc.)?

• Have you recently changed any passwords or user roles?

• Has anyone else had access to the site recently (developers, editors, agencies, freelancers)?

5. Plugin & Theme Functionality

• If you disable all plugins via the hosting file manager or control panel, does the site come back online?

• If you switch to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-X), does anything change?

• Do you know which plugin was most recently updated?

6. Backup & Restore

• Do you have a recent backup available (SiteGround, GoDaddy, Updraft, Jetpack, etc.)?

• If so, when was your latest successful backup?

• Have you restored from a backup before, or would you like us to handle that?

7. Domain & DNS

• Has your domain expired or been recently renewed?

• Have there been any DNS changes within the last 48 hours?

• Are you using Cloudflare or any CDN that might be showing an error screen?

8. Screenshots & Access

• Can you provide a screenshot of the error message or error screen you’re seeing?

• Is the fatal error visible on all devices and browsers or just one?

• What is the URL of the affected page?

9. Additional Information

• Do you recall completing any automatic updates prior to the error?

• Have you added any new integrations (API connections, payment gateways, booking apps, etc.)?

• Did you recently delete any important files or folders in your hosting file manager?

If you have not already, open a ticket with our team.

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