How to Access WordPress Admin with a Critical Error Warning

Introduction

Getting locked out of your WordPress admin area due to a critical error warning can be frustrating. This error makes it impossible to log in and manage your website through the dashboard. In this guide, we’ll cover workarounds to access WordPress admin, resolve the critical error, and restore your website.

1. What Causes the Critical Error Warning in WordPress?

The critical error warning usually occurs due to incompatible plugins, themes, or PHP issues. This can block access to both the site and the WordPress dashboard.

Common Causes Include:

• Faulty plugins or themes.
• PHP memory exhaustion or configuration errors.
• Corrupt WordPress files after updates.
• Incorrect file permissions or server issues.

2. Use Recovery Mode Email to Regain Admin Access

If WordPress detects a critical error, it sends an email to the site admin with a recovery link.

Steps to Use Recovery Mode:

1. Check your email inbox for a message from WordPress titled “Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue.”
2. Click the recovery link to log in to your WordPress admin.
3. Disable or remove the plugin or theme causing the error.
4. Reactivate other plugins to verify everything works correctly.

3. Disable Plugins via FTP or File Manager

Faulty plugins are a common cause of the critical error warning. If you can’t access the admin dashboard, disable them via FTP.

Steps to Disable Plugins:

1. Access your site files using FTP or your hosting File Manager.
2. Navigate to the /wp-content/plugins folder.
3. Rename the plugins folder to plugins-disabled.
4. Check if the admin area becomes accessible.
5. If it works, rename the plugins folder back and reactivate plugins one by one.

4. Switch to a Default Theme via FTP

A broken theme can prevent access to the dashboard. Reverting to a default theme might solve the issue.

Steps to Switch Themes:

1. Log in via FTP.
2. Go to /wp-content/themes.
3. Rename your active theme folder to disable it.
4. WordPress will switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Three.
5. Reload your site and check if the error is resolved.

5. Increase PHP Memory Limit

A low PHP memory limit can cause the critical error warning. Increasing the limit might resolve it.

Steps to Increase PHP Memory Limit:

1. Open the wp-config.php file through FTP.
2. Add the following code:
   define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
3. Save the changes and reload your WordPress admin area.

6. Check Error Logs to Identify the Root Cause

The error logs contain detailed information about what caused the critical error.

How to Check Error Logs:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel or Plesk).
2. Navigate to Error Logs.
3. Look for PHP or plugin errors to identify the issue.
4. Use this information to disable the faulty plugin or adjust configurations.

7. Restore a Recent Backup

If the issue occurred after an update or installation, restoring a backup can help.

How to Restore a Backup:

• Use backup plugins like UpdraftPlus to roll back your site.
• Restore from a backup through your hosting dashboard.
• Check if the WordPress admin is accessible after the restoration.

8. Update WordPress Files via FTP

If WordPress files are corrupted, updating them manually through FTP can fix the error.

Steps to Update WordPress via FTP:

1. Download the latest version of WordPress from wordpress.org.
2. Access your site using FTP.
3. Replace the wp-admin and wp-includes folders with the new versions.
4. Check if the WordPress admin is now accessible.

Conclusion

A critical error warning can prevent you from accessing your WordPress admin, but the solutions above can help you regain control. Use the recovery mode link to log in, or disable plugins and themes via FTP. Increasing the PHP memory limit and checking error logs can further pinpoint the problem. If all else fails, restoring a backup or manually updating WordPress can bring your site back online.