Have you ever logged into your WordPress blog and noticed something isn’t working properly? Maybe your image sizes have changed. A widget or menu has disappeared. Before the panic sets in about your “broken blog,” let’s address what could be wrong. Quite often it’s a WordPress plugin that’s created a conflict with a theme or a piece of code on your site. While plugins may provide the functionality of your blog, occasionally they don’t play well together and make your blog appear broken. Plugins are created by individuals and companies (often for free). They also need to be updated regularly. Not updating your plugin can not only cause your blog to malfunction but it can also subject your blog to being hacked – something that happened to our CEO’s blog twice because of outdated plugins.
3 Plugins to Help Fix a Broken Blog
1. Health Check and Troubleshooting
If you suspect a plugin conflict, you can uninstall all the plugins on your blog, re-install them individually and check to see if it “fixes” the appearance of your blog.
There are several drawbacks to this method. It’s tedious, timely and visitors to your blog will be able to see each change you make.
The Health Check & Troubleshooting Plugin provides a workaround. The developer says “This plugin will perform a number of checks on your WordPress install to detect common configuration errors and known issues.” In your WordPress dashboard, you’ll be directed to check your site health.
Photo Credit: WordPress Health Check & Troubleshooting
2. Plugin Organizer
As you expand the functionality of your WordPress blog, you’ll find you need more plugins which has the potential to create more conflicts.
The Plugin Organizer has three functions. It allows you to reorganize the order of how plugins are updated, disable plugins on certain posts, pages and URLs, as well as group together plugins for functionality.
If you have categories of crafts, recipes or tutorials – a plugin organizer could help you separate the functionality for plugins on those posts.
RELATED TOPIC: 4 Easy to Use Recipe Plugins
3. Theme Switcha
The third plugin recommendation can actually help you avoid a “broken blog” experience.
Theme Switcha allows you to test a WordPress theme before you make it public. You can get a preview of how plugins, menus and settings will appear if you decide to switch your blog’s theme. While you test a new theme, visitors will still see the default/previous theme.
Note: Do not use Theme Switch with WP Theme Customizer. Per the developer, “In fact, your changes may not be remembered if you try to use Theme Switcha plugin together with the Customizer.”
Theme Test Drive is more of a well-known plugin, but as of June 2019 it hadn’t been updated or tested with the latest version of WordPress.
Broken Blog Tip: When all else fails, call your hosting company or your blog’s designer to see if another error could be affecting your blog. You can also visit the support areas of WordPress.org and contact support for a plugin.
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