Are you facing WordPress 503 error issues? Don’t worry, because it is one of those problems that might sound mysterious but are easy to fix. The biggest frustration users with 503 errors face are that it gives no clues about what is causing it.
Here is a guide to WordPress 503 issue and how to solve it.
What causes 503 Service Unavailable error?
Hosting companies offer a limited number of resources to each account, and websites that are on shared hosting cannot handle the heavy utilization of server resources. In a nutshell, a 503 error occurs when your web server fails to get a proper response from a PHP script.
This script could be a theme, plugin, or a custom code snippet. It can be due to heavy usage, a server glitch, or a DDoS attack. In most cases, the error disappears on its own after a few minutes. However, if it is happening due to bad code in your site, the error might occur recurrently.
How to Fix Service Unavailable errors?
Several components in your site have a PHP script, and to fix the error, you will need to disable all unnecessary PHP scripts until the error is resolved.
Deactivate all plugins
All plugins consist of PHP files, so the first for Solution for WordPress 500 error is to deactivate all plugins. You might not be able to log in to your WP admin account due to 503; thus, you will need an FTP client in cPanel. Once you are connected, head to /wp-content/ folder and rename it to, say plugins-x. Now, create a new folder named plugins. This will deactivate all your WordPress plugins. Now visit the site and check if the issue is resolved. If yes, then one or more of your existing plugins are causing the problem.
Delete the plugins folder and rename the plugins-x folder to plugins. This will make all your plugins available to WP again, but they would still be deactivated. To activate them, you will need to go to your admin area and activate each plugin one by one. After activating each plugin, check several website pages to look for the error. Do it after activating each plugin until you find the culprit plugin. Once you find the plugin, delete it, and your issue is resolved. If this step does not work, move to the next step. If it does, you don’t need to proceed further.
Switch to a default theme
If the issue persists after deactivating plugins, try switching to a default WordPress theme. Themes also contain PHP files, and if the previous step does not resolve the error, there might be a problem in your site’s theme. By switching to a default theme, you deactivate your current theme. Do so, and you will need to follow the same initial steps as mentioned in the previous points.
So, connect to your site using an FTP client, and then go to the /wp-content/themes/ folder. Find your currently active theme and download it as a backup. After storing it, delete the one on your website. If your website already has a default theme like Twenty Sixteen installed, it will activate automatically. If not, you have to install a default theme on your site. Now, check your website thoroughly to see if this step was able to Solve error 503 service unavailable in WordPress.
Troubleshooting
In most cases, the two steps mentioned above provide the Solution for WordPress 500 error. But in some cases, the error might still persist. If it does, here are a few steps you can take.
- Contact your hosting provider and share your problem with them. They might be able to tell you more about the issue.
- If nothing works, uninstall WordPress and install it again.
Last resort: Seek professional help
If you have tried everything and still do not get to a solution, you might need professional WordPress 501 error assistance. Look for WordPress experts or WordPress development companies that have significant experience of working with WordPress. There can be some problem in your website’s PHP code, and if it is the case, you might never be able to resolve the issue on your own unless you are a proficient coder. Seeking professional help enables you to cut down the hustle and muscle and reach to an accurate solution quickly. Plus, hiring an expert also allows you to get your site checked for any other performance issues.
Wrapping up
503 service unavailable is a common error encountered by several WordPress users. However, fixing it can be a confusing process. Take a look at the possibilities and steps discussed above to get rid of this problem. If it does not work, seek help from a professional WordPress expert. You can also solve other services errors like 501 and 502 with the steps discussed above.