Identify and Fix Plugin Conflicts in WordPress

It’s frustrating when your WordPress site suddenly stops working, often showing a White Screen of Death (WSOD) or a Fatal PHP Error after an update. In most cases, the issue is caused by a plugin conflict, where one plugin is incompatible with another or with your theme. Don’t worry—this guide will help you identify and fix plugin conflicts in WordPress, whether you can access the admin panel or not.

If You Have Admin Access

If you can still access your WordPress dashboard (wp-admin), follow these steps to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
2. Deactivate all plugins one by one, checking your site after each deactivation.
3. Once your website starts working, the last plugin you deactivated is likely the cause.
4. You can either replace it with an alternative, update it, or use the WP Rollback plugin to install an older version that worked fine.

If deactivating all plugins doesn’t fix the issue, the conflict might be with your theme. Try switching to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four to check if that resolves the problem.

If You Can’t Access the Admin Panel to fix plugin conflicts in WordPress

If you’re locked out of your website and can’t access the WordPress dashboard, you’ll need to disable plugins manually via FTP or your hosting’s file manager.

Step 1: Disable All Plugins

1. Open your website root folder using FTP or your hosting file manager (cPanel or DirectAdmin, usually found in public_html).
2. Navigate to wp-content and rename the plugins folder to plugins.old.
3. Refresh your website. If it loads properly, a plugin conflict was the issue.

Step 2: Restore Plugins and Find the Problem

1. Rename plugins.old back to plugins.
2. Log in to the WordPress admin panel.
3. Reactivate plugins one by one, checking your site after each activation.
4. Once you find the problematic plugin, rename its folder inside wp-content/plugins to disable it.
5. Install an older version of the plugin using WP Rollback or look for an alternative.

What If Disabling Plugins Didn’t Work?

If deactivating plugins doesn’t solve the problem, the issue may be with your theme:

1. Go to wp-content/themes via FTP or your hosting’s file manager.
2. Find your active theme folder and rename it (e.g., your-theme → your-theme.old).
3. Refresh your website—WordPress will switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four automatically.

If your site works now, the theme was causing the conflict. Try updating or reinstalling it, or contact the theme developer for support.

Why Do Plugin Conflicts Happen?

Plugin conflicts usually occur when:

• A plugin update introduces incompatible code with your theme or other plugins.
• A theme update causes compatibility issues with WordPress or plugins.
• A WordPress update breaks compatibility with older plugins or themes.
• Poorly coded plugins interfere with each other.

How to Prevent Plugin Conflicts in the Future

To avoid plugin-related issues:

1. Always back up your website before updating WordPress, plugins, or themes.
2. Test updates on a staging site first before applying them to your live website.
3. Check plugin changelogs and reviews before updating to see if others have reported issues.
4. Use well-coded plugins and themes from reputable developers.
5. Limit the number of installed plugins to only those you truly need.

We have a detailed guide on how to correctly update WordPress and plugins on Koolak.NET—check it out to ensure you’re always prepared!

By following these steps, you can identify and fix plugin conflicts in WordPress quickly and prevent them from happening in the future. If you’re still experiencing issues, consider reaching out to your hosting provider or a WordPress expert for further assistance.