Broken after an update
Website broken after an update: how to find the cause and fix it
The short answer
It worked yesterday, you clicked update, now it does not. That timing is your best clue: one part no longer fits the rest, and finding which one is the job.
- Backup before every change
- Fixed price before we start
- Remote, anywhere in the world
- Free diagnosis
Updates rarely break a site at random. Something specific changed, so something specific can be isolated: a plugin version, a PHP upgrade by your host, a half-finished file copy or a database change that never ran. The error log on your server usually names the exact file and line. Below are the usual suspects, safe checks you can do yourself, and how we work without losing recent orders or posts.
Sound familiar?
Signs your website broke after an update
- A white screen, “There has been a critical error” or a 500 error right after updating
- The layout is broken, buttons or menus no longer work, or the editor will not load
- The admin area works, but the front of the site does not, or the other way round
- A message that the site is “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” stays up
- Errors started after your host upgraded the PHP version
Causes
Why a website breaks after an update
Incompatible plugin or theme
A plugin or theme was not ready for the new core version, or two updated plugins now conflict with each other.
PHP upgrade removed old functions
Newer PHP versions remove or tighten functions that older code relies on, so that code now stops with a fatal error.
An update stopped halfway
A timeout, full disk or lost connection left a mix of old and new files, or a leftover .maintenance file keeps the site in maintenance mode.
Database changes not run
The new version expects new tables or columns, but the database update or migration did not finish.
Stale cache
Page cache, a CDN, OPcache or minified CSS and JavaScript still serve old files that no longer match the updated code.
Dependency conflicts
On custom and Laravel sites, a composer update pulled in a package version that is not compatible with your code or your PHP version.
Try it yourself
What to try when a website breaks after an update
If you manage the site yourself, these steps are safe to try, roughly in the order we would use them.
- 1 Write down exactly what was updated and when. That narrows the cause to one or a few components.
- 2 Read the error: on WordPress, set WP_DEBUG_LOG to true in wp-config.php and open wp-content/debug.log, or open the error log in your hosting panel. It names the file and line that fails.
- 3 Rename the folder of the plugin you just updated in wp-content/plugins. If the site returns, that plugin is the cause. If not, temporarily switch to a default theme to test the theme.
- 4 If your host upgraded PHP, switch back to the previous version in the control panel while the code is being fixed.
- 5 If the site says it is “briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance”, delete the leftover .maintenance file in the site root. Then clear every cache: plugin, host, CDN and browser.
- 6 Restoring a backup from just before the update is often the quickest way back, but orders and posts made since are lost. Save the current files and database first, even if the site is broken.
Our approach
How we repair a website broken after an update
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1
You tell us what changed
Let us know what was updated and what you see now. We reply with the access we need.
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2
We save the current state
We back up the files and database as they are now, so no recent data is lost, whichever way we fix it.
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3
We pinpoint the cause and quote
We read the error logs, compare versions and find which component fails, then send you a fixed price and the safest route.
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4
We fix, test and report
With your approval we repair or roll back, test the key pages and send a short report, including what to watch for in future updates.
What we need
What we need from you
- Login for your hosting control panel, or SFTP/SSH access
- An admin login for your CMS, if there is one
- What was updated, from which version to which, and when
- Access to existing backups, if you have them
We ask only for the access this job needs. You can give us a separate login and remove it once we are done.
What we cannot fix
We cannot fix bugs inside a commercial plugin or theme that the vendor has to solve, restore data when no backup exists and it was overwritten, or change server settings your host does not allow. If that is the case we tell you quickly, help you report it to the vendor and look for a safe workaround.
Price
Price and what happens next
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1
Free diagnosis
We find the cause and tell you what is wrong.
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2
Fixed price
You get a price and a time estimate. Nothing starts without your yes.
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3
Fixed and reported
We repair it, test it and send a short report.
From €295 excl. VAT
Fixed price, agreed before we start
Is it urgent? Say so in the form or in the chat. We start as soon as we can and give you a realistic time estimate with the quote. If priority work costs extra, you see that in the quote before you agree.
Get it fixedQuestions?
Website broken after an update: FAQ
Also see
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