Do you encounter problems using WordPress? Are your posts not aligning correctly, or are you unable to leave comments on certain blogs? What’s causing these problems? Is it WordPress, or are you or your device causing them?
Like any online website, the WordPress platform experiences problems. Bugs occur. They can often cause havoc for users. Sometimes, things don’t go to plan when new updates are released.
But what causes these problems, and how can they be fixed?
Case 1 – Your posts are not displaying correctly.
A few years ago, a reader informed me that my blog posts were not displaying correctly.
I checked my blog and couldn’t see any problems. I used another device and couldn’t see any issues.
I contacted the WordPress Happiness Engineers. They assured me that from what they saw, there were no problems with how my blog posts were displaying. They even sent me screenshots and some short video clips showing me what they were seeing at their end.
But I was still not happy.
I decided to write and publish a post about the problem.
I asked my followers to check some of my blog posts and let me know if there were any problems with how they were displaying. Over 100 people came to my call for help. Only one person said there was a problem with how my posts were displayed, and this was the person who reported the problem to me.
It turned out that the problem wasn’t my blog or WordPress. The problem was the device belonging to the reader who reported the issue.
I asked them to make sure their device had the latest updates. They never informed me that my blog was displaying incorrectly again.
Case 2 – I can’t leave comments on certain blogs.
I recently saw a post from a blogger who said he had problems leaving comments on certain blogs.
He named the blogs so they knew who they were and apologised, saying that his comments were being cut off as he wrote them.
He asked if anybody else was having the same problem when leaving comments.
By the time the responses came in (and all were saying ‘No’), he’d gone to another device. He tried leaving comments on the same blogs. They all worked, and he came back and apologised.
The problem was caused by the device he was using. He updated the device’s software and also tried using another internet browser, and his comments worked.
Case 3 – When was the last time you cleaned your house?
Some of my WordPress data and stats were not displaying. ‘Have you tried clearing your browser history, cookies and cache on your computer?” somebody asked?
I did the clear-out, and the data all showed up.
Like your home, your blog device needs some housekeeping to keep it working correctly.
Case 4 – Have you tried the most popular advice when things go wrong?
A user contacted me saying they could not leave comments or ‘likes’ on any blog posts. She was using the Jetpack app on her mobile phone.
I told her to try signing out of the Jetpack app, delete it, reinstall it and sign in again.
Problem solved.
Case 5 – Has the blog theme you’re using been retired?
Another WordPress user was experiencing many problems with her blog. Her posts were not aligning correctly, and some readers contacted her to say they couldn’t leave comments. The sharing buttons at the end of her posts were also not working. There were also other issues like certain tools no longer working.
She contacted WordPress, which informed her that her blog theme was retired and was no longer supported. The advice was to change her theme. She didn’t want to change the theme; she liked it. She tried working around the problems. That worked for a while. Then, the issues worsened, and she eventually gave up on her blog.
The WordPress platform wasn’t the problem. The device she was using wasn’t the problem. She was the problem for refusing to change to a theme that WordPress supported.
If your theme has been retired, you will find this notice on the theme’s info page:
When a theme is retired, it no longer appears in the list of themes at Appearances – Themes or at Appearance – Theme Showcase if using the Classic Editor.
But, if the theme is already active on your site, you can continue to use it. Some retired themes will usually stay available for the lifetime of your site or blog without any issues. However, if you continue using a retired theme, you should note the following:
- A retired theme no longer receives WordPress updates or new features. This includes security updates that protect your blog from spammers and hackers.
- A retired theme should continue functioning on your site. However, WordPress does not guarantee that it will always work well with its ever-evolving software.
- You may lose access to certain features like sharing and reblog buttons, blocks, writing tools and clicking the ‘like’ button.
If you still use a retired theme, you will likely encounter problems at some point. Visitors to your blog may also experience problems viewing it correctly or engaging with you.
How do I change my WordPress theme?
Some bloggers are terrified of changing the theme of their WordPress blog. It can seem like a daunting task.
Once upon a time, changing your WordPress blog theme was a nightmare. I recall the first time I changed the theme of my blog. It took a whole weekend to finish.
But changing the theme of your WordPress blog is now easy and quick. WordPress provides full details on how to do it on the ‘Change your theme‘ page.
Have you checked the WordPress forum?
A user experiencing problems with their WordPress blog does not necessarily mean that other users are experiencing the same problems. Sometimes, problems can be exclusive to one blog (as in some of the above cases).
The WordPress forum page is great for determining if problems affect other users. Here, you can report issues and check what other issues users are experiencing.
Another way to find out if other users are experiencing the same problems with their WordPress blog is to ask them (as I did in Case Number One). Sometimes, issues can be theme-related. Once reported and provided the theme has not been retired, WordPress quickly fixes theme-related problems.
Let’s Wrap It Up!
- Like any website, the WordPress platform will suffer from bugs and problems.
- While some problems are widespread, many problems can be caused by a user’s device when blogging, especially if the device is old and does not have the latest updates installed.
- If you can access another device, try using it to determine whether the problem is only related to one device or a certain web browser.
- Some problems are related to themes. If a theme has been retired, consider changing to one WordPress support.
- Changing your blog theme is now easier and quicker.
- You can check if other bloggers are experiencing the same problems you’re having with your blog by asking them, posting on the WordPress forum, or doing both.
- Consider that any issues lie outside of WordPress first before blaming them solely.
- Ensure all devices you use to blog have the latest updates.
- Report issues and problems to WordPress. They may not know about issues unless you report them.
Are you experiencing any problems using WordPress? Have you checked if the issues are sitewide or only affecting you? How do you deal with issues using the WordPress platform?
Layout, content, settings, and format might differ on self-hosted blogs.
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