How to Fix the Error Establishing Database Connection in WordPress?

Table of Content

• What is a WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection?
• What Causes Error Establishing Database Connection in WordPress Websites?
• Six Ways to Fix the WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection
  • Check & Re-enter the Database Login Credentials
  • Ensure the Website Domain is Pointing to the Current Host Provider
  • Repair Corrupt WordPress Database
  • Fix Corrupt WordPress Files
  • Check if Your WordPress Database Server is Down
  • Update the WordPress Installation
• FAQs Related to WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection
• Conclusion

WordPress is an outstanding content management system recognized by millions of websites for its user-friendly interface and customizability. But like any other CMS platform, WordPress websites are not immune to encountering hiccups along the way. One such roadblock that can leave WordPress developers scratching their heads is the dreaded “WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection.”

You have worked hard to create and launch your WordPress website. But it’s not opening as intended, and the users are seeing the message “WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection”. That can be frustrating for your website users. But don’t worry; like so many other common WordPress errors, this one can be resolved quite easily. 

We have compiled this blog to help you understand what a WordPress error establishing a database connection is, what causes it, and how you can fix it. But firstly, let’s begin with understanding this error.

What is a WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection?

WordPress relies heavily on its database to store various types of information related to the website. That includes the content, settings, user data, and more. A “WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection” is a common issue that occurs when a WordPress site is unable to connect to its underlying database server.

This connection between WordPress and the database server may be disrupted or not be established at all sometimes. In such a case, the website won’t be able to retrieve the necessary data to function properly, leading to this error message.

This common WordPress error indicates that the website is currently inaccessible since it can’t retrieve data from the database, which can be a bit alarming for the owners. But as we mentioned earlier, a WordPress development company or you yourself can resolve this database error quite easily. 

However, before fixing it, you have to understand what causes the “WordPress Error Establishing a Database Connection”. 

What Causes Error Establishing Database Connection in WordPress Websites?

This WordPress Database server error can be caused by a variety of factors. From simple configuration issues to more complex server-related problems, here are some common causes of this WordPress site error:

• Incorrect Database Credentials: WordPress requires accurate database credentials, including the database name, username, password, and host. If any of these details are incorrect or have been changed without updating the wp-config.php file, the connection will fail.
• Corrupted WordPress Files: Sometimes, WordPress core files can become corrupted due to incomplete updates, file corruption, or malware attacks. This can prevent WordPress from accessing the database properly.
• Database Server Unreachable: If the database server is down or experiencing high traffic or technical problems, WordPress won’t be able to establish a connection. This could be due to server maintenance, issues, or problems with the host’s infrastructure. Make sure you select the best hosting service for your WordPress website. 
• Corrupted Database: A corrupted database can prevent WordPress from connecting to it. Various factors, including server crashes, incomplete updates, or data inconsistencies, can cause corruption.
• Insufficient Database Privileges: Sometimes, the database user associated with WordPress may not have the necessary privileges to access and manipulate the required database tables. In that case, this WordPress error occurs as the connection can’t be established.
• Insufficient Hosting Resources: In some cases, the hosting plan may not have enough resources to handle the database queries, leading to this error. Consider upgrading your hosting plan if your website has outgrown the resources provided by your current plan.

These are the potential causes of “Error Establishing a Database Connection” on your WordPress site. Now let’s check on how professional WordPress developers solve this error with various ways depending on the cause of the error.

How to Fix the Error Establishing Database Connection in WordPress?

There are various causes due to which you can face “Error Establishing Database Connection”. But whatever the reason, there are a few ways to fix this error depending after fencing the reason behind:

1. Check & Re-enter the Database Login Credentials

Let’s say the issue is that you have entered incorrect database login credentials in the ‘wp-config.php’ file. That must be preventing WordPress from connecting to the database resulting in the “WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection”.  In fact, it’s one of the most common reasons behind this error message.

Here’s how you can resolve this:

Step 1: Access the Hosting Control Panel or FTP Client (like FileZilla, Cyberduck, Transmit, etc.) to connect to your website’s server.

Step 2: Locate the root directory of your WordPress installation, where you’ll find the ‘wp-config.php file‘. This file contains crucial configuration settings for your WordPress website.

Step 3: Open the wp-config.php and edit it through a built-in or third-party code editor (Visual Code Studio).

(The wp-config.php file will look something like this when opened through the cPanel of your WordPress hosting provider.)

Step 4:  Verify the four important elements of your wp-config.php file:

// ** Database settings - You can get this info from your web host ** //
/** The database name for WordPress */
define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name_here' );
/** Database username */
define( 'DB_USER', 'username_here' );
/** Database password */
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here' );
/** Database hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

• Database Name: database_name_here
• Database Username: username_here
• Database Password: password_here
• Database Hostname: localhost

Step 5: If you’re unsure about your database credentials, log in to your hosting control panel and find the database details. They should provide you with the correct values to enter.

Step 6: If the credentials entered in the ‘wp-config.php’ file don’t match the correct ones from the hosting panel, replace and update them.

Step 7: After updating the credentials, save ‘wp-config.php’ and upload it back to the server, replacing the old version.

Step 8: Finally, clear cache and cookies and visit your website again to see if the error still exists. 

Correcting and re-entering the database login credentials ensures that WordPress can establish a valid connection to the database. Your website should now load without the WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection message. This method will especially be helpful if you have just migrated your WordPress website to another hosting provider.

2. Ensure the Website Domain is Pointing to the Current Host Provider

When you migrate your WordPress website to a new host or the website files are moved to the new hosting service. But if the domain isn’t pointing to the new host (the one hosting your database), it will result in an error establishing a database connection in the WordPress website.

Let’s see how you can take care of this WordPress database error:

Step 1: Access the cPanel of the company where you registered your domain (domain registrar). That is where you manage your domain settings. These settings are usually labeled as “DNS Management,” “Nameservers,” or something similar.

Step 2: After locating the DNS settings, confirm that your domain is using the correct nameservers provided by your current hosting provider. These nameservers are responsible for directing visitors to your website’s hosting server.

Step 3: If you’ve recently migrated your website to a new hosting provider, you might need to update the nameservers to match the current hosting. It ensures the correct server handles requests for your website’s domain. 

Step 4: After making changes to your nameservers, allow some time for DNS propagation. This process can take several hours to propagate changes across the internet. If it’s taking too long, you can check the completion using a DNS propagation checker.

Step 5: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies to ensure you’re not seeing a cached error message.

After this, visit your website to check if the “Error Establishing Database Connection” issue has been resolved. If domain misconfigurations were causing this issue, this step-by-step process would likely resolve the database connection error.

Keep in mind that DNS changes might take some time to propagate globally, so be patient after making adjustments. Plus, for assistance with this method, we recommend you contact your WordPress hosting provider. 

3. Repair Corrupt WordPress Database

A corrupt database can disrupt the normal operation of your WordPress website. That includes its ability to establish a connection to the database server.

This step-by-step process will help repair the corrupt WordPress database and resolve the issue effectively:

Step 1: Locate and access the wp-config.php file in the WordPress root directory through your hosting control panel or an FTP client. Before going any further, create a backup of the WordPress site to ensure you can restore the previous version in case of an issue.

Step 2: Open the ‘wp-config.php’ file for editing in a code editor of your choice.

Step 3: Add this line of code above the “That’s all, stop editing!” line.

define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);

Step 4: Save and upload the modified ‘wp-config.php’ file back to your website server, replacing the old version.

Step 5: Now, open your website browser and visit the following URL:

http://www.yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php (Replace “yoursite” with your website’s domain name)

In the repair tool, you’ll be presented with two options: “Repair and Optimize Database” and “Repair Database”. We recommend you opt for the latter because it not only repairs but also optimizes the database for better performance.

Step 6: After the repair process is complete, remove the code excerpt you added to the wp-config.php file in Step 3. Then, save and upload this file back to the website’s server. 

Revisit your website to see if the “Error Establishing Database Connection” has been resolved or if it still exists. This method can be a little tricky for some since a core WordPress file is edited and repaired to resolve the error. So you may get in touch with a WordPress development company. Their experts have the skills and experience to deal with this WordPress error.

4. Fix Corrupt WordPress Files

Corrupted WordPress core files (including the plugins, themes, and more) can disrupt your website’s functionality. That includes its ability to connect to the database server, resulting in the error.

Here’s how you can alleviate this WordPress error:

Step 1: Before making any changes, make sure to create a backup of your website files and database. It ensures you have a safe point of return in case something goes wrong.

Step 2: Now, the first step to resolving this issue is to identify which corrupt file might be causing it. Commonly affected files include core WordPress files and essential theme or plugin files.

Step 3: Next, download a fresh copy of every potentially corrupted plugin. The plugins and the theme can be downloaded through the official WordPress repository.

Step 4: Then, you can access the newly downloaded files through either the hosting cPanel or the FTP client.

Step 5: Navigate to the directory of your WordPress website where the corrupt file is located. Let’s say the corrupt file is a plugin. Then, install the WordPress plugin with a fresh file and replace it with the corrupt one. 

Overriding the old file will help remove the potentially corrupt elements of the file. That includes the ones that could lead to database connection issues. This method helps restore the integrity of your website’s core files and improves its overall stability.

5. Check if Your WordPress Database Server is Down

One of the common reasons behind the WordPress error establishing a database connection is issues with the Database server. If the database server itself is down or experiencing high traffic or technical problems, WordPress won’t be able to establish a connection to the database.

Let’s see how you can cope with it.

Step 1: A database server can host multiple websites (whether it’s your multiple websites or other websites). So you have to check if other websites are also encountering the same error. This can help determine if the problem is specific to your website or if it’s affecting multiple sites.

Step 2: Next, you have to reach out to your hosting provider’s support team to ask them for an investigation into this matter. So they can provide you with adequate information on the status of the database server. 

Step 3: WordPress hosting services offer scheduled maintenance for their servers. So check your hosting cPanel and other communication channels regularly for any notifications about ongoing maintenance or server downtime.

Step 4: Sometimes, hosting providers also post updates about server status or maintenance on their social media accounts or service status pages. So you can get better insights into errors establishing a database connection or any other type of common WordPress error. 

Step 5: Keep an eye on the updates provided by your hosting provider. You’ll be informed when the database server is back online and the connection can be restored.

It’s important to stay patient and well-informed during this process, as the resolution time can vary based on the cause of the downtime.

6. Update the WordPress Installation

Outdated WordPress core, themes, or plugins are always an issue for the website. It can lead to compatibility problems that affect the database connection and overall site performance.

So follow this process to alleviate this WordPress error:

Step 1: Before making any updates, create a backup of your website files and database. This ensures you have a safe point to revert to if any issues arise during the update process.

Step 2: Then log into the WordPress admin dashboard. If there’s a notification for an update with the WordPress core, click on the button to start the process. 

You may also go to “Updates” in the Dashboard section and click the “Update Now” button to update and install the latest version of WordPress.

Step 3: In the “Updates” section, you can also check for updates with your themes and plugins. Select all available updates and click the “Update Plugins” or “Update Themes” button.

Step 4: After updating, visit your website to ensure it functions correctly.

If you stool encounter issues, it’s possible that a theme or plugin is not compatible with the latest version of WordPress. Deactivate all the plugins and reactivate them one by one to identify the problematic ones. We also recommend switching to a different WordPress theme if your current is creating any issues.

Finally, for any of the above-mentioned methods, make sure to clear the browser cache and test the website again. It will let you verify that the “WordPress Error Establishing Database Connection” has been resolved.

Following through the above methods can be a complex task if you don’t possess the coding skills. So, we recommend you connect with a WordPress service provider. We have extensive WordPress website maintenance packages to ensure your website works effectively after development.

Conclusion

Errors are quite common in any website, whether it’s made with WordPress or another CMS. Among the most common ones is WordPress Error Establishing a Database Connection. It means the website is unable to connect to the underlying database server.

You can take care of this error in six ways:

• Check and re-enter the database login credentials.
• Ensure the website domain is pointing to the current host provider.
• Repair a corrupt WordPress database.
• Fix corrupt WordPress files.
• Check if the WordPress database server is down.
• Update the WordPress installation.

Following these methods in the way mentioned above will help resolve this error more effectively. But if you are finding it difficult to fix this issue or any other, we recommend you contact our experts today!