Common classic editor errors and how to fix them

The most common editor errors like no editor buttons, white text on a white background, switching to Text or Visual tab doesn’t work, are caused by a JavaScript error on the page. They typically happen after WordPress, plugin or theme upgrade.

There are several common causes:

1. Stale cache. Can be browser or network cache. To fix hold down the Shift key and relaod the page few times. In some cases network caches take some time to expire, usually few hours. Then everything will start working miraculously on its own.
2. Plugin or theme has become incompatible with your WordPress version and/or needs upgrading. To find out which plugin is at fault look in the browser console for any JS errors, then click on the script name where the errors come from. This will reveal the full URL to the script including the name of the plugin directory that added it. Then check for any updates or contact the author and send them the errors.
3. One of the JavaScript files is not accessible. In the browser console that usually shows as a HTTP 401, 403 or 404 error. This is usually caused by some security software or settings on the server or (less often) by a failed upgrade or incorrect file permissions. To fix first try reinstalling WordPress or the last updated plugin. If the error persists contact your web hosting company for help.
4. After a new version of WordPress has been released, the plugin’s “Tested up to” string may be updated. This is only to signify that the plugin still works as expected in the new WordPress version. However some security plugins may show warnings that a file has changed. These warnings can be marked as “false positive” if the difference is only the “Tested up to” string.

If the error still persists the next step is to do “standard” troubleshooting. Change the theme to one of the default themes, then start disabling plugins one by one until you find the plugin causing the error.

If nothing helps and the error still persists, please start a new topic and paste the JavaScript errors from the browser console.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Andrew Ozz.
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• This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Andrew Ozz.