Strange WordPress Admin Panel after Updating

try a few basic troubleshooting steps:
– Flushing any caching plugins you might be running, as well as server and/or browser caches.
– deactivating ALL plugins temporarily to see if this resolves the problem (plugin functions can interfere). If this works, re-activate them individually (one-by-one) to find the problematic plugin(s).
– If that does not resolve the issue, try switching to the unedited default Twenty Fifteen Theme for a moment using the WP dashboard to rule out any theme-specific issue (theme functions can interfere like plugins).
– If that does not resolve the issue, try resetting the plugins foldervia FTP or SFTP or whatever file management application your host provides. Sometimes, an apparently inactive plugin can still cause problems.
– If all the above steps do not resolve the issue, then try MANUAL updating. Download a fresh copy of the WordPress .zip file to your computer, unzip it, and use that to copy up all files and folders EXCEPT the wp-config.php file and the /wp-content/ directory. You may need to delete the old copies of files & folder on your server before uploading the new ones. Read the Manual Update directions first.

Thanks Tara.

I’ve worked through your suggestions and changing theme to 2015 reverts it back to normal so it would appear the theme is causing the issue, though it had no issues previously.

The theme was a hugely expensive purchase for my friend who has basically been ripped off. There is no author showing for the theme which apparently was written specifically for her site. Unfortunately there are no updates and no way to get any updates.

Is there any way around this? Her entire site was built on that theme and designed on that theme so she has no way to change theme or update it.

Perhaps there is a way to roll WP back to 3.5.1? Would that work?

I feel really bad about this as it was me who told her that she should upgrade to 4.1 for security and compatibility reasons and it seems to have had the exact opposite effect.

Any help much appreciated – I know very little about this subject lol!

Thanks

Colin

changing theme to 2015 reverts it back to normal so it would appear the theme is causing the issue,

it means your paid theme is not compatible with 4.1

Unfortunately there are no updates and no way to get any updates.
Is there any way around this?

– I don’t, sorry. you’ll be more likely to find a good answer from your theme’s developers, for they have the access to its code. https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Forum_Welcome#Commercial_Products

Thanks again Tara – I dont think the developer will be of any help at all from what I’ve been told.

How about rolling WordPress back to 3.5.1 – is that a possibility?

The site has an unusual layout which makes it difficult to use a different theme – basically they were sold a dud from the beginning.

How about rolling WordPress back to 3.5.1 – is that a possibility?

I don’t think that’s a good idea.

I dont think the developer will be of any help at all from what I’ve been told.

If you can’t do the work yourself, you have the option of engaging a professional to assist you to fix it correctly. If you want to follow that option and hire someone for this, try one of these sites: https://jobs.wordpress.net/ or https://directory.codepoet.com/