My website won’t load: a step-by-step checklist
Find the cause from the error message: DNS, service status, SSL, PHP errors, a full disk and more.
Troubleshooting · 2 min read
If your site can’t be reached, work through this list calmly. In most cases the cause turns up in a few minutes.
1. Is it you or the site?
- Try opening the site from another browser, a private window and your phone’s mobile data.
- Ask someone else to check, or use an online tool such as isitdownrightnow.
2. Is your service active?
In the customer panel look at the service status under My services. If it says Suspended, there is usually an unpaid invoice (see Invoices); the service returns when you pay it. For a server, check on the Manage tab that the status is Running; if not, try Start or Restart.
3. Does the domain point to the right place?
nslookup yourdomain.comThe IP address in the output must match your hosting or server IP address. If it differs, check the nameservers and the A record (see DNS records). Also make sure the domain hasn’t expired.
4. Follow the error message
| What you see | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Site can’t be reached / server not found | The DNS record is missing or wrong; the domain may have expired |
| Connection timed out | The server may be off, or a firewall is blocking ports 80/443 |
| Your connection is not private / certificate error | The SSL has expired or isn’t installed (see Free SSL) |
| 403 Forbidden | File/folder permissions or an .htaccess rule; index.php/index.html may be missing |
| 500 Internal Server Error | An application error: check the PHP error log, the .htaccess file and your latest plugin/theme change |
| 502 / 504 | The PHP/application back end isn’t answering or is overloaded; check resource usage |
| White screen | A PHP error or the memory limit; turn on the error log |
5. Check disk and resources
On your hosting service’s Manage tab, the Plan & usage box shows disk and traffic. A full disk stops databases from writing and makes the site error out. On a server, check disk and memory with df -h and free -m.
6. Undo the last change
If the problem started right after an update or a new plugin, disable it or go back to a backup or snapshot.
Still not solved?
Open a ticket and include the domain, the error message (with a screenshot), when it started and the last change you made.