Few things are more stressful than updating a WordPress plugin and suddenly seeing a “There has been a critical error on this website” message. Whether it is JetEngine, WooCommerce, Elementor, or another plugin, a fatal error can lock you out of your WordPress dashboard and make it appear that your entire website is down.
The good news is that most WordPress plugin fatal errors can be fixed in just a few minutes without losing your website content.
In this guide, we will walk through the steps to identify the problem, disable the faulty plugin, and safely restore your WordPress website.
What Causes a WordPress Plugin Fatal Error?
A fatal error occurs when PHP encounters a problem that prevents WordPress from continuing to load. Common causes include:
- A plugin update that is not compatible with your current version of WordPress.
- A conflict between two or more plugins.
- A theme compatibility issue.
- An outdated PHP version.
- Corrupted or incomplete plugin files.
- An interrupted plugin update or installation.
Although this guide uses JetEngine as an example, the same troubleshooting process can be used for nearly any WordPress plugin.
Step 1: Try Accessing Your WordPress Dashboard
If you can still log into your WordPress dashboard, begin by navigating to:
Plugins → Installed Plugins
Locate the plugin you believe is causing the error and click Deactivate.
If the website begins working normally after the plugin is deactivated, you have likely identified the source of the problem.
Update WordPress Before Reactivating the Plugin
Before attempting to reactivate the plugin:
- Update WordPress Core.
- Update all installed plugins.
- Update your active WordPress theme.
- Check that your server is using a supported PHP version.
Once everything is updated, reactivate the plugin and test the website again.
Step 2: Disable the WordPress Plugin Through Your Hosting Account
If the fatal error prevents you from accessing the WordPress dashboard, you will need to disable the plugin through your hosting account.
Log into your hosting control panel. Depending on your hosting provider, this may be cPanel, Plesk, or a custom website management dashboard.
Locate the Plugin Using File Manager
Open the hosting account’s File Manager and navigate to:
public_html → wp-content → plugins
Inside the plugins folder, locate the folder for the plugin causing the error.
For JetEngine, the folder may be named:
jet-engine
Rename the Plugin Folder to Disable It
Rename the folder to something such as:
00-jet-engine
or:
jet-engine-disabled
Changing the folder name prevents WordPress from locating the plugin files. WordPress will automatically deactivate the plugin.
Refresh your website and try logging into wp-admin again. In many cases, the website will immediately become accessible.
Step 3: Disable All WordPress Plugins If You Don’t Know Which One Is Causing the Error
Sometimes the WordPress critical error message does not clearly identify the plugin responsible.
In that situation, you can temporarily disable every WordPress plugin at once.
Rename the WordPress Plugins Folder
Inside the wp-content folder, locate the folder named:
plugins
Rename it to something such as:
plugins-disabled
This forces WordPress to deactivate every installed plugin.
Refresh your website. If the website begins working again, you have confirmed that one of the installed plugins is causing the fatal error.
Rename the folder back to:
plugins
Your plugin files and settings will still be there, but the plugins may need to be reactivated from the WordPress dashboard.
Step 4: Identify Which WordPress Plugin Is Causing the Fatal Error
Once you can access the WordPress dashboard again, reactivate your plugins individually.
- Activate one plugin.
- Refresh the website.
- Check the WordPress dashboard.
- Test important pages and website features.
- Repeat the process with the next plugin.
When the fatal error returns, the most recently activated plugin is likely causing the conflict.
Leave that plugin deactivated while you investigate the issue, install an available update, restore a previous version, or contact the plugin developer.
Step 5: Update WordPress, Plugins, Themes, and PHP
After identifying the problematic plugin, check that every part of the website is up to date.
Review updates for:
- WordPress Core.
- Your active theme.
- All installed plugins.
- JetEngine and other Crocoblock plugins.
- Your server’s PHP version.
Many WordPress fatal errors occur because one plugin is running a version that is no longer compatible with WordPress, another plugin, the theme, or PHP.
What to Do If JetEngine Is Causing the Fatal Error
If JetEngine is responsible for the error, keep the plugin deactivated until you have checked the following:
- Confirm that JetEngine is updated.
- Confirm that Elementor or Gutenberg is updated.
- Update any other Crocoblock plugins.
- Review your current PHP version.
- Check for conflicts with recently installed plugins.
- Review any recent theme or plugin changes.
You can then reactivate JetEngine and test the site again.
If the error returns, contact Crocoblock support or restore a previously working version of the plugin.
How to Prevent WordPress Plugin Fatal Errors
Plugin conflicts cannot always be avoided, but regular website maintenance can significantly reduce the risk.
Back Up Your Website Before Updates
Always create a current backup before making major WordPress, theme, plugin, or PHP changes. If an update causes a fatal error that cannot be easily resolved, a recent backup gives you a way to restore the website.
Keep WordPress and Your Plugins Updated
Update plugins regularly instead of allowing updates to accumulate for several months. You should also keep WordPress Core and your active theme current.
Remove Plugins and Themes You No Longer Use
Unused software creates another potential source of compatibility and security problems. If you no longer need a plugin or theme, consider removing it instead of simply leaving it inactive indefinitely.
Test Major Changes on a Staging Website
For important websites, test major WordPress, plugin, theme, and PHP updates on a staging environment before applying them to the live website.
Avoid Unnecessary Plugin Overlap
Avoid installing multiple plugins that perform the same function when possible. More plugins can mean more opportunities for compatibility conflicts.
You should also confirm plugin compatibility before changing your server’s PHP version.
Final Thoughts: Recovering From a WordPress Plugin Fatal Error
A WordPress plugin fatal error can look alarming, but it is often one of the easier website problems to recover from once you understand how WordPress handles plugins.
Whether you are troubleshooting JetEngine, Elementor, WooCommerce, or another WordPress plugin, the recovery process is generally the same:
- Deactivate the suspected plugin.
- Rename the plugin folder if you cannot access WordPress.
- Disable all plugins if you cannot identify the culprit.
- Reactivate plugins one at a time.
- Update WordPress, your theme, your plugins, and PHP.
- Resolve or replace the plugin causing the conflict.
By following these steps, you can often restore your WordPress website without losing content, pages, settings, or media.
