"There has been a critical error on this website": how to fix it in WordPress

"There has been a critical error on this website" means PHP hit a fatal error, almost always right after a plugin, theme or PHP version update. WordPress usually emails the site administrator a recovery mode link that names the plugin or theme that failed. Log in through that link, deactivate or roll back that plugin, and the site comes back; then find the real cause in the error log before updating again.

Find what broke

1. Check the administrator email inbox, and the spam folder, for the message from WordPress with the recovery mode link.
2. If there is no email, look at the PHP error log in your hosting panel. The last fatal error names the file, and the folder name tells you the plugin or theme.
3. If you cannot see logs, rename the plugin's folder in wp-content/plugins through FTP or the file manager. That deactivates it.

Fix it without losing content

1. Take a backup before changing anything.
2. Roll back the plugin or theme to the previous version, or deactivate it until there is a fix.
3. If the error started after changing the PHP version, check which plugin is not compatible with it.
4. Update again only after confirming compatibility, ideally on a copy of the site first.

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