Interpret WordPress Site Health warnings

In WordPress, Tools > Site Health brings together configuration and operation checks. The Status tab shows warnings; Info collects data that is useful for diagnosis. It does not replace testing the website or guarantee that every plugin works correctly.

Prioritise the warning

Read the details, note when it appears and check whether a feature is failing. Deal first with problems that affect access, updates, security or necessary tasks. Do not change several components at once just to clear every warning.

Default theme available

WordPress recommends having a compatible official theme available as a fallback in certain situations. Keep that theme up to date. Having it installed does not guarantee recovery from every failure of the active theme, and switching can change the design, menus and features.

PHP version or recommended modules

Check the WordPress requirements and the compatibility of your plugins and theme. Use a version that still receives security maintenance and test the change on a copy before production.

You can change PHP from the client area and review its checks. For missing modules, look up the exact name in the warning and that website's PHP version in the extension selector. If it is not available, ask about compatibility before installing third-party packages.

Background updates

Do not blame the warning on a plugin straight away. Check the details: write permissions, disk space, constants that disable updates, the connection to WordPress's servers and scheduled task errors can all play a part.

If you need to isolate plugins or the theme, do it on a test copy. Deactivating everything on a live shop can interrupt payments or essential features. Reproduce the problem, change one component and check the result.

HTTPS

Check the certificate, the domain and the URL settings before enabling HTTPS in WordPress. The fact that the hosting includes certificates does not mean every name is already validated or that every internal resource uses HTTPS.

Loopback and REST API

Loopback requests let WordPress connect to itself; the REST API is involved in editor and plugin features. A failure may be due to DNS, the certificate, HTTP authentication on staging, a firewall, a security plugin or a PHP error.

Note the URL and the error code. Check the logs and see whether it only happens behind a test protection. Do not disable the whole firewall or make a private environment public to get a green result. If you need to allow a request, keep the exception narrow.

Share useful information

Include the exact warning, the affected operation and any recent changes. Before copying the site information, review paths, domains and configuration data that do not need to be shared. Once you have fixed the cause, run Site Health again and also test the feature that was failing.