How to Solve “Error Establishing a Database Connection” in WordPress

The “Error Establishing a Database Connection” message appears when WordPress cannot communicate with your MySQL database. Without a working database, your site cannot load posts, pages, or settings. Fortunately, this issue is usually fixable with a few targeted steps.

Common Causes

• Incorrect database credentials in wp-config.php (name, user, password, host).
• Corrupted WordPress database tables.
• Database server downtime or overload from your hosting provider.
• Corrupted core files or incomplete updates.
• Too many simultaneous connections exceeding server limits.

Step-by-Step Fixes

1) Check Database Credentials

Open wp-config.php in the root of your WordPress installation and verify:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); // sometimes different, e.g., 127.0.0.1 or a host address

Compare these values with the details provided in your hosting control panel. If they don’t match, update them and save the file.

2) Test Database Connection

Create a temporary file testdb.php in your root folder with:

<?php
$link = mysqli_connect('localhost','your_database_user','your_database_password','your_database_name');
if (!$link) {
  die('Could not connect: ' . mysqli_connect_error());
}
echo 'Database connection successful';
?>

Visit https://yourdomain.com/testdb.php. If it fails, the issue is with credentials or the database server.

3) Repair the Database

Add this line to wp-config.php:

define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);

Then open:

https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php

Run “Repair Database.” Once done, remove the line from wp-config.php for security.

4) Check Database Server Status

• Log into your hosting control panel and confirm MySQL is running.
• Ask your host if the database server is experiencing downtime or high load.
• For VPS/Dedicated servers, restart MySQL manually if you have root access.

5) Reduce Resource Usage

If your site is heavy on plugins or traffic, the database may be overwhelmed:

• Enable caching (object cache, page cache).
• Use a hosting plan with higher resources or optimized database servers.
• Check for runaway queries with plugins like Query Monitor.

6) Reupload Core Files

If the problem persists, download a fresh copy of WordPress from wordpress.org and reupload everything except wp-content and wp-config.php. This ensures clean, uncorrupted files.

When to Contact Your Host

If you’ve confirmed credentials, repaired the database, and reuploaded core files but the error remains, contact your hosting provider. They can check:

• Database server health and uptime.
• Limits on concurrent connections.
• Possible disk space or server misconfigurations.

Summary

1. Verify and correct database credentials in wp-config.php.
2. Run a test connection script.
3. Repair the database via WordPress’s built-in tool.
4. Confirm MySQL server is running and not overloaded.
5. Reupload WordPress core files if necessary.

By following these steps, you can usually restore your WordPress site quickly and prevent future “Error Establishing a Database Connection” issues.

👉 Need more help? Explore our WordPress Troubleshooting Guide for step-by-step solutions to the most common errors.