How to Repair WordPress Database

Getting an error that your WordPress site can’t connect to the database? 

Or maybe your site is displaying the infamous “white screen of death”? 

If you’re running into issues with your WordPress installation, there’s a good chance that your database has become corrupted.

A corrupted database can happen for several reasons, from a server issue to a hacked site. Whatever the cause, a broken database means your WordPress site won’t function properly.

Don’t panic though! There are several ways to repair and fix a corrupted WordPress database. 

In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common reasons for database corruption and then explore different methods to get your site back up and running smoothly.

We’ll cover points like checking your database credentials, using plugins to repair the database if you have dashboard access, using the built-in WordPress repair tool, fixing it manually via phpMyAdmin, and even using WP-CLI for command-line repairs.

So calm down, take a deep breath and let’s dive in! By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know exactly how to identify and repair database issues on your WordPress site.

But First…

Reasons Behind Corrupt WordPress Database

Understanding a problem is the first step in solving it, so let’s look at a few reasons that are usually the culprits when it comes to a corrupted WordPress database and understand why they happen.

Here are the main reasons why WordPress databases get corrupt-

• Server Issue 
• Database Credentials Issue
• Corrupt Database Tables 
• Hacked Site

Server Issue 

WordPress runs on a web server and relies on server resources like PHP and a MySQL database. 

Any problems or instabilities with the server can corrupt the database and result in the dreaded “Error Establishing a Database Connection” message. 

This could stem from:

• Hardware failures or server crashes
• Insufficient resources like RAM or CPU power
• Corrupted server files or misconfigured settings
• Conflicts between server software versions

Any hiccups in the server environment that houses your WordPress installation can affect the integrity of the database.

Database Credentials Issue

To connect and interact with the MySQL database, WordPress uses specific credentials – the database name, username, and password. 

These credentials are usually stored on a file called wp-config.php file. If any of these credentials are incorrectly entered or changed, WordPress will lose its connection to the database, rendering it inaccessible and causing errors.

To access the wp-config.php file, you’ll need to go to the cPanel and click on the file manager. You’ll find the wp-config.php file in the directory. 

wp-config.php file location

Alternatively, you can install and activate a plugin called File Manager. This plugin gives you direct access to the public_html root file without going through cPanel or FTP.

File Manager Plugin

On your WordPress dashboard go to  Plugins ===> Add New Plugin then go to the search console on the top right and search for “File Manager”. The top result should display the plugin as you can see in the image above. 

WP File Manager location on WordPress dashboard

After installing and activating the plugin locate the plugin “WP File Manager” on your dashboard. It will be located somewhere close to the bottom as you can see in the image. Click on it.

wp-config.php file code editor

After clicking on it you’ll be able to see a console which will display a list of your core WordPress files. Just locate the wp-config.php file and right click and click on Code Editor.

wp-config.php file with WordPress credentials

As you can see from the image, after selecting the Code Editor, the wp-config.php file with all your WordPress credentials will pop up. Now, you can check if the credentials are in proper order. 

Corrupt Database Tables 

The WordPress database comprises numerous tables that store different types of data – posts, pages, comments, user profiles, settings, and more. Corruption can occur in any of these tables due to:

• Failed updates or migrations
• Plugin conflicts or coding errors
• Synchronization issues between servers
• Unclean database repair attempts

A single corrupted table can corrupt the entire database and break core WordPress functionality.

Hacked Site 

One of the ugliest reasons for database corruption is a compromised or hacked WordPress site.

“Due to WordPress being the most popular CMS it faces up to 90,000 attacks per minute. And 

an estimated 13 000 WordPress sites are hacked daily which amounts to a staggering total of 4.7 million sites a year. “

Malicious scripts injected by hackers can manipulate the database contents, delete tables, or insert malicious code, effectively breaking the site.

While a corrupted database sounds scary, there are reliable ways to repair it and get your WordPress site working again, which we’ll cover next.

Prerequisites to Repair WordPress Database

Before we can repair, a bit of housekeeping needs to be done. What we mean by this is that you need to do a few things and gather a few bits of key information regarding your website like

• Backup your WordPress Database
• Access to Database Management Tool
• WordPress Admin Access (Optional)
• Staging/Development Site (Recommended)
• Enable Error Logs

Backup of your Database

During the repair process, you will be prodding and probing multiple things on your website.

So, having a recent backup of your WordPress database is a smart idea. This will allow you to restore your site’s data if anything goes wrong during the repair process. 

Various backup plugins like UpdraftPlus can easily create database backups.

Access to Database Management Tool

You’ll need access to a database management tool like phpMyAdmin, which usually comes pre-installed with most web hosting accounts. 

This will allow you to directly interact with and repair the corrupted database.

WordPress Admin Access (Optional)

If your WordPress admin area is accessible, you can attempt to repair the database using plugins or the built-in repair tool.

Staging/Development Site (Recommended)

To avoid any issues on your live site, it’s highly recommended to first test the database repair process on a staging or local development environment before implementing it on your live WordPress site.

Enable Error Logs

Enabling error logs can provide valuable debugging information and clues about the source of the database corruption. This will help diagnose and troubleshoot the issue more effectively.

There are two main ways to enable error logs in WordPress:

• Using the wp-config.php file: This method involves editing a core WordPress file. It’s a good option for users who are comfortable with code. You’ll need to add a line of code to the wp-config.php file: 

define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );

define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true );

Where to add the line of code on the wp-config.php file

• Using a plugin: Plugins like WP Debugging or Query Monitor offer a user-friendly interface to view error logs without modifying core files. This is a good option for beginners.

WP Debugging plugin

The WP Debugging plugin should be adequate, but if you encounter any issues, you can also try using Query Monitor. 

Query Monitor Plugin

These prerequisites will ensure you have everything you need to smoothly repair your corrupted WordPress database using the methods we’ll cover next.

How to Repair WordPress Database

Before any repairing can be done we must create a staging of our main site so that we can tweak stuff without any hassle. 

How can you do this? Well, InstaWP is the answer. Just pop over to their website, create an account or log in to your existing account if you’re already familiar with InstaWP and use the staging site to repair the WordPress database 

All you have to do is connect your site. You can find detailed information on how to connect and migrate your website to InstaWP to set up a staging area here.

You can create staging for your site and figure out what the issues are. It has a built-in DB Editor and lets you use WP CLI, too. 

How to connect your WordPress site to InstaWP

Now that you’ve collected the relevant information, acquired the relevant tools, and set up a staging area, let’s get to fixing your database.

There are multiple ways to fix a corrupted WordPress database

The first one, naturally, is the simplest one, which is to-

1. Check your WordPress Database Credentials

One of the most common causes of database issues in WordPress can usually be attributed to incorrect database credentials.

These can be found in the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory.

To access the wp-config.php file, you’ll need to go to the cPanel ===> public_html ===> File Manager. 

If you’ve setup the staging properly, then you can directly access the public_html root file from the InstaWP code editor. Just go to the dashboard, hover over your staging server, and you’ll see the “</>Code Editor” option on the right.

InstaWP Code Editor

You’ll find the wp-config.php file in the directory. Open the file and just check if your database credentials such as database name, user, password and hostname are set correctly.

wp-config.php file

If you see that there are no issues with credentials, then move on to the second fix. 

2. Repair the WordPress Database Using a Plugin (If You Have Dashboard Access)

If you have access to the WordPress admin area, you can use a plugin to repair the database.

Let’s use WP DBManager. Just go to Plugins ===> Add New Plugin. Type WP DBManager in the search console on the top right and then install and activate the plugin.

WP DBManager Plugin

Next, locate “Database” on the admin panel. Database ===> Repair DB. You’ll be taken to an interface where you can see all the tables. Just toggle the options from “no” to “yes” and then hit “Repair” at the bottom. This will repair wordpress database tables.

How to repair a WordPress database using the WP DBManager Plugin

3. Use the Built-in WordPress Database Repair Tool

WordPress has a built-in database repair tool that is accessible from the wp-admin area.

However, you need to activate it by editing the wp-config.php file. As we’ve already mentioned, you can access the wp-config.php file by connecting to your server from the cPanel or by using FTP or just directly access it from the code editor if you’ve set up a staging in WordPress.

Now, just go into the wp-config.php file and add the following code snippet before the line:

/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

Code Snippet: 

define (‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true);

Where to add the code snippet on the wp-config.php file

Save the changes by going to “file” on the top right and clicking “save” and visit the following url: 

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

Remember to replace the “yourdomain” placeholder with the actual url of your site.

Now, after reaching the url you’ll end up seeing something like this:

The “Repair Database” popup

If you’re in a tight spot and under time constraints, then hit the “Repair Database” button and wait for a bit. WordPress will perform the fix automatically, and you’ll eventually receive a success message. Reload your site to see if the problem still exists. 

The second option, “Repair and Optimize Database”, takes longer but generally does a better job of fixing and optimizing your database simultaneously.

Pick the one that’s convenient for you, given your circumstances.  

After the fix is complete, it is essential to go back to the wp-config.php file and remove the repair command you added. 

4. Repair Database in phpMyAdmin

Another good option is automating the repair process using phpMyAdmin. 

Just go to the cPanel and select “phpMyAdmin” from the databases category.

Next, select the database you want to repair and just hit “Check all” tick mark then select “Repair table” from the “With selected” drop-down menu. The repair process will be automated.

How to fix the database on phpMyAdmin 

If you’re using InstaWP, then just select the “DB Editor” option.

DB Editor on InstaWP

You’ll be taken to the phpMyAdmin database. Just put a tick on the tables to select all the tables or select the specific table you want to fix and then hit “Repair” at the bottom.

How to fix the database using DB Editor on InstaWP

5. Repair Database Using WP-CLI

A more developer-friendly option for database repair is the wp-cli command line interface. However, to use it on your server, you’ll have to enable it. WordPress has documentation available on how you can do this. 

If you’re working on InstaWP, it’s much simpler. All you need to do is navigate to the dashboard and click on “Edit site” option of your staging server.

Where to find the “Edit Site” button

Then, you’ll be taken to a dashboard. On the left, locate the “Run Commands” option and click it.

The Run Commands button

Now, to repair the database, just set a command name and write the code:

wp db repair

Then, save the code and hit “Run Command”.

The “Run Commands” console

Remember, There are many commands you can pre-set on the InstaWP through the “Run Commands” functionality just set the name and the corresponding command code so that later it’s just a click away. No need to type commands manually every time. 

Hit the run command to execute the selected code

We’re at the end of our tutorial! 

Hopefully, by now, you have a healthy website with a robust and error-free database, but on the off chance that none of the suggested methods are working for you, then seeking professional help from a hosting provider would be the best course of action.

Keep Your WordPress Database Healthy

A corrupted WordPress database can be a significant obstacle for any website owner. 

We’ve already discussed how It can lead to catastrophic issues such as complete site outages, hinder visitor access, and prevent content updates. 

However, after reading this guide, you are now equipped with the knowledge and instructions to repair and restore your WordPress database. 

Let’s do a quick sum-up of the entire process:

1. Understand the cause of the database corruption:

First, analyze and figure out what is causing the database corruption, including server hiccups, incorrect database credentials, corrupt tables within the database, and even malicious hacking attempts. 

Pinpointing the cause empowers you to take preventive measures or employ a suitable solution. 

2. Prepare properly for database repair:

Before making repairs, gathering the necessary tools and information and taking relevant actions is crucial. 

This includes a database backup, access to the database through tools like cPanel, FTP, or File Manager (WordPress plugin), and enabling error logs.

3. Safeguard your live site:

Creating a staging or development site is highly recommended throughout the repair process. 

This allows you to test different repair methods safely, preventing potential issues on your live production site. 

Here’s where InstaWP shines — it allows you to create a staging environment, experiment with repair methods, and leverage its built-in database editor and WP-CLI command line integration.

6. Repair your WordPress database using a suitable method:

The repair method you choose depends on your situation. If you can access your WordPress admin area, a plugin like WP DBManager offers a convenient way to restore and repair your database tables. 

However, if the admin area is inaccessible, you can directly interact with the database using phpMyAdmin (through cPanel) or use InstaWPs native WP-CLI command-line tool (Recommended for developers).

5. Prevention is key:

By following the step-by-step tutorials and using the recommended tools, you’ll be well-equipped to address database corruption and maintain a healthy WordPress site. 

Remember, prevention is key. Regularly backing up your database, updating WordPress, plugins, and themes, and adhering to security best practices significantly reduce the risk of database problems.

With the help of this guide, you can confidently tackle any database-related challenges that may arise, ensuring your WordPress site remains a reliable and robust platform for your online presence.