Here are some of the most common Joomla error messages and their quick fixes to resolve them easily:
“Error displaying the error page” or “404 Page Not Found”
This error often occurs when a page or resource on your Joomla website cannot be found.
Cause:
Incorrect menu links or a faulty module.
The page or item was deleted, but the link still exists.
Quickfix:
Check your menus and make sure all links are correct.
Clear the Joomla cache under System → Clear Cache and try reloading the page.
Database Connection Error or White Screen
This error occurs when Joomla cannot establish a connection to the database. Sometimes, instead of a clear error message, only a blank white screen (White Screen) appears if there is a database issue.
Cause:
Incorrect database login details in the configuration.php file.
The database server may be offline or overloaded.
In some cases, Joomla shows only a white screen instead of an error message when there are database connection problems.
Quickfix:
Open the configuration.php file and check your database settings:
public $user = 'your_username'; public $password = 'your_password'; public $db = 'your_database_name';
Contact your hosting provider to ensure the database server is working.
If a white screen appears, enable error reporting in Joomla under System → Global Configuration → Server to make the error visible.
500 Internal Server Error
This is a general server error that indicates something is not working properly on the server side.
Cause:
Errors in the .htaccess file or a plugin/module causing a conflict.
Quickfix:
Rename the .htaccess file in the Joomla root directory to check if it is causing the issue.
Disable recently installed or updated plugins/modules to see if they are causing the error.
Maximum Execution Time Exceeded
This error occurs when a script runs longer than the time limit set by the server.
Cause:
A script or plugin requires more time than the server allows.
Quickfix:
Increase the PHP time limit by adding this line to your php.ini or .htaccess file:
max_execution_time = 300;
Alternatively, ask your hosting provider to increase the time limit.