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My Website Is Slow or Down: Common Questions

If your site loads slowly or not at all, work through these questions. Most causes are easy to find.

Web Hosting2 min read10 steps1 screenshots

Is it down for everyone, or just me?

  1. Open your site on your phone using mobile data, not your home Wi-Fi.
    website, web host, website slow, website down
  2. Try a different browser.
  3. Ask a friend in another place to try.

If it works elsewhere, the problem is on your side. Clear your browser cache, which is a store of saved page copies. Restart your router too.

Did my domain expire?

A domain is your website address. If it expired, the site stops loading.

  1. Log in to the client area.
  2. Open Domains and check the status and expiry date.
  3. Also check Billing for unpaid invoices on your hosting.

Did something change just before?

Think about your last action. Did you install a plugin, update a theme, or edit a file? A plugin is an add-on for your site. Turn off the last thing you added. This is the most common cause of errors.

What do the errors mean?

  • 500 error: something broke in the site's code or settings. Check the error_log file and the .htaccess file.
  • 503 error: the server is too busy, or the site is using too many resources.
  • 404 error: the page was not found.
  • Database connection error: the site cannot reach its database. Check the database details in the site's settings file.

Why is my site slow?

  • Big pictures. Shrink them before upload.
  • Too many plugins. Remove ones you do not use.
  • No caching. A caching plugin saves finished pages so they load faster.
  • A traffic spike or bots hitting the site.
  • Old PHP. PHP is the language many sites run on. Newer supported versions are often faster.
  • Your plan limits are too small for your site.

What to do if you cannot fix it

  1. Note the time and the error message.
  2. Run a ping test or take a screenshot.
  3. Open a support ticket.
  4. Give your domain name and what you changed last.

Warning: Take a backup before you edit files or delete plugins.

Tip: Check your email too. Hostvento may send a notice about problems on your service.

Quick recap

  • First check if it is only you.
  • Check domain and billing in the client area.
  • Undo your last change.
  • Large images, many plugins and no cache slow sites down.
  • Contact support with details if it stays broken.