How to Thoroughly Fix the Pesky "Updating Failed" Error in WordPress

As a webmaster with over 15 years of experience running WordPress sites, few errors make me cringe more than seeing the dreaded "Updating Failed" message after working on a blog post.

I know from helping thousands of site owners that this generic error strikes fear and frustration into the hearts of WordPress users everywhere. But take comfort – in most cases, this annoying issue can be quickly resolved with a few targeted troubleshooting steps.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share the wisdom I‘ve gained through countless late night debugging sessions to help you permanently squash the WordPress updating failed or publishing failed error.

Just How Common Is This Error?

While the vague nature of the "Updating Failed" error message makes it hard to nail down exact stats, various surveys and polls shed some light on how prevalent it is:

• According to a 2019 poll by WP Creative, around 35% of site owners reported seeing updating failures occasionally, frequently, or constantly.

• The State of WordPress 2021 report found that 25% of developers encounter plugin errors including update failures on most projects.

• WordPress.org forum searches reveal over 5,000 threads related to troubleshooting update/publish failures, indicating users commonly face this issue.

So while not everyone runs into this, it‘s clear that a sizable chunk of the WordPress community has encountered this headache. Let‘s look at why.

What Causes This Crytic Error Message?

While the error itself provides no details, there are a handful of common culprits:

Cause	Typical Symptoms	Troubleshooting Steps
Plugin Conflicts	Issue started after updating plugins, Rollback resolves issue, A plugin generates API errors	Disable plugins until error disappears
Connectivity Problems	Error appears when internet drops, Website inaccessible	Check internet connection and availability of hosting server
Web Server Issues	Other functionality acting weird, Hosting status page shows server errors	Contact hosting provider, Check site logs for clues
REST API Blocking	Publishing works in Classic Editor plugin	Disable security plugins/firewalls and test
Site URL Change	URL change recently made	Update URL settings to proper new URL

As you can see, plugin conflicts, connectivity problems, and web host issues tend to be the most common sources based on the symptoms and troubleshooting involved.

Now let‘s dive into how to diagnose and fix the problem when you encounter it.

Quickly Stop The Update Failure Madness – A 10 Step Process

After helping fix countless cases of the WordPress "Updating Failed" error, I‘ve found a simple 10 step troubleshooting process covers all the bases:

Step 1: Don‘t Panic!

I know seeing this error immediately raises your blood pressure, but take a deep breath. It‘s usually fixable.

Step 2: Check Your Internet Connection

Make sure you‘re still online. If you lost connectivity, restoring it can fix things quickly.

Step 3: Disable All Plugins

Deactivate your plugins and try updating content. If the issue goes away, reactivate plugins one-by-one until you find the conflict.

Step 4: Switch to the Classic Editor Temporarily

Activate the Classic Editor plugin and publish content using it. This tests if the block editor is the issue.

Step 5: Contact Your Hosting Provider

Ask them to review server logs around the times the error occurred to check for problems.

Step 6: Review Debug Logs Yourself

Activate WordPress debug logging and check for clues in the logs after reproducing the error.

Step 7: Switch Themes

Activate a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One to confirm your theme isn‘t the cause.

Step 8: Repair/Reinstall WordPress

Use the built-in repair tool or reinstall WordPress to refresh everything as a last resort.

Step 9: Search WordPress.org Support Forums

Do a search for your specific error variations to see if others have solved it.

Step 10: Draft an Angry Blog Post About It

Channel your inner rage to produce content highlighting how ridiculous this error is. Hey, it helps!

See, troubleshooting doesn‘t have to be messy. With this streamlined process, you should be able to eliminate the updating failed error quickly.

Now let‘s look at some pro tips to avoid it happening again.

Avoid Future Updating/Publishing Errors With These Pro Tips

While occasional publishing issues will strike even seasoned site owners, you can minimize occurrences by:

• Staging plugin/theme updates – Test changes on a staging site first to catch compatibility problems.

• Cleaning up plugins – Remove unused plugins and keep active ones updated. Too many plugins increase risk.

• Backing up regularly – Quickly restore if update failures corrupt your site.

• Choosing managed WordPress hosting – Hosts like WP Engine offer improved security, speed, and support.

• Monitoring server health – Keep tabs on site performance to catch problems early.

• Having a rollback plan – Know how to efficiently restore your site if an update does fail.

With some proactive maintenance, you can avoid many headaches. But when the dreaded "Publishing Failed" message strikes, implement my troubleshooting process to eliminate it fast.

Have you encountered this error before? What steps did you take to fix it? I‘d love to hear what works so we can all benefit and defeat this beast together!