How to Fix ‘Failed To Load Resource’ Error in WordPress

Are you seeing the ‘Failed to load resource’ error in WordPress or your browser’s Inspect tool?

Many WordPress users find it difficult to figure out what resource or file is not loading and, more importantly, why it is not loading correctly.

This file can be anything like an image, other media, JavaScript, or a CSS stylesheet. A missing resource can cause your website to misbehave or not function properly.

In this article, we will show you how to easily troubleshoot and fix the ‘Failed to load resource’ error in WordPress.

Why Does the ‘Failed to Load Resource’ Error Occur?

The ‘Failed to load resource’ error occurs when WordPress is unable to load a file that it is supposed to load.

Basically, when WordPress generates a page, it includes several files in the code, such as images, scripts, stylesheets, and more. During the page load, these files are loaded by the user’s browser.

For more details, see our guide on how WordPress works behind the scenes.

If the browser is unable to load a specific file, then it will go on to display the page without that file. Furthermore, the browser will add a notice in the error console for debugging purposes.

In most cases, you will see this error in your browser’s error console when using the Inspect tool.

This resource could be any file like an image, JavaScript, or CSS stylesheet. The error may have different helpful messages next to it.

Below are a few examples:

• Failed to load resource net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED
• Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found)
• Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 500 (Internal Server Error)
• Failed to load resource: net::err_name_not_resolved

Even if a specific file doesn’t load, the rest of your web page will continue to load. It just may not look or behave as expected. This is why you must fix the error to avoid unexpected issues on your WordPress website.

That being said, let’s see how to easily fix the ‘Failed to load resource’ error in WordPress.

Fixing the ‘Failed to Load Resource’ Error in WordPress

As we mentioned earlier, the error is caused when your website’s code mentions a file, but the browser is unable to download it.

This could happen for a number of reasons. We will look at and eliminate them one by one.

Replace the Missing Resource

First, let’s start with the most common solution. You need to make sure that the failed resource actually exists.

If the missing resource is an image in one of your WordPress blog posts or page, try looking for it in the media library.

If you can see it in the media library, then try to add it again by editing the post or page. If you can’t see the file in the media library, then try uploading it again.

Sometimes, you may see broken images or empty boxes in the media library instead of images. In that case, you may need to fix the file permissions.

For detailed instructions, see our tutorial on how to fix image upload issues in WordPress.

Replace Theme or Plugin Files

If the failed resource is a WordPress plugin or theme file, then the easiest way to replace it is by reinstalling the plugin or theme.

First, you need to deactivate your current WordPress theme. You can do that by visiting the Appearance » Themes page.

If you have another theme installed on your website, then you can go ahead and activate it. This will deactivate your current theme. If you don’t have any other theme installed, then you will need to install a default theme.

Once you activate the other theme, you can visit your website to see if the error has been resolved.

If the missing resource is a WordPress plugin file, then you will need to reinstall the plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

You can also use FTP to connect to your WordPress hosting account and manually replace a specific file. For more details, see our guide on how to use FTP.

Fixing the WordPress URL to Avoid the Failed Resource Error

The most common cause for the failed resource error is incorrect WordPress URL settings.

Simply head over to the Settings » General page and look for the ‘WordPress Address’ and ‘Site Address’ options.

You need to make sure that both URLs are correct. You also need to have the same URLs for both options.

Keep in mind that WordPress treats www and non-www URLs as two different addresses. If you have an SSL certificate enabled on your website, then your URLs should begin with https instead of http.

Don’t forget to click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings. You can now visit your website to see if the error has been resolved.

If the error continues, then you will need to follow our complete WordPress troubleshooting guide. It will help you find out what’s causing the issue and how to fix it.

Frequently Asked Questions About the ‘Failed to Load Resource’ Error in WordPress

If you still have some questions about the ‘Failed to load resource’ error in WordPress, we will answer them here.

What does ‘failed to load resource’ mean in WordPress?

‘Failed to load resource’ in WordPress means that your website is unable to load a file that it is supposed to load. This could be an image, CSS stylesheet, JavaScript, or more.

What causes the ‘failed to load resource’ error in WordPress?

The ‘Failed to load resource’ error in WordPress is typically caused by a missing resource on your site, such as an image. This error message can also appear if there are problems with a plugin or theme files, or if the WordPress URL is incorrect.

We hope this article helped you learn how to easily fix the ‘Failed to load resource; error in WordPress. You may also want to bookmark our ultimate guide on fixing the most common WordPress errors and check out our expert picks for the must-have WordPress plugins to grow your site.

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