WPBeginner

Beginner's Guide for WordPress

  • Blog
    • Beginners Guide
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Showcase
    • Themes
    • Tutorials
    • WordPress Plugins
  • Start Here
    • How to Start a Blog
    • Create a Website
    • Start an Online Store
    • Best Website Builder
    • Email Marketing
    • WordPress Hosting
    • Business Name Ideas
  • Deals
    • Bluehost Coupon
    • SiteGround Coupon
    • WP Engine Coupon
    • HostGator Coupon
    • Domain.com Coupon
    • Constant Contact
    • View All Deals »
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Products
X
☰
Beginner's Guide for WordPress / Start your WordPress Blog in minutes
Choosing the Best
WordPress Hosting
How to Easily
Install WordPress
Recommended
WordPress Plugins
View all Guides

WPBeginner» Blog» Tutorials» How to Fix the WordPress Failed to Open Stream Error

How to Fix the WordPress Failed to Open Stream Error

Last updated on May 2nd, 2018 by Editorial Staff
69 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Free WordPress Video Tutorials on YouTube by WPBeginner
How to Fix the WordPress Failed to Open Stream Error

Are you seeing the ‘failed to open stream’ error in WordPress? This error usually points out the location of the scripts where the error has occurred. However, it is quite difficult for beginner users to understand it. In this article, we will show you how to easily fix the WordPress failed to open stream error.

Failed to open stream error in WordPress

Why Failed to Open Stream Error Occurs?

Before we try to fix the error, it would be helpful to understand what causes the ‘Failed to open stream’ error in WordPress.

This error occurs when WordPress is unable to load the file mentioned in website code. When this error occurs, sometimes WordPress will continue loading the site and only show a warning message, while other times WordPress will show a fatal error and will not load anything else.

The message phrasing will be different depending on where the error occurs in the code and the reason for failure. It will also give you clues about what needs to be fixed.

Typically, this message would look something like this:

Warning: require(/home/website/wp-includes/load.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/website/wp-settings.php on line 19 

Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/home/website/wp-includes/load.php’ (include_path=’.:/usr/share/php/:/usr/share/php5/’) in /home/website/wp-settings.php on line 19

Here is another example:

Last Error: 2018-04-04 14:52:13: (2) HTTP Error: Unable to connect: ‘fopen(compress.zlib://https://www.googleapis.com/analytics/v3/management/accounts/~all/webproperties/~all/profiles?start-index=1): failed to open stream: operation failed’

Having said that, let’s take a look at how to troubleshoot and fix ‘failed to open stream’ error in WordPress.

Fixing Failed to Open Stream Error in WordPress

As we mentioned earlier, the error can be caused by a variety of reasons and the error message will be different depending on the cause and location of the file that’s causing the error.

In each instance, failed to open stream phrase would be followed by a reason. For example, permission denied, no such file or directory, operation failed, and more.

Now if your error message contains ‘no such file or directory’, then you need to look in the code to figure out which file is mentioned at that particular line.

If it is a plugin or theme file, then this means that the plugin or theme files were either deleted or not installed correctly. Simply deactivate and reinstall the theme / plugin in question to fix the error.

However, it is also possible that WordPress is unable to locate the files because of a missing .htaccess file in your root folder. In that case, you need to go to Settings » Permalinks page in your WordPress admin and just click on the ‘Save changes’ button to regenerate the .htaccess file.

Regenerate htaccess file in WordPress

If the error message is followed by ‘Permission denied’, then this means that WordPress does not have the right permission to access the file or directory referenced in the code.

To fix this, you need to check WordPress files and directory permissions and correct them if needed.

Lastly, some WordPress plugins load scripts from third-party sources like Google Analytics, Facebook APIs, Google Maps, and other third-party APIs.

Some of these APIs may require authentication or may have changed the way developers can access them. A failure to authenticate or incorrect access method will result in WordPress failing to open the required files.

To fix this, you will need to contact the plugin author for support. They will be able to help you fix the error.

If none of these tips help you resolve the issue, then follow the steps mentioned in our WordPress troubleshooting guide. This step by step guide will help you pinpoint the issue, so you can easily find the solution.

We hope this article helped you fix the WordPress ‘failed to open stream’ error. You may also want to bookmark our list of the most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

69 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Popular on WPBeginner Right Now!
  • Checklist

    Checklist: 15 Things You MUST DO Before Changing WordPress Themes

  • Google Analytics in WordPress

    How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners

  • Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

    Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

  • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

About the Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi. Trusted by over 1.3 million readers worldwide.

The Ultimate WordPress Toolkit

16 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. mukesh says:
    Oct 6, 2019 at 6:33 am

    when i open error file in file manager then show error:-
    PHP Warning: Unknown: failed to open stream: Permission denied in Unknown on line 0

    PHP Fatal error: Unknown: Failed opening required ‘/home/printwow/public_html/site/index.php’
    (include_path=’.:/opt/alt/php54/usr/share/pear:/opt/alt/php54/usr/share/php’) in Unknown on line 0

    please help

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Oct 7, 2019 at 10:43 am

      For a permissions error, you would want to take a look at our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-fix-file-and-folder-permissions-error-in-wordpress/

      Reply
  2. Ong says:
    Jun 15, 2019 at 3:34 am

    Please Help Me

    [15-Jun-2019 07:05:54 UTC] PHP Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/public_html/CMS/wp-includes/post-thumbnail-template.php’ (include_path=’.:/opt/alt/php70/usr/share/pear’) in /public_html/CMS/wp-settings.php on line 175

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jun 17, 2019 at 11:29 am

      For that error, you would want to first try updating your WordPress using FTP: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/ultimate-guide-to-upgrade-wordpress-for-beginners-infograph/

      Reply
  3. Tamsyn says:
    Jun 11, 2019 at 6:36 am

    All this is well and good – but what if you can’t even get into your dashboard/admin space?

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jun 11, 2019 at 10:45 am

      You could try the steps in our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/

      Reply
  4. Christina says:
    Jun 10, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Please help! I can’t even log into my site to try the suggestions in this article!

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jun 11, 2019 at 10:13 am

      If you’re unable to log in you could try the recommendations in our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/

      Reply
  5. Estefania B says:
    May 20, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    Please help:

    Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/home/content/01/14040901/html/wp-blog-header.php’ (include_path=’.:/usr/local/php5_6/lib/php’) in /home/content/01/14040901/html/index.php on line 30

    how do i fix it? and what could be the probable cause of it?

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      May 21, 2019 at 9:55 am

      For fixing that issue, you would want to go through the troubleshooting steps in our article:

      https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/

      to find the culprit

      Reply
  6. Sikander Azam says:
    May 16, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Please help me :

    Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/wp-includes/post.php’ (include_path=’.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php56/root/usr/share/pear’) in /public_html/wp-settings.php on line 178

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      May 17, 2019 at 11:16 am

      If the method in this article was not able to assist you, we would recommend going through our troubleshooting steps here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-troubleshooting-wordpress-errors-step-by-step/

      Reply
  7. Harsh says:
    Apr 16, 2019 at 7:03 am

    *Please Help*
    Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required ‘/public_html/wp-content/plugins/amp/includes/widgets/class-amp-widget-media-video.php’ (include_path=’.:/opt/php56/lib/php’)
    What do i do? I am not able to access my dashboard as well my site

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Apr 16, 2019 at 11:40 am

      It looks like your AMP plugin is having trouble, you should be able to deactivate it using: https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-deactivate-all-plugins-when-not-able-to-access-wp-admin/
      to be able to log back into the site.

      Reply
  8. Qumber Rizvi says:
    Sep 24, 2018 at 7:17 am

    Three of my WP sites are hosted on the same hosting. All of them are giving the same error:

    Warning: require(/home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-includes/post.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-settings.php on line 166

    Warning: require(/home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-includes/post.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-settings.php on line 166

    Fatal error: require(): Failed opening required ‘/home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-includes/post.php’ (include_path=’.:/opt/alt/php56/usr/share/pear:/opt/alt/php56/usr/share/php’) in /home/selfsbsr/public_html/pulse/wp-settings.php on line 166

    Note that these three sites are single sites and NOT part of Multisite Network. They do NOT share databases or directories.
    All they have in common is the host.
    I’ve tried to resolve this by resetting permissions of all the files and directories, disabling plugins by renaming folders of each of em, disabling theme by renaming its folder. I’ve checked the htaccess file. Nothing is out of the ordinary. And yet, I can’t do anything bring it back up.
    What should be the probable cause?

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Sep 24, 2018 at 6:57 pm

      Hi Qumber,

      Please contact your hosting provider. It seems like a hosting issue.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thanks for choosing to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our comment policy, and your email address will NOT be published. Please Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation.

Over 1,320,000+ Readers

Get fresh content from WPBeginner

Featured WordPress Plugin
TrustPulse
TrustPulse
Instantly get 15% more conversions with social proof. Learn More »
How to Start a Blog How to Start a Blog
I need help with ...
Starting a
Blog
WordPress
Performance
WordPress
Security
WordPress
SEO
WordPress
Errors
Building an
Online Store
Useful WordPress Guides
    • 7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons)
    • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress
    • Why You Need a CDN for your WordPress Blog? [Infographic]
    • 30 Legit Ways to Make Money Online Blogging with WordPress
    • Self Hosted WordPress.org vs. Free WordPress.com [Infograph]
    • Free Recording: WordPress Workshop for Beginners
    • 24 Must Have WordPress Plugins for Business Websites
    • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
    • 5 Best Contact Form Plugins for WordPress Compared
    • Which is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin? (Comparison)
    • Best WooCommerce Hosting in 2020 (Comparison)
    • How to Fix the Internal Server Error in WordPress
    • How to Install WordPress - Complete WordPress Installation Tutorial
    • Why You Should Start Building an Email List Right Away
    • How to Properly Move WordPress to a New Domain Without Losing SEO
    • How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website
    • How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform (Comparison)
    • WordPress Tutorials - 200+ Step by Step WordPress Tutorials
    • 5 Best WordPress Ecommerce Plugins Compared
    • 5 Best WordPress Membership Plugins (Compared)
    • 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2020)
    • How to Choose the Best Domain Registrar (Compared)
    • The Truth About Shared WordPress Web Hosting
    • When Do You Really Need Managed WordPress Hosting?
    • 5 Best Drag and Drop WordPress Page Builders Compared
    • How to Switch from Blogger to WordPress without Losing Google Rankings
    • How to Properly Switch From Wix to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • How to Properly Move from Weebly to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • Do You Really Need a VPS? Best WordPress VPS Hosting Compared
    • How to Properly Move from Squarespace to WordPress
    • How to Register a Domain Name (+ tip to get it for FREE)
    • HostGator Review - An Honest Look at Speed & Uptime (2020)
    • SiteGround Reviews from 4196 Users & Our Experts (2020)
    • Bluehost Review from Real Users + Performance Stats (2020)
    • How Much Does It Really Cost to Build a WordPress Website?
    • How to Create an Email Newsletter the RIGHT WAY (Step by Step)
    • Free Business Name Generator (A.I Powered)
    • How to Create a Free Business Email Address in 5 Minutes (Step by Step)
    • How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners
    • How to Move WordPress to a New Host or Server With No Downtime
    • Why is WordPress Free? What are the Costs? What is the Catch?
    • How to Make a Website in 2020 – Step by Step Guide
Deals & Coupons (view all)
IPVanish Coupon
Get 20% OFF on IPVanish, one of the best VPN service providers for bloggers and WordPress users.
Theme Trust
ThemeTrust Coupon
Get 20% off on all ThemeTrust themes brought to you by Henry Jones.
Featured In
About WPBeginner®

WPBeginner is a free WordPress resource site for Beginners. WPBeginner was founded in July 2009 by Syed Balkhi. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other WordPress resources that allows WordPress beginners to improve their site(s).
Join our team: We are Hiring!

Site Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FTC Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Free Blog Setup
  • Free Business Tools
Our Sites
  • OptinMonster
  • MonsterInsights
  • WPForms
  • SeedProd
  • Nameboy
  • RafflePress
  • Smash Balloon

Copyright © 2009 - 2021 WPBeginner LLC. All Rights Reserved. WPBeginner® is a registered trademark.

Managed by Awesome Motive | WordPress hosting by SiteGround | WordPress CDN by MaxCDN | WordPress Security by Sucuri.