As a long-time WordPress user, I know how frustrating editor errors can be when making simple theme and plugin tweaks. You type up some changes, hit update, and boom:
"Your modification failed to save. Please try again."
I recently experienced this first-hand while editing Genesis child theme files on my site. After some extensive troubleshooting, I uncovered the source of the issue and got my editor working again.
I wanted to share a complete A to Z troubleshooting game plan so you can rapidly fix any edit saving failures you encounter. Whether hosted on shared, cloud or dedicated servers, these tips will help smooth over annoying editor problems.
Why File Update Errors Happen
Before jumping into solutions, let‘s quickly cover why saving changes in the editor periodically fails in the first place.
At a high level, editors rely on proper file permissions and access to function. When permissions get changed or access gets blocked, failures ensue.
Some leading culprits:
- Incorrect theme folder permissions. If permissions are too restrictive, the editor can‘t access and update files.
- Security plugins blocking requests. Plugins like WordFence may mistakenly interpret editor requests as suspicious.
- Cloud firewall rules triggered. Cloud WAFs can also flag editor actions as potential attacks.
- Code errors causing failures. Simple PHP/JS errors can also prevent proper functioning.
With so many layers at play, it‘s tricky to pinpoint precisely where editing breaks down. That‘s what makes troubleshooting tedious and time-consuming.
Luckily this guide will shortcut the hair-pulling for you.
I structure things in actionable, priority order – no wandering down dead ends! Let‘s get to it pal.
Step 1: Verify Theme Folder Permissions
Since permission issues are incredibly common, we‘ll start there.
It only takes seconds to check, so why not rule it out?
Here‘s how to confirm your theme folder and files have proper permissions:
- Check what user your web server runs as (e.g. "nginx", "apache", "www-data")
- Ensure your theme folder is owned by that web server user
- Set folder permissions to
755and file permissions to644
For example on my server:
chown -R nginx:nginx /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/genesis
find /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/genesis/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/genesis/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;This recursively updates ownership and locks down permissions correctly.
If you‘re on shared hosting, permissions are likely set properly already under the hood.
But if self-managing a VPS or cloud server, double check! Ownership issues can definitely break editing capabilities.
Once permissions are verified, try updating that theme file again. Hopefully that‘s all it was!
If not, let‘s move on to the next steps…
Step 2: Temporarily Disable Security Plugins
WordPress security plugins like WordFence, All In One WP Security, and iThemes Security do great things to lock sites down.
But occasionally, they can be too restrictive and block legitimate editor requests to save file changes.
To test if that‘s happening for you, temporarily disable relevant plugins and attempt editing files again:
- In wp-admin, disable WordFence, iThemes, AIWPS or other security plugins.
- Try updating a theme file via the editor.
- If it works, turn plugins back on one-by-one until identifying the culprit.
You‘ll also want to poke around in that plugin‘s settings for options related to editing functionality or managing false positives.
For example:
- WordFence > Option > Enable Editing While Security Features Active
- iThemes Security > Settings > System Tweaks > File Editor
Temporarily allowing editor access or whitelisting admin IP addresses can resolve plugin-related blocks.
We‘re getting closer buddy! Don‘t lose hope yet.
Step 3: Inspect Cloud WAF Rules
If you host WordPress on a cloud platform like Cloudways, Kinsta or Pantheon, there‘s likely a web application firewall (WAF) involved.
Much like security plugins, overly-strict WAF rules can incorrectly block legitimate editor requests – stopping saves in their tracks.
To identify and fix this:
- Check WAF logs for request details getting flagged
- Look for patterns like POSTs to
/wp-admin/theme-editor.php - Try whitelisting your IP address under WAF settings
For example on Cloudflare, I navigated to Firewall > WAF Rules and whitelisted my home IP under managed rules. You can take the same approach for other cloud WAFs.
And if no obvious flags show up in your WAF logs, reach out to support. The team can look under the hood to verify if request blocking is happening.
With these cloud security layers addressed, hopefully your editing starts flowing again!
Step 4: Troubleshoot Specific Update Error Messages
Sometimes when editor updates fail, you see low level PHP or JavaScript errors explaining exactly why.
Let‘s break down two common examples I‘ve run into:
Unexpected T_STRING Error
Seeing Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING or variations? This PHP syntax error is commonly caused by simple code typos breaking things.
A few tips for troubleshooting:
- Carefully review the file for typos, missing semicolons, etc.
- Validate it‘s clean overall PHP code before the error line
- Try a rollback to a known good code version
Finding that one typo causing mayhem is annoying! But very fixable.
Incomplete Object Instance Errors
JavaScript errors like Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘forEach‘) often relate to a plugin or function not being loaded fully.
Some debugging ideas:
- Toggle related plugins off until finding the conflict
- Check browser console for exact file/line numbers
- Use debugging plugins like Debug Objects and Query Monitor
With the specific source identified, updates should smoothly process again.
Step 5: Explore Manual Workarounds
If all else fails in getting the standard editor working again, a few temporary workarounds exist:
A. FTP File Uploads
It‘s old school but sometimes necessary: directly upload changed theme/plugin files via SFTP as a workaround when editing fails.
A bit tedious but gets the job done!
B. Utilize the WP IDE Plugin
The WordPress IDE plugin allows editing files from within the admin without relying on the default functionality.
It can use methods less likely to be blocked, so worth testing out.
C. Fallback Editor Mode
Under Settings > Writing in the WP dashboard is a radio button for using either the visual editor or fallback code mirror.
Flipping that switch provides a last resort editing method when issues persist.
Not fun but usable!
Step 6: Proactively Prevent Editor Problems
Alright, let‘s shift gears and talk prevention.
While troubleshooting editor errors is no fun at all, having the right fundamentals prevents most issues outright.
Here are pro tips for avoiding file update failures down the road:
Lock Down File Permissions
Solid permissions = a solid foundation. Stay vigilant!
Test Plugin Updates
Don‘t blindly update plugins without checking for compatibility issues.
Tune Security Plugin Settings
Loosen restrictions around editing and whitelist your IP where possible.
Prevent Cloud WAF Blocks
Get ahead of false positives by adding whitelist rules upfront.
And otherwise adopt WordPress best practices – strong passwords, backups, site hygiene and so on.
An ounce of prevention truly beats pounds of troubleshooting!
Let‘s Recap, Buddy
We covered a ton of ground here. Let‘s summarize the key points:
- Editor errors commonly stem from permission issues, security blocks or code failures
- Methodically rule out each cause through testing and validation
- Fix the underlying problem first rather than relying solely on workarounds
- Proactively harden your environment and prevent errors happening in the first place
Hopefully with a few targeted troubleshooting steps, you‘ll narrow down what‘s interfering with seamless file updates. Getting the editor working smoothly again lets you focus on more interesting things!
No developer enjoys being blocked from pushing simple changes. Feel free to reach out if any editor errors persist – maybe I‘ve seen the problem and can help shortcut the hassle.
Talk soon!
