Section 05 of 05
WordPress plugin troubleshooting notes
Share plugins sit on top of WordPress features that fail quietly: scheduled tasks that never run, deprecated functions that start throwing notices after an update, and conflicts that only appear with one theme. When share counts stop updating or the admin goes blank after an update, the cause is usually here rather than in the share plugin itself.
These notes cover the troubleshooting order that resolves most problems, the replacement for a function many older plugins still called, and how to run scheduled tasks reliably on quiet or heavily cached sites.
The guides in this section
- Fixing the get_currentuserinfo() is deprecated noticeWhat the get_currentuserinfo() is deprecated notice means, how to find the plugin or theme calling it, and the one-line fix using wp_get_current_user().3 min read
- External cron jobs for WordPress, the right wayReplace WP-Cron's visit-triggered schedule with a real server cron job: disable WP-Cron, call wp-cron.php or WP-CLI on a schedule, and check tasks actually run.3 min read
- Plugin troubleshooting: what to try firstTroubleshoot a WordPress plugin problem in a safe order: caches, conflicts, debug logging, recovery mode, and disabling a plugin when the admin is down.3 min read
Before you change anything
Work on a staging copy where you can, keep a current backup, and change one thing at a time. The most expensive troubleshooting mistakes come from fixing three things at once and not knowing which one mattered.
Why these notes sit beside the sharing guides
The old knowledge base and blog on this domain mixed share plugin help with general WordPress fixes, because the two kept overlapping: a deprecated function in a newsletter plugin broke admin screens, a cron problem froze share counts, a caching layer hid settings changes. Those posts still receive links, and the questions behind them are still asked, so they are answered here in their current form.
Questions
Why do share counts depend on cron?
Most plugins refresh counts in scheduled tasks. If WP-Cron does not run, counts never update.
What should I try first when a plugin breaks?
Clear every cache and update everything, then test for conflicts on staging.
Is it safe to edit wp-config.php?
Yes, with a backup and care. Add constants above the line that says to stop editing.
Hannah Voss, Editor. Checks every guide against a working WordPress install and the networks' current documentation. Last reviewed September 2026.