If your WordPress site is returning an error bulletin such as "Updating Failed" or "Publishing Failed" when you endeavor to make changes, the results can exist not only frustrating merely can also prevent visitors from accessing what they need.

Fortunately, there are a few common causes and workarounds that tin can help you resolve this issue if you come across it. With a little troubleshooting, you should be back to your regular posting schedule in no time.

In this commodity, we'll discuss what causes the "Updating Failed" and "Publishing Failed" errors in WordPress. So nosotros'll explain iv ways you can fix or work effectually the trouble, to go your content upwards for readers.

Let'south get to information technology!

Why WordPress Sometimes Fails to Update or Publish Content

The Block Editor has been around for a while at present. It'south nonetheless beingness met with mixed reactions, all the same, and there are also new challenges and errors that WordPress users can face because of it.

One such result is a message reading "Publishing Failed" in the WordPress editor:

wordpress updating failed and publishing failed error
Publishing Failed error in the Block Editor

This message may appear afterwards you lot click on the blue Publish push button, in an effort to brand your content live. A variation of this error is the "Updating Failed" message, which may show up when you attempt to make changes to a post or page that you lot've already published:

wordpress updating failed error
Updating Failed mistake in the Block Editor

As you tin can imagine, this problem can be an especially frustrating 1 for bloggers, as well as whatever site owner who finds themselves needing to update fundamental data on their spider web pages.

There are a few different causes of the "Publishing Failed" error, but 1 in particular is linked to the Block Editor. The new WordPress editing interface relies on the REST API to create, save, and publish posts. In the event that something is blocking or disabling this process on your site, y'all won't exist able to launch new content.

If you're a beginner or just a less-technical user, whatsoever mention of the REST API can seem intimidating. Even so, in this example, there's no need to worry.

All you demand to understand for the purposes of resolving the "Publishing Failed" fault is that the REST API is how the Block Editor communicates with WordPress.

When this communication is broken or disabled, the Block Editor's publishing functionality breaks. If that is what's causing the fault on your site, y'all'll demand to get the REST API working again in lodge to fix information technology.

How to Fix the WordPress Updating Failed and Publishing Failed Errors (In iv Steps)

Once you empathize why your WordPress content is failing to update or publish, resolving the trouble becomes easier. Here are four steps y'all can take to become most fixing this trouble on your site.

Pace 1: Decide Whether the REST API Is Being Blocked

A common crusade of the "Publishing Failed" error in WordPress (since the Block Editor was launched) is that the REST API is beingness blocked or disabled. If you lot're seeing this message, a wise identify to start troubleshooting is by testing the REST API to brand sure it's working.

You can practise this directly in WordPress using the Site Health tool. To admission it, navigate to Tools > Site Wellness:

access site health
Accessing the Site Health tool in WordPress.

Under the Status tab, WordPress will list any existing bug with your installation. If the Balance API is existence blocked, you'll meet the following message:

"The Residual API encountered an unexpected result.

The Remainder API is 1 way WordPress and other applications communicate with the server. 1 example is the cake editor screen, which relies on this to display and salvage your posts and pages."

The Site Health tool will too display a specific mistake that is producing the 'unexpected result'. This could be a "401 Not Authorized" response, an operation timeout, a "403 Cookie Nonce Is Invalid" message, or another error.

How you lot should go well-nigh resolving this problem and enabling the REST API again will depend somewhat on the error you encounter listed here.

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Step 2: Re-Enable the REST API past Resolving the Specified Error

Ideally, the Site Health tool will provide some indication as to how you lot can re-enable the Residuum API on your WordPress site. Some common solutions include:

  • Checking to come across if Cloudflare is blocking the REST API. If you lot're a Cloudflare user, your firewall may exist inadvertently blocking legitimate requests. Check your Rule Gear up to determine if the REST API is beingness blocked, and disable rules as necessary to allow it through.
  • Making certain a plugin is not blocking or disabling the Residual API. Some plugins may block the REST API likewise. Disabling your plugins one at a time can help you determine which 1, if any, is causing the trouble. You may then remove, replace, or change the settings for that plugin to enable the REST API again. Security and operation optimization plugins are common culprits.
  • Authenticating your WordPress site with the Residue API via your .htaccess  file. The Remainder API requires your website to authenticate itself before information technology can connect. In the event that your site is non doing then, you can make a minor edit to your .htaccess file to resolve this issue.
  • Determining if the issue is server related. Some users have found that they encounter this problem when running WordPress on a Windows server. Y'all'll need to edit your web.config file to prepare it.

Plugins and firewall applications are the source of the trouble most of the time, so it would be wise to outset your troubleshooting attempts there.

Chances are, you lot'll be able to detect the tool that'southward causing the "Publishing Failed" error in WordPress and disable it or change its settings to resolve the outcome.

Step 3: Enable Debugging Style to Search for Errors

If you can't re-enable the REST API using one of the solutions listed in Stride 2, you tin effort turning on WordPress' debug style. This feature is meant for temporary employ as a troubleshooting tool.

When activated, the debug manner will log all PHP responses in a file named debug.log in your site'south wp-content directory. You lot can search this file for errors that may be preventing WordPress from connecting to the Remainder API, and therefore from publishing or updating posts.

To activate debug way, add together the post-obit code to your wp-config.php file earlier the line that reads "/* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */":

          // Enable WP_DEBUG manner  ascertain( 'WP_DEBUG', truthful );  // Enable Debug logging to the /wp-content/debug.log file  ascertain( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', truthful );

Make sure to remove this code from wp-config.php one time you've resolved the error.

As an alternative, Kinsta customers can admission the error logs available in their MyKinsta dashboard.

To admission yours, log in to your MyKinsta and navigate to the Sites tab:

Sites tab in the MyKinsta dashboard
Sites tab in the MyKinsta dashboard.

Click on the proper name of the website experiencing the error in the resulting list. And then navigate to Logs and select mistake.log from the drop-down bill of fare:

MyKinsta error log viewer
MyKinsta error log viewer

Yous should and then run into a list of any issues your WordPress site is currently experiencing.

Step four: Install and Actuate the Archetype Editor Plugin as a Temporary Solution

In the unlikely upshot that the above steps are not helpful in resolving the "Publishing Failed" error in WordPress, you'll likely need to seek support from one of the following sources:

  • Your hosting provider if yous believe the issue is related to your server or if your host provides WordPress back up.
  • A specific plugin or firewall application, such as Cloudflare, if y'all believe a tool that is integral to your site is blocking the REST API and you're unable to remedy the problem yourself.
  • The WordPress Support forums, if you feel y'all demand farther guidance, such as for a free plugin that does non provide user support.

While you work with a relevant back up provider to resolve the "Publishing Failed" error, you lot may wish to install the Archetype Editor plugin as a temporary workaround:

classic editor plugin
Classic Editor plugin

Since the TinyMCE editor does not require the apply of the REST API to publish or update posts, you should exist able to make the necessary changes to your content with it.

Still, this is only a stopgap measure out. You'll nonetheless want to resolve the root cause of the error in the Cake Editor then re-enable it.

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Summary

Not beingness able to publish or update your WordPress site's content can be a serious trouble. Fortunately, at that place are a few mutual causes of these errors that yous can quickly troubleshoot to put things back in order.

If you're receiving an "Updating Failed" or "Publishing Failed" bulletin in the WordPress Block Editor, try:

  1. Determining whether the REST API is existence blocked.
  2. Re-enabling the REST API by resolving the specified error.
  3. Enabling debugging mode to search for errors.
  4. Installing and activating the Archetype Editor plugin as a temporary solution.

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