You clicked "Update" on your Avada theme...
And now you're staring at the White Screen of Death!!
Or maybe a "Critical Error" message. Or your entire layout is broken. Or the backend won't load...
Deep breath. Don't panic :)
I've recovered dozens of Avada sites after failed updates. This guide will walk you through exactly how to fix it...
Why Avada Updates Break Sites
Before we fix it, let's understand what went wrong:
Common causes:
- Plugin conflicts - A plugin isn't compatible with the new Avada version
- Avada Core/Builder mismatch - Theme updated but plugins didn't
- PHP version incompatibility - New Avada needs newer PHP
- Child theme issues - Outdated template files in child theme
- Memory limits - Server ran out of memory mid-update
- Incomplete update - Files corrupted or partially uploaded
The good news?? All of these are fixable :)
Step 1: Check Your Email
WordPress 5.2+ has a built-in Recovery Mode. When a fatal error occurs, WordPress sends an email to your admin address with a special login link.
Check your inbox for:
- Subject: "Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue"
- Contains a recovery mode link
Click that link and you'll access your dashboard with the problematic plugin/theme paused.
Don't see the email? Check spam. Still nothing? Try this URL:
https://yoursite.com/wp-login.php?action=entered_recovery_mode
Replace "yoursite.com" with your domain :)
Step 2: If You Can Access the Dashboard
Lucky you!! If you can still log into wp-admin, here's what to do:
Clear All Caches First
Go to Avada → Options → Performance and click "Reset Fusion Caches"
Then clear:
- Your caching plugin (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.)
- Browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete)
- Server cache (via hosting panel)
- CDN cache (Cloudflare, etc.)
Sometimes it's just a cache issue!! Test your site after clearing...
Update Avada Core and Builder
The #1 cause of post-update issues: Theme updated but required plugins didn't
Go to Avada → Plugins & Add-ons
Update in this order:
- Avada Core (FIRST!)
- Avada Builder (SECOND!)
Important: Always update Avada Core before Avada Builder. Wrong order = problems!!
Regenerate Critical CSS
If you were using Critical CSS, it's now invalid after the update.
Go to Avada → Critical CSS and regenerate for all pages.
Or temporarily disable Critical CSS in Options → Performance until things stabilize.
Step 3: If You're Locked Out Completely
Can't access wp-admin at all?? White screen everywhere??
Time for FTP access...
Connect via FTP
You'll need:
- FTP credentials (from your hosting provider)
- An FTP client (FileZilla is free)
Or use your hosting's File Manager (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
Disable All Plugins via FTP
Navigate to: /wp-content/plugins/
Rename the folder to: plugins-disabled
/wp-content/plugins/ → /wp-content/plugins-disabled/
This instantly deactivates ALL plugins. Now try accessing your site...
Site works now? Great! One of your plugins caused the conflict. Rename the folder back to "plugins" and reactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit.
Disable Avada Theme via FTP
If disabling plugins didn't help, try the theme:
Navigate to: /wp-content/themes/
Rename the Avada folder:
/wp-content/themes/Avada/ → /wp-content/themes/Avada-disabled/
WordPress will automatically fall back to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Three, etc.)
Site works with default theme? The issue is with Avada itself...
The Nuclear Option: Reinstall Avada
If Avada files are corrupted:
- Download fresh Avada files from ThemeForest
- Delete the old Avada folder completely via FTP
- Upload the new Avada folder to
/wp-content/themes/ - Activate Avada in WordPress dashboard
Important: Deleting theme files does NOT delete your content!! Your pages, posts, and settings are in the database, not theme files :)
Step 4: PHP Version Conflicts
Getting errors about "Unparenthesized ternary operators" or other PHP errors??
Your Avada version might not be compatible with your PHP version.
Check PHP Compatibility
- Avada 7.x requires PHP 7.4+
- Avada 7.11+ works best with PHP 8.0-8.2
- PHP 8.3/8.4 can cause issues with older Avada versions
Quick Fix: Downgrade PHP Temporarily
In your hosting control panel:
- Find PHP settings
- Change PHP version to 8.0 or 7.4
- Test your site
If this fixes it, update Avada to the latest version (which has better PHP 8.x support), then upgrade PHP again.
Step 5: Child Theme Problems
Using a child theme? Outdated template files can break everything after an update.
Switch to Parent Theme Temporarily
Via FTP, rename your child theme folder:
/wp-content/themes/Avada-Child/ → /wp-content/themes/Avada-Child-disabled/
If the site works with the parent theme, your child theme has incompatible template files.
Update Child Theme Templates
Check if you copied any template files from parent to child:
- header.php
- footer.php
- functions.php
- Any files in /templates/ folder
These may need updating or removing. Compare with fresh Avada files and update accordingly.
Step 6: Restore From Backup
Sometimes the fastest fix is just... going back in time :)
If You Have a Backup Plugin (UpdraftPlus, etc.)
- Access backup plugin via wp-admin (if possible) or
- Restore manually via FTP using your backup files
If Your Host Has Automatic Backups
Most decent hosts keep daily backups:
- SiteGround: Site Tools → Security → Backups
- Cloudways: Applications → Backup And Restore
- cPanel: JetBackup or similar
Restore to a point before the update went wrong!!
No Backup? Learn This Lesson...
If you don't have a backup... I feel your pain :(
But let this be the lesson: ALWAYS backup before updating
Recommended backup plugins:
- UpdraftPlus (free version works great)
- BlogVault
- VaultPress
Set up automated daily backups. Future you will thank present you!!
Step 7: Specific Error Fixes
"There has been a critical error on this website"
This is PHP catching a fatal error. Usually plugin conflict.
Fix: Use FTP to disable plugins (Step 3), find the conflicting one.
Common culprits with Avada:
- The Events Calendar
- Yoast SEO (on specific pages)
- WooCommerce PayPal Payments
- Old caching plugins
White Screen of Death (WSOD)
No error message, just blank white page.
Fix:
- Enable WordPress debug mode
- Add to wp-config.php:
define('WP_DEBUG', true); - Reload page - now you'll see the actual error
- Fix the error, then set WP_DEBUG back to false
"Are You Sure You Want To Do This?"
This happens when uploading theme via WordPress with file size limits.
Fix:
- Update via FTP instead, or
- Ask host to increase upload_max_filesize to 32M
Layout Completely Broken
CSS/JS not loading properly after update.
Fix:
- Reset Fusion Caches (Avada → Options → Performance)
- Clear ALL caches
- Regenerate Critical CSS
- Check for JavaScript errors in browser console (F12)
If your site loads but is painfully slow after fixing, check out my guide on Why Your Avada Site is Slow (And How to Fix It).
Also make sure your Core Web Vitals aren't tanking your Google rankings - see Why Your Avada Theme Site Fails Core Web Vitals (And How to Fix It).
Backend Slow or Timing Out
Memory exhausted during update.
Fix: Increase PHP memory limit in wp-config.php:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');
Prevention: How to Update Avada Safely
Now that you've survived this disaster, let's make sure it never happens again...
Before ANY Update:
- Backup everything - Full site + database
- Read the changelog - Check Avada's Important Update Info page
- Check PHP version - Ensure compatibility
- Test on staging first - Most hosts offer free staging sites
The Safe Update Process:
1. Backup site
2. Deactivate caching plugins temporarily
3. Switch to parent theme (if using child theme)
4. Update Avada theme
5. Update Avada Core plugin
6. Update Avada Builder plugin
7. Clear all caches
8. Regenerate Critical CSS
9. Switch back to child theme
10. Reactivate caching plugins
11. Test everything!!
Keep Backups Offsite
Don't just rely on your host's backups. Use a plugin that stores backups on:
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Amazon S3
If your server dies, your backups are still safe :)
When to Consider Switching Themes
Here's an uncomfortable truth...
Avada is powerful but it's also complex. With 100+ features, there's a lot that can break during updates.
If you're constantly fighting update issues, consider these factors:
Avada's licensing model:
- $69 per site (one-time, but per-site)
- Extended support costs $80/year per site
- Managing 5 sites? That's $345 in licenses plus $400/year for support
Alternatives exist: Divi offers unlimited site licenses for ~$89/year or $249 lifetime. Similar visual builder, similar features, but often smoother updates because fewer moving parts.
Not saying you should switch - Avada is fantastic for many use cases. Just worth knowing your options if update headaches become a pattern.
If you're curious about what Divi offers, check out Divi 5's Layout Revolution - How Flexbox and CSS Grid Change Responsive Design or The 2026 Divi Updates Nobody Expected :)
Quick Reference Checklist
When Avada update breaks your site:
- [ ] Check email for WordPress Recovery Mode link
- [ ] Try Recovery Mode URL:
/wp-login.php?action=entered_recovery_mode - [ ] Clear all caches (Avada, plugin, browser, server)
- [ ] Update Avada Core, then Avada Builder
- [ ] Regenerate Critical CSS
- [ ] Disable plugins via FTP if locked out
- [ ] Disable theme via FTP if plugins aren't the issue
- [ ] Check PHP version compatibility
- [ ] Check child theme template files
- [ ] Restore from backup if all else fails
- [ ] Enable WP_DEBUG to see actual errors
Prevention:
- [ ] Always backup before updating
- [ ] Read changelog before updating
- [ ] Test on staging first
- [ ] Update Avada Core BEFORE Avada Builder
- [ ] Keep PHP version compatible
Wrapping Up
A broken site is terrifying... But it's almost always fixable!!
The key steps:
- Don't panic
- Check Recovery Mode email
- Clear caches
- Update Avada Core + Builder in correct order
- Use FTP if locked out
- Restore backup if needed
And most importantly: Always backup before updating - saves hours of stress :)
Has an Avada update broken your site? Drop your error message in the comments - I'll try to help troubleshoot!!
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