WordPressPractical help
Does your WordPress site look different from the editor, return a broken link or show overwritten content? These selected issues each come with a practical first check. I explain what you can check yourself and when a closer diagnosis is worthwhile. Choose the issue you are dealing with.
Find your questionWordPress · Elementor · Thrive · BeBuilder
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What is going wrong?
Common issues and how to check them.
Choose your question and follow the steps.
I saved my changes. Why do visitors still see the old version?
The problem
Your change appears in the editor, but the public page looks the same as before.
What could be causing it
You may be looking at a draft while visitors see the published version. If the change is published, several caches could be involved, including your browser, WordPress and your host.
One thing to check
A private window bypasses your existing browser cache. The server may still return the same old page, so I check both separately.
Publishing and caching
What to do
- Check the page’s publication status and public URL. Compare a specific piece of text that changed.
- Clear the page cache, then the hosting or CDN cache if one is active.
- Open the same URL in a private browser window while signed out and look for the changed text.
How to check the result
Does the new text also appear on the public page when you are signed out? A preview link alone is insufficient for this check.
My page exists, but the link returns a 404. What should I do?
The problem
You can find the page in the dashboard, but its public link leads nowhere.
What could be causing it
To a visitor, a single broken link and faulty URL rules look the same. If several subpages fail, check the permalink rules.
One thing to check
You can refresh the rules without switching permalink structures. This avoids changing public URLs as well as dealing with the original 404.
URLs and permalinks
What to do
- Check the publication status and copy the current page link from WordPress.
- Open Settings → Permalinks and note the existing structure without changing it. Opening this screen refreshes the WordPress rules.
- Try the current link, two other subpages and the homepage again.
How to check the result
If the current page link works but the menu link does not, check where the menu item points. If several current links still fail, the server rules need checking.
I overwrote some text. How do I find the previous version?
The problem
Text or a heading is missing after saving, and you want to recover it.
What could be causing it
WordPress can keep previously saved versions as revisions. Whether the version you need is still there depends in part on your retention settings.
One thing to check
Autosaving and publishing are separate. A notice about a newer autosave may therefore refer to a version visitors have never seen.
WordPress revisions
What to do
- Back up the current content first so you can keep any useful changes you have made since.
- On a page built with a page builder, check the builder’s own history first. Otherwise, open Revisions in the WordPress editor and compare dates, authors and content with the version you need.
- Where possible, copy back only the lost text. If you restore the entire previous version, reapply the newer changes from your backup afterwards.
How to check the result
Can you see the recovered text and all the changes you wanted to keep? Check the public page afterwards too.
A section appears in BeBuilder but is missing on my phone. Why?
The problem
A section appears on desktop but disappears from the mobile version of your page.
What could be causing it
Sections can be hidden at specific screen sizes. Sometimes a second version exists specifically for mobile devices.
One thing to check
When the desktop and mobile sections are separate, editing the text in one does not update the other. Look for a second copy before recreating the content.
BeBuilder and responsive visibility
What to do
- Back up the page and find the affected section and any mobile copy in the builder’s structure.
- Check the section’s device-specific visibility. In BeBuilder Blocks, this setting is called Responsive Visibility.
- Adjust only the version you want to change, save and check the result on desktop, tablet and phone.
How to check the result
Does the intended content appear once at each of the relevant screen sizes?
Why does my main address show a different page?
The problem
Your domain shows a list of posts or a different page from the one you intended.
What could be causing it
Under Settings → Reading, WordPress lets you choose between your latest posts and a static homepage. The homepage and the posts page serve different purposes.
One thing to check
WordPress ignores the normal page template of a page assigned as the posts page. The theme supplies the posts layout, so changes to that page’s own layout may have no effect.
WordPress settings
What to do
- Under Settings → Reading, note the existing homepage and posts page assignments.
- For a static homepage, select the correct published page. Assign a different page to display your posts.
- Save, then open both your main address and the blog link while signed out.
How to check the result
Does your main address show the chosen homepage and does the blog link show the posts list?
My public page does not appear in search. What should I check first?
The problem
Your site is reachable, but it has yet to appear in search results.
What could be causing it
A search visibility setting left over from development can output noindex. If this directive is absent, the cause lies elsewhere. Indexing can take time after publication.
One thing to check
Discouraging search engines does not protect a test site from visitors. Anyone who knows the link can still open it, so confidential content needs real access controls.
WordPress and search engines
What to do
- Under Settings → Reading, check the search engine visibility option.
- If the website is meant to be discoverable, clear any unintended restriction and save.
- Open the public page while signed out and search the page source for a robots directive containing noindex.
How to check the result
Has noindex disappeared? Removing the restriction does not guarantee whether or when the page will be indexed.
My copied page has the wrong SEO title. What should I check?
The problem
The new page still uses an SEO title that belongs to the original page.
What could be causing it
A title saved specifically for the page in Yoast can override the general title template. Start by checking what the published page actually outputs.
One thing to check
Google can display a different title even when your page source is correct. I check the page output separately from the later search result before changing anything else.
WordPress and Yoast SEO
What to do
- Open the correct published page and note its current Yoast SEO title.
- Update the title to reflect the content of the new page and save.
- Open the public URL. Right-click and choose View page source to check the title the page outputs.
How to check the result
Look for <title>. There should be exactly one title and it should match the new page content.
Elementor looks right in the editor, but the live layout has shifted. What should I do?
The problem
Colours, spacing or fonts match your design in the editor but differ on the published page.
What could be causing it
Outdated Elementor files can serve old styles. A separate page or hosting cache can continue to serve these files after you clear Elementor’s files.
One thing to check
I usually set responsive values from large to small: desktop, tablet, then mobile. If tablet or mobile already has its own value for a setting, changing the desktop value does not replace it. Clearing Elementor’s files and checking the hosting cache are separate steps.
Elementor and CSS
What to do
- Compare the editor and public page at the same viewport width. If a font size or gap differs, check for tablet- or mobile-specific values first. These take priority over desktop values. Make a full site backup before clearing files.
- In Elementor’s Tools area, use Clear Files & Data and save the setting.
- Clear any page and hosting caches, then reopen the same URL while signed out.
How to check the result
At the same viewport width, compare one affected font, colour or gap. That helps separate a responsive setting from a CSS problem.
Elementor keeps loading or stays blank. Do I need to disable plugins?
The problem
When you open a page, the loading indicator keeps spinning or the editor stays blank.
What could be causing it
Theme code and extensions can interfere with the editor. Safe Mode helps isolate these conflicts. If the issue persists, the browser, memory or firewall may also be involved.
One thing to check
Safe Mode applies to your administrator editor session. Visitors still see the regular website, and the mode does not repair an issue on the published page.
Diagnosing Elementor
What to do
- Make a full backup and sign in as an administrator.
- In Elementor’s Tools area, enable Safe Mode and save.
- Open the same page, check for the Safe Mode indicator and compare how it loads. Then turn Safe Mode off again.
How to check the result
Does the same editor area load in Safe Mode? The result narrows down the problem, although it cannot identify the specific conflicting plugin on its own.
My change will not save. What should I check first?
The problem
You are editing a page, click Save and get an error instead of a clear confirmation.
What could be causing it
A rejected request, server error or plugin conflict can look similar when saving. Incompatible or outdated builder versions are also possible. The message alone does not identify the cause.
One thing to check
With Thrive, I have found it helpful to check Dashboard → Updates again after updating plugins, since further updates are easy to miss. This is a diagnostic step. Theme Builder updates can already be visible before the Architect update.
Saving changes in WordPress, Thrive and Elementor
What to do
- Copy unsaved text out of the editor before closing the tab. Note the exact message, the affected page and the time, then compare the most recently saved version.
- Check Dashboard → Updates for available updates. Back up first and use a test copy where possible. For related Thrive products, the vendor recommends updating Architect first, then the other products individually. Check for further updates afterwards.
- If the error remains, ask your host or support team to check the logs for the save attempt at the recorded time. Comparing with a simple test page can help narrow it down. Keep the live site’s security controls in place during diagnosis.
How to check the result
Reopen the saved draft and look for the specific text you changed. Finding it there confirms that the change persisted.
Written by GLEB IT · Gleb Diesen. Sources checked 11–14 October 2026. Menus and features may vary by version, theme, plan or extension.
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