When an Elementor Update Breaks Site, it can easily send you into panic mode. While WordPress updates are critical for a smooth working website, the risk of your site crashing can cost you time, money, and website visitors.
Now, this can happen due to various reasons, from conflicting themes and plugins to outdated PHP versions during the update, which can break your website.
The good news? Most of these issues are common, predictable, and totally fixable.
In this article, we’ll explore why an Elementor update broke your site and 7 quick fixes you can apply right away.
Let’s get started!
Why Does an Elementor Update Break Your Website?
Elementor is one of the most powerful and widely used page builders for WordPress, but like any plugin, it’s deeply connected to your theme, other plugins, and WordPress core.
That means even a minor update can trigger unexpected conflicts or errors.
So, if you’re wondering “why Elementor broke my website?”, here are some common reasons to understand-
- Plugin or theme conflicts: Elementor updates may not play well with outdated themes or incompatible third-party plugins. So, if a custom template, widgets, or CSS does not work with the new version of Elementor, it can break your website.
- Custom code issues: If your site has custom CSS, JavaScript, or PHP tweaks, a new version of Elementor could override or clash with them.
- Server configuration limits: Low PHP memory limits or outdated PHP versions can cause Elementor to crash or behave oddly.
- Fatal Elementor errors: If the error message mentions “Elementor” in it, it might indicate a problem with the plugin. This might be a bug in the plugin or issues with Elementor functionalities that can cause the site to crash.
- Inaccurate folder names: If the folders are not accurately named or configured in the WordPress directory, Elementor might not be able to locate and execute the necessary files.
Understanding these causes makes it easier to pinpoint the problem of why Elementor is not working after an update and apply the right fix.
Fixing Elementor Update Breaks Site Issue (7 Methods)
If an Elementor update broke your website, don’t panic. The fix is often simpler than it seems.
Below are 7 easy methods you can try to resolve the issue.
Method 1: Verify if Elementor’s Requirements are Met
Before anything else, make sure your hosting environment meets Elementor’s minimum requirements.
This means Elementor checks for factors like server compatibility and PHP versions to ensure that the plugin has the right sources to function.
So before updating Elementor, check for these system requirements you need to use Elementor –
- WordPress version 6.3 or greater
- PHP version 7.4 or higher
- MySQL version 5.6 or greater
- WordPress memory limit of at least 256 MB
- Latest browser versions
Method 2: Regenerate CSS & Sync Library
Sometimes, it’s just a CSS glitch that leads to Elementor revisions not working.
Elementor may not automatically regenerate CSS files after an update, which can lead to broken layouts or misaligned widgets.
To fix this, follow these steps-
- On your WordPress dashboard, go to Elementor > Tools
- Click on Regenerate CSS and Data
- Click on Sync Library and click on Save Changes
- Clear your browser and site cache, and check your website
If the Elementor changes are not showing after an update, try out the next fixes.
Customize the appearance of your website to make it stand out for exceptional user experience. Understand How to Add Custom CSS in Elementor for Free.
Method 3: Restore a Backup
If the damage is significant, like broken pages, missing content, or messed-up layout, quickly restoring your most recent backup is the safest route to fix the website.
This is why it is always advised to create website backups regularly to ensure you can get back to your website in case anything goes wrong.
To restore your website backup, simply go to your hosting panel or the backup plugin you use and select a backup from before the Elementor update.
Restore the backup and test the website to see if it’s working.
Recommended Read: Step by Step Guide on How to Backup WordPress Website
Method 4: Roll Back to a Previous Version of Elementor
If Elementor changes are not showing after the update and you don’t have a recent website backup, you can also revert to the previous version of Elementor.
Fortunately, Elementor allows you to do it directly from the WP dashboard. Simply follow these steps-
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Elementor > Tools and find the Version Control tab.
- Find the Rollback Version.
- Click on the dropdown menu to select the version you want to revert to.
- Click on the Reinstall button to successfully revert back to the previous version.
Save changes, and your website should go back to Elementor’s older version.
Method 5: Deactivate Conflicting Plugins and Reactivate One by One
Plugin conflicts are one of the most common culprits when an Elementor update breaks your site.
Often, functionalities of certain WordPress plugins can conflict with the theme or the Elementor plugin, leading to Elementor tabs not working after an update.
So, deactivating these plugins can help isolate the one which is causing the problems.
Here’s how to do it-
- On your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > All Plugins
- Deactivate all the plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro
- Check if your website works
- Now, reactivate all the plugins one by one, checking the site after each.
Once you find the plugin causing issues, either disable it or contact the plugin developer for support.
Outdated WordPress plugins causing an issue with the website? Know How to Update WordPress Plugins for smooth performance.
Method 6: Switch to a Default WordPress Theme
When troubleshooting issues with Elementor not working after the update, check if your theme is causing compatibility issues, which can happen if the theme is heavily customized or outdated.
In this case, you can switch to a default WordPress theme, such as Elementor’s Hello theme, to figure out if the theme was the problem.
For this, go to your WordPress dashboard > Appearance > Themes and search for the theme.
Click on Activate to switch to the default theme.
If the site works after this, you can make necessary changes to the theme’s customizations to make it compatible or seek support from the theme’s developers.
However, if Elementor is still not working after the update, you can try other methods.
Suggested Read: 5 Best Elementor Themes [With Speed Test]
Method 7: Increase PHP Memory & Execution Limits
If your Elementor revisions are not working, the editor is getting stuck on the loading screen, or showing the “500 Internal Server Error” after an update, your site might be hitting the PHP memory or execution time limit.
Elementor is a resource-intensive plugin, and larger or more complex pages need to use more server resources to function smoothly.
The good thing is that you can quickly check the PHP memory limit from your WordPress admin dashboard and configure the wp-config.php file to increase it.
Here’s how-
- Go to WordPress dashboard > Elementor > System Info
- Scroll down to find your PHP memory limit
- This limit should be at least 256MB
- If the PHP memory limit is lower, navigate to your wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
- Here, add the following line of code to the file
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
define('WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
This code will set your WordPress PHP memory limit to 256 megabytes. You can also change the limit to higher, 512 megabytes, for instance, as needed.
Once these changes are made, clear your cache, refresh your site, and try editing again in Elementor.
If the Elementor update broke your website due to low server resources, this should help fix the issue.
Is a low PHP memory limit affecting your website performance? Learn How to Increase WordPress PHP Memory Limit for your website.
Do you Manage WordPress Websites? Download Our FREE E-Book of 20+ Checklist for WordPress Site Maintenance.
Wrapping Up
When an Elementor update breaks your site, it can feel like a disaster, but with the right steps, it’s totally manageable.
Elementor updates sometimes mess up your site functionality, layout and content or even lead to fatal errors.
However, you can easily get your site back on track by following the methods mentioned in this article, from checking system requirements and regenerating CSS to rolling back versions and increasing PHP limits.
Once you successfully fix your website, use The Plus Addons for Elementor to build a highly functional and stable WordPress website.
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Check out the Complete List of 120+ Widgets and Extensions here. Start building your dream website without coding!
FAQs on Elementor Update Breaking Sites
What are the common issues caused by Elementor updates?
Elementor updates can affect your website layout, lead to blank pages, broken widgets, editor loading problems, or even full site crashes, usually due to plugin/theme conflicts or server setting mismatches.
How do I prevent Elementor updates from breaking my site?
To prevent Elementor updates from breaking your site, always back up your site before updating, test updates in a staging environment, keep your plugins/themes up to date and make sure your hosting meets Elementor’s requirements.
Does clearing the cache help fix Elementor update issues?
Yes, using caching plugins to clear all caches often resolves layout glitches or editor problems.
How to safely update Elementor without causing website issues?
When updating Elementor, you can first test the update on a staging site. Also, update all related plugins (like Elementor Pro or Addons), regenerate CSS, and check for compatibility issues before applying changes to your live site.
Why is Elementor Pro crashing my WordPress site?
Elementor Pro might be crashing your website due to an outdated version of WordPress, PHP limitations, a conflict with another plugin, or a corrupted update. Rolling back to a stable version, increasing the PHP limit, or disabling conflicting plugins can help fix the issues.
Will updating WordPress affect my Elementor-built site?
Yes, if Elementor or your theme isn’t compatible with the latest WordPress version. Before updating WordPress, ensure your Elementor version and other plugins are fully compatible.
Is there a way to test Elementor updates before applying them to my live site?
Yes, you can set up a staging environment through your hosting provider or with a WordPress plugin to test updates safely without risking your live site.
