First, check it isn't just you: open your website on your phone using mobile data, not your Wi-Fi. If it's down for everyone, the most common causes are an expired domain, unpaid hosting or a recent change. Don't start changing settings until you know which.
Check these, in order
- Has your domain expired? Domains renew every year or two. If the renewal email went to an old address, your website can vanish overnight. Look for a renewal reminder or invoice.
- Has the hosting stopped? A failed card payment can switch hosting off. Check your bank for the last payment.
- Did something change? A new plugin, a theme update or a "quick tweak" is often the cause. Write down what changed and when.
- What does the error say? Take a screenshot. "Not secure", "404 not found" and "server error" all point to different problems.
When you can't get hold of your web designer
This happens a lot. If your web designer has gone quiet, you can still get your website back as long as the domain is in your name. We've written about what to do when your web designer disappears.
Need a hand?
Tech support is one of the things we offer. Get in touch and your web designer will tell you the price before anything is done. And if it's easier to start again, we'll build you a new website free: you only pay £19 a month hosting once it's live.
