The error message “You attempted to edit an item that doesn’t exist. Perhaps it was deleted?” in WordPress typically indicates an issue with database records or permalink settings. Here are some possible reasons and fixes:
1. Draft or Deleted ContentThe post or page you’re trying to edit might have been deleted or saved as a draft.Solution:Go to the Posts or Pages section in your WordPress dashboard.Check in the Trash to see if the post/page exists there.Restore the post/page if it’s in the trash.
2. Database IssuesThe database entry for the post/page might be missing or corrupted.Solution:Backup your site before proceeding.Use a database repair tool:Add this line to your wp-config.php file:define(‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true);Visit yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php to repair your database.
3. Permalink IssuesThe permalink structure may be broken.Solution:Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.Click Save Changes without making any modifications to refresh the permalinks.
4. Plugin ConflictA plugin might be interfering with the post/page creation process.Solution:Deactivate all plugins and try creating a new post/page.Reactivate plugins one by one to identify the culprit.
5. Theme IssueA poorly coded theme might cause the issue.Solution:Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Three and try again.
6. WordPress Core Files IssueSome WordPress core files might be corrupted.Solution:Reinstall WordPress:Go to Dashboard > Updates.Click Reinstall Now.
7. Server or Hosting IssueThe issue might be due to server settings or file permissions.Solution:Ensure file permissions are correctly set (typically 755 for folders and 644 for files).Contact your hosting provider for support.
If none of these solutions work, let me know, and we can dig deeper!
