Common plugin update issues

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Revised on

Although we take the utmost care of every single byte published with every update, we are still human, and you may run into issues.

If you experience technical difficulties for any reason whatsoever, don’t panic! We are readily available via various support channels to help you out.

My admin area is all messed up!

There are two reasons for this, namely:

  1. A plugin is active that removes query strings from scripts (disable that feature!).
  2. Cache has become stale somewhere and needs a refresh.

The following key combinations should quickly solve the issue for you. Access any admin page with a messed-up interface, and press this:

  • Safari Mac: CMD ⌘+OPTION ⌥+R
  • Chrome/Firefox Mac: CMD ⌘+SHIFT ⇧+R
  • Windows: CTRL ^+SHIFT ⇧+R
  • Linux: CTRL ^+Alt ⌥+T, good luck.

Alternatively, you may want to clear your browser cache after updating.

TSF v5.2 adds the admin scripts tsf-propose, tsf-fediverse, tsf-http, and tsf-socialformat, and changes the existing admin scripts and styles. A browser or caching plugin that keeps serving the old files next to the new ones breaks the SEO Settings screen, so flush both your browser cache and your WordPress caching plugin’s cache after updating.

If neither of these solutions works for you, try using another browser, and see if everything’s OK there.

Although very unlikely, some service solutions cache static files from the server in memory. Litespeed and NGINX web servers may be configured this way, and reinstalling The SEO Framework may resolve this issue. Restarting the webserver should also work.

If none of the solutions mentioned above work for you, please feel free to inquire support.

My sitemap or its stylesheet is empty after updating!

Some caching plugins have no exclusion rules for sitemap endpoints, so they may have stored an empty sitemap or stylesheet response on a later visit. Cachify, LiteSpeed Cache, SpeedyCache, Surge, and W3 Total Cache are examples.

Since v5.2, TSF tells caching plugins that honor DONOTCACHEPAGE not to store these responses. That signal can’t replace an empty response a page cache, reverse proxy, CDN, or host-level cache already stored. Flush the entire cache to remove it:

  1. Use your caching plugin’s “Purge All,” “Clear all cache,” or equivalent action.
  2. Don’t purge only sitemap.xml, sitemap_index.xml, sitemap.xsl, or sitemap.css. Caching plugins may store these endpoints separately by host, scheme, compression, mobile view, language, or query state.
  3. Flush your CDN or host-level cache too, if you use one.

Don’t rely on the plugin update to clear these entries. Cachify, SpeedyCache, and W3 Total Cache don’t appear to purge the whole page cache on plugin updates. LiteSpeed Cache does so only when its “Purge All On Upgrade” setting is enabled. Surge expires all entries on automatic updates, but not reliably on manual updates.

Why isn’t the update available on my site?

TSF v5.2 requires WordPress 7.0 or later. Sites on an older WordPress version stay on TSF v5.1 and don’t see the update. Update WordPress first, then update TSF.

I can’t access my administrative dashboard!

There are two accessible solutions.

1: WordPress error protection

WordPress v5.2 and later has PHP error protection; it allows your site to enter a recovery mode. This mode can help you deactivate plugins that don’t behave well.

  • To access this mode, you must be logged in as an administrator. You should see a message on your screen.
  • If you weren’t logged in during the update process, keep an eye out on the site’s administrator’s email account. You should receive a link shortly.

2: Manual file deletion

If you can’t access the recovery mode, or if you’re on an older version of WordPress, follow these steps:

  1. Take a deep breath.
  2. Enter the file browser of your site, either via the tools your hosting provider gave you or via FTP.
  3. Browse to /wp-content/plugins/
  4. Delete the autodescription folder. That is where The SEO Framework should reside.
  5. Delete the the-seo-framework-extension-manager folder (if available). That is where Extension Manager should reside.
  6. Your site should be available again. You can finally exhale.

Can I roll back to an older version?

Yes, it’s straightforward, and there are no caveats! Both The SEO Framework and Extension Manager support rolling back all previous minor releases, and the previous major release.

  1. Deactivate and delete The SEO Framework v5.2 first (this is optional).
  2. Download the v5.1.4 ZIP file from here.
  3. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
  4. Go to “Plugins” > “Add New”.
  5. Click “Upload Plugin” at the top.
  6. Upload the autodescription.5.1.4.zip file.
  7. Either network-activate the plugin or activate it on a single site.

Get support

If none of the solutions above work for you, please reach out to us.

Filed Under: Troubleshooting, Database