Documentation · v0.8.0
Troubleshooting
The messages you may see, what they mean, and what to do. The app rewrites the common ones into plain words; the original is always in Live Activity.
Connecting
| The server address could not be found | The hostname does not resolve. Check the host in the site or server settings for a typo. |
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| The server refused the SSH key | The key the app is using is not in the server's authorized_keys. Redo the Access step of the server wizard, or paste the public key into your host's panel. |
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| The server refused the connection | Nothing is listening on that port. Check the SSH port; some hosts use one other than 22. |
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| Fingerprint does not match | The machine answering is not the one recorded. If the host rebuilt the server, remove it from ~/.ssh/known_hosts and add it again; if not, ask the host before accepting anything. |
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On the server
| Missing required programs | Names what is absent: tar, wp, php, mysqldump. Ask the host to install WP-CLI, or make sure it is on the PATH for SSH sessions. |
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| Not a WordPress installation | The root has no wp-config.php. Use Find WordPress… in the site dialog. |
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| WordPress is throwing a fatal error | A plugin or theme fails on load. Reads (users, versions, update lists) still work — the app retries with plugins skipped and names the plugin — but updates and user changes wait. Restore a backup, or disable the plugin over SSH by renaming its folder. |
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| Permission denied on a file | The SSH user cannot read something in the site root. Check ownership and permissions on the server. |
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Backups
| Backup complete with warnings | Files in wp-content changed while the archive was being made — usually an upload or a cache. The backup was saved; if it matters, run it again at a quieter moment. |
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| Checksum mismatch | The downloaded archive does not match what the server produced. Run the backup again; if it repeats, the connection is dropping bytes — try a different network. |
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| Not enough space | The backup folder's disk is full. Change the folder in Preferences or free space; the failed backup's folder can be deleted. |
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Installing
| macOS: "cannot be opened" | Should not happen with the download from wpdesktopmanager.com, which is notarised. If it does, the file was altered in transit — download it again. |
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| Windows: SmartScreen | The Windows build is not yet code-signed. Choose More info → Run anyway. Only do this for the file from wpdesktopmanager.com. |
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| Linux: nothing opens | Install GTK 3 and WebKitGTK 4.0 (libgtk-3-0, libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 on Ubuntu 22.04). Run it from a terminal to see the message. |
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Licence
| Could not reach the licence server | The app could not reach license.wpdesktopmanager.com. It keeps working offline for fourteen days after the last check; connect and press Try again. |
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| Every seat on this licence is already in use | Free one, or buy one. To free it: Licence → Deactivate this computer on the machine you no longer use, or release it from the customer portal. To buy one: add a seat in the portal, €5 a month, then activate here. |
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Still stuck
Use the contact form: the site's host (not the credentials), what you did, and the lines from Live Activity. You get an answer from the person who built the app.
