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Health Check & Troubleshooting

By WordPress.org

Site Administration & Utilities / Site Health & Diagnostics

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Health Check & Troubleshooting Review - In-Depth Analysis

Health Check identifies common problems and helps troubleshoot plugin and theme conflicts. It performs checks on your WordPress installation to detect configuration errors.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.17/10

User Rating

3.6/5 (based on 181+ reviews)

Active Installations

200,000+

Update Frequency

Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

4.33 / 10 (Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin will perform a number of checks on your WordPress installation to detect common configuration errors and known issues, and also allows plugins and themes to add their own checks.

The debug section allows you to gather information about your WordPress and server configuration that you may easily share with support representatives for themes, plugins or on the official WordPress.org support forums.

Troubleshooting allows you to have a clean WordPress session, where all plugins are disabled, and a default theme is used, but only for your user until you disable it or log out.

The Tools section allows you to check that WordPress files have not been tampered with, that emails can be sent, and if your plugins are compatible with any PHP version updates in the future.

For a more extensive example of how to efficiently use the Health Check plugin, check out the WordPress.org support team handbook page about this plugin.

Feedback is welcome both through the WordPress.org forums, the GitHub project page, or on Slack in either #forums or #core-site-health.

Comparing to Alternatives

Health Check & Troubleshooting sits in a crowded space of diagnostic and debugging tools, ranging from lightweight server-info plugins to more comprehensive monitoring solutions. Its official backing gives it credibility, but several alternatives offer similar or more focused functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Officially developed and widely trusted within the WordPress ecosystem
Simple troubleshooting mode to disable plugins/themes without affecting live site visitors
Generates detailed debug info useful for support requests
Straightforward interface accessible to non-technical users

Weaknesses

Slower to address reported bugs compared to some actively maintained alternatives
Lacks advanced monitoring or automation features found in tools like WP Umbrella
Has a history of security-related fixes, unlike some simpler, narrower-scope alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

With 181 ratings, the plugin holds a 3.6/5 average, driven by a strong 59.1% five-star base but weighed down by a notable 32% one-star share. This split suggests the plugin works well for many but frustrates a vocal minority.

Positive highlights

"Health Check & Troubleshooting is one of those must-have plugins if you manage a WordPress site" — shumaylmasruqhandal
"I do not have to guide inexperienced users through a long process because of this" — surviving404
"This is an essential plugin for troubleshooting plugin and theme conflicts" — leemon
"A must-have plugin for diagnosing site issues and resolving conflicts quickly. Simple, effective, and reliable" — susan54
"This plugin was extremely helpful in identifying issues" — co015

Common complaints

Slow response from plugin authors to fix reported bugs, including a long-standing translation-loading notice error

Weaknesses

History of four known vulnerabilities, including a recent unpatched admin-level path traversal issue
Past CSRF and missing authorization flaws indicate recurring security oversight
High proportion of 1-star reviews relative to typical utility plugins suggests unresolved user frustration

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Site owners and support teams who need a quick, no-frills way to diagnose common WordPress errors, generate shareable debug information, or troubleshoot theme/plugin conflicts without needing coding expertise.

Not ideal for

Security-conscious administrators managing sensitive or high-traffic sites should be cautious, given the plugin's history of vulnerabilities—including a currently unpatched path traversal issue. Users seeking active bug-fix responsiveness may also be disappointed based on recent feedback.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The plugin is entirely free and provides full troubleshooting functionality, including a conflict-isolating troubleshooting mode, system debug data generation, and basic site health checks—no features are gated behind a paywall.

Final Verdict

Health Check & Troubleshooting remains a genuinely useful diagnostic tool, especially valued for its troubleshooting mode and ability to generate shareable debug reports. Many reviewers praise its simplicity and effectiveness for resolving plugin and theme conflicts, and its official standing lends it a level of trust that lesser-known alternatives may lack.

However, the plugin's security track record—four recorded vulnerabilities, including a recently disclosed and still-unfixed path traversal flaw—along with reports of slow bug resolution, warrant some caution. Users prioritizing security or rapid support responsiveness may want to evaluate alternatives like WP Umbrella or WP Healthcheck, while those needing basic, free troubleshooting will likely still find this plugin adequate.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin.

health check

troubleshooting

plugin conflicts

Screenshots

FAQ

If you should find your self stuck in Troubleshooting Mode for any reason, you can easily disable it by clearing your cookies.

Are you unfamiliar with how to clear your cookies? No worries, you may also close all your browser windows, or perform a computer restart and it will clear this specific cookie automatically.