How to Troubleshoot Drupal When You Don’t Know What’s Wrong

Drupal is powerful—but when something breaks and there’s no clear error message, it can feel impossible to figure out where to start. Whether your site is slow, throwing unexpected errors, or something just feels off, this guide will help you work through the most common issues, step by step.

Let’s take the guesswork out of troubleshooting.

Step 1: Observe the Symptoms

Is your site completely down? Loading slowly? Showing white screens or access issues? The first step is to define what’s actually happening. Take screenshots, note the URLs involved, and try to reproduce the issue consistently.

Step 2: Rule Out the Obvious

Check your internet connection, test on a different browser, and see if the issue persists in incognito mode. Sometimes, browser cache or a session timeout may be the culprit.

Step 3: Clear Drupal’s Cache

When in doubt, clear the cache. Many layout or content issues resolve themselves with a simple cache clear. If your admin panel works, go to the Performance section and clear all caches. If not, a developer can help do it manually.

Step 4: Check for Recent Changes

Did someone recently update a module, theme, or content structure? Even a minor configuration change can trigger unexpected behavior. Retrace recent updates to see if anything correlates with the issue.

Step 5: Review User Permissions

If a feature suddenly disappears or someone can’t access a section they used to, it may be a permissions issue. Double-check roles and access settings in your user configuration.

Step 6: Still Not Sure? Get Help

If you’re stuck and unsure where to turn, it’s time to call in the experts. Our hire Drupal developers service pairs you with professionals who’ve seen—and solved—it all.

You can also book a consultation with our tech lead. We’ll walk through the issue together and help you find clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if the issue is with Drupal or my hosting provider?
If your entire site is down (including admin access), it might be a hosting issue. Check if other sites on the same server are down. If only your Drupal site is misbehaving, it’s likely a CMS issue.

Can a broken module cause issues without showing errors?
Yes. Incompatible or misconfigured modules can break layouts, permissions, or backend functionality silently.

Is it safe to troubleshoot on a live Drupal site?
Not always. It’s best to clone the site in a staging environment and test fixes there before applying them live.

Do I need to be a developer to fix Drupal issues?
Not necessarily. Some issues are admin-level and can be resolved via settings. But for persistent or unclear problems, a developer’s help is often the quickest path to resolution.

Can Drupalify help me even if I don’t know the problem?
Absolutely. We specialize in diagnosing unclear issues and getting your Drupal site back on track—fast.