Troubleshooting Editor and Media Issues

Editor not loading? Images not uploading? This guide covers common issues with the post creation form, editors, and media uploads.

Editor Not Loading

Symptoms: Blank area where the editor should be, or a spinning loader that never finishes.

Check for JavaScript Errors

1. Open browser developer tools (F12 or Cmd+Option+I)
2. Go to the Console tab
3. Look for red error messages
4. These errors often identify the problem

Common Causes

jQuery not loaded:

• Some themes dequeue jQuery to improve performance
• Member Blog requires jQuery
• Check theme settings or contact theme developer

Minification breaking JavaScript:

• Disable optimization plugins temporarily (Autoptimize, WP Rocket, etc.)
• Or exclude Member Blog scripts from minification

Plugin conflict:

• Deactivate other plugins one by one
• Page builders often conflict with editors
• Test with Twenty Twenty-Four theme

Try a Different Editor

1. Go to Member Blog → Settings → Editor
2. Switch to a different editor type
3. Save and test

If Classic Editor works but Editor.js doesn’t, there’s likely a JavaScript conflict.

Media Upload Not Working

Symptoms: Images don’t upload, or you see error messages.

Check File Size Limits

There are multiple size limits that can affect uploads:

Setting	Where to Check
Member Blog limit	Member Blog → Settings → Content
WordPress limit	Media → Add New (shows max size)
PHP limit	Server configuration (upload_max_filesize)

The smallest limit wins. If PHP allows 2MB and Member Blog allows 5MB, the actual limit is 2MB.

Check File Permissions

The uploads folder must be writable:

• Location: wp-content/uploads/
• Should be writable by the web server
• Contact your host if unsure

Check User Capabilities

Users need the upload_files capability. By default:

• Subscribers: No upload capability
• Contributors: No upload capability
• Authors and above: Can upload

Member Blog grants upload capability to allowed roles, but capability managers may override this.

Test in WordPress Media Library

Try uploading directly via Media → Add New:

• If this works, the issue is specific to Member Blog
• If this fails too, the issue is WordPress/server-level

Auto-Save Not Working

Symptoms: “Draft saved” message never appears, or drafts are lost.

Check REST API

Auto-save uses the WordPress REST API. Some configurations block it:

• Security plugins may block REST API
• .htaccess rules may block /wp-json/
• Some hosts have specific REST API settings

Check for AJAX Errors

1. Open browser developer tools
2. Go to Network tab
3. Filter by “XHR” or “Fetch”
4. Look for failed requests (red)

Formatting Not Applying

Symptoms: Bold, italic, headings don’t work or look wrong.

In Editor

• Select text first – Most formatting requires selecting text before applying
• Check editor mode – In Classic Editor, ensure you’re in “Visual” not “Text” mode
• Refresh and retry – Sometimes a hard refresh helps

On Published Post

If formatting looks wrong after publishing:

• Theme CSS may be overriding styles
• Content sanitization may have stripped tags
• Check post source in WordPress editor

Form Not Submitting

Symptoms: Click Submit but nothing happens.

Solutions

• Check for JavaScript errors in console
• Verify required fields are filled (title, content)
• Check for validation errors (they may appear above the form)
• Try disabling browser extensions
• Test in an incognito/private window

Debugging Steps

1. Enable WordPress debug mode:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);

2. Check wp-content/debug.log for errors
3. Test with default theme
4. Deactivate other plugins
5. Clear all caches

Related Docs

• Editor Settings Guide
• Content Settings Guide
• Troubleshooting Posts Not Showing