{"id":9537,"date":"2026-06-03T06:18:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T04:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/?post_type=manual_kb&#038;p=9537"},"modified":"2026-06-03T06:18:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T04:18:11","slug":"how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website","status":"publish","type":"manual_kb","link":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Check What Is Slowing Down a WordPress Website"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"translation-block translation-block-merged\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a WordPress website starts loading slowly, the cause is often not WordPress itself, but a specific plugin, theme component, database query, or external resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the easiest ways to identify performance bottlenecks is by using the <strong>Query Monitor<\/strong> plugin, which provides detailed diagnostic information directly within the WordPress administration panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Common_Causes_of_Slow_WordPress_Websites\" >Common Causes of Slow WordPress Websites<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Install_Query_Monitor\" >Install Query Monitor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#What_Query_Monitor_Can_Show\" >What Query Monitor Can Show<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Check_Database_Queries\" >Check Database Queries<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Identify_Slow_Plugins\" >Identify Slow Plugins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Review_PHP_Errors\" >Review PHP Errors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Additional_Optimization_Tips\" >Additional Optimization Tips<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#What_to_Expect\" >What to Expect<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/how-to-check-what-is-slowing-down-a-wordpress-website\/#Summary\" >Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Causes_of_Slow_WordPress_Websites\"><\/span>Common Causes of Slow WordPress Websites<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"mybox-3909135722\" class=\"mybox-content mybox-entity-placement\"><div class=\"early-access-banner-inpost\">\r\n  <div class=\"banner-left-inpost\">\r\n    <div class=\"icon-box-inpost\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/square-info-icon.svg\" alt=\"Info\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"text-box-inpost\">\r\n      <span class=\"label-inpost\"><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Early access<\/span><\/span>\r\n      <h4><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Still need help?<\/span><\/h4>\r\n      <p><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Contact our customer service team.<\/span><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"banner-right-inpost\">\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/panel.mybox.com\/helpdesk2\/v\/list\/\" class=\"banner-button-inpost\"><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Message us<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"translation-block translation-block-merged\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performance issues are often related to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Poorly optimized plugins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inefficient database queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excessive external API requests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource-intensive themes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Large numbers of database records<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Slow hosting or PHP configuration issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unoptimized images and media files<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before making major changes, it is important to identify the exact source of the slowdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Install_Query_Monitor\"><\/span>Install Query Monitor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Log in to the WordPress administration panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navigate to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Plugins \u2192 Add New<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Search for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Query Monitor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Install and activate the plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once activated, Query Monitor adds a new item to the WordPress administration toolbar, allowing you to inspect performance data while browsing the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Query_Monitor_Can_Show\"><\/span>What Query Monitor Can Show<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Query Monitor helps identify:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Slow database queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plugin-related performance issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PHP errors and warnings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HTTP requests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scripts and styles being loaded<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Memory usage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Page generation time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The plugin can even show which specific plugin, theme, or function is responsible for a particular query or operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Check_Database_Queries\"><\/span>Check Database Queries<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most common causes of slow WordPress pages is inefficient database activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using Query Monitor, review:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Total number of database queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Slow-running queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duplicate queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Queries generated by plugins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pages generating unusually high numbers of queries may indicate a plugin or theme issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Identify_Slow_Plugins\"><\/span>Identify Slow Plugins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Query Monitor can group queries and execution time by plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look for plugins that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Generate many database queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consume excessive memory<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Significantly increase page generation time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a particular plugin appears responsible for most of the load, consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Updating it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Replacing it with an alternative<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disabling it temporarily for testing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_PHP_Errors\"><\/span>Review PHP Errors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PHP warnings and errors can also impact performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within Query Monitor, check for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Deprecated functions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PHP notices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Warnings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fatal errors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Resolving these issues can improve both stability and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Additional_Optimization_Tips\"><\/span>Additional Optimization Tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Query Monitor does not identify a specific problem, consider reviewing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Image optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Caching configuration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PHP version<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Database optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Number of active plugins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Running an outdated PHP version or using unnecessary plugins can significantly affect website performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Expect\"><\/span>What to Expect<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After identifying the source of the slowdown, improvements may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faster page generation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lower server resource usage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved visitor experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Better search engine performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performance optimization is usually most effective when based on real diagnostic data rather than trial and error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a WordPress website becomes slow, the first step is identifying the source of the problem. The Query Monitor plugin provides detailed diagnostics about database queries, plugins, PHP errors, memory usage, and page generation time, helping you determine exactly which components are affecting performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","manualknowledgebasecat":[125],"manual_kb_tag":[190,361,1651,2942,5249,5250,5251,5252,5253,5254],"class_list":["post-9537","manual_kb","type-manual_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","manualknowledgebasecat-websites","manual_kb_tag-wordpress","manual_kb_tag-website-performance","manual_kb_tag-database-queries","manual_kb_tag-plugin-conflicts","manual_kb_tag-query-monitor","manual_kb_tag-slow-wordpress-site","manual_kb_tag-slow-database-queries","manual_kb_tag-duplicate-queries","manual_kb_tag-slow-plugins","manual_kb_tag-plugin-performance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/manual_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9538,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9537\/revisions\/9538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"manualknowledgebasecat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manualknowledgebasecat?post=9537"},{"taxonomy":"manual_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb_tag?post=9537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}