WordPress nonce_failure – 10 Quick Fixes

Have you ever edited your WordPress site, clicked “Save”, and suddenly faced a strange error saying “nonce_failure”? Or maybe you were filling out a form on your website, hit “Submit”—and the same annoying message popped onto your screen.

You might refresh the page once or twice, hoping the error goes away. But it doesn’t always disappear. Now you’re left wondering: “What is ‘nonce_failure’? And how do I fix it quickly?”

This WordPress nonce issue is common and happens to many users. It can feel confusing or even frustrating, especially if you don’t know what’s causing it.

But don’t worry! In this article, we’ll clearly explain what the WordPress nonce_failure is. We’ll also share simple, step-by-step solutions to help you quickly get things back on track.

TL;DR: The WordPress nonce_failure error is usually caused by expired or outdated nonces, caching problems, or conflicts with plugins and themes. Fix these issues with easy steps like refreshing your page, clearing caches, and more. To further secure your website, go beyond nonces and use a reliable WordPress security plugin.

1. Check for consistent user sessions

Sometimes, you may open your WordPress website in a browser tab and then leave it idle for a long time. Maybe you started editing a post but stepped away for lunch. Or perhaps you opened the theme editor and got busy with something else.

When you return and try to save changes, you might see a nonce_failure error. This happens because WordPress nonce doesn’t stay the same forever—it changes after every 12 to 24 hours.

If your WordPress page sits open for too long without any activity, this code can expire. When that happens, your edits won’t save, and you’ll get the nonce_failure message instead.

Luckily, the solution is very easy. Just refresh the page you’re working on, and then try again. Usually, this simple step is enough to fix the error.

2. Clear your WordPress cache

Sometimes, your website caches older versions of pages to load them faster. This cached data may also contain nonce values. But as your cache becomes outdated, so do the nonce values. This can lead to problems with nonce values, such as the nonce_failure error. This makes it important to clear your WordPress cache.

Start by clearing your browser cache. Each browser is a bit different, but usually you can find this option in settings or history. Once you clear your browser cache, refresh your page and see if the issue is solved.

If you still have the problem, clear other caches on your website. This could mean clearing cache from your caching plugins. It might also include clearing your CDN’s cache or server cache if your hosting provides that.

After you clear all caches, refresh your page again. In most cases, these simple steps fix the nonce_failure error right away.

3. Check for plugin issues

Plugins help add useful features to your WordPress site. But sometimes, these plugins might clash with each other. This conflict can cause issues, including problems with nonce values.

Caching plugins are often the first suspects. These plugins store pages to speed up your website but sometimes mess with nonce values. So first, disable your caching plugin if you use one. After turning it off, refresh your page and see if the nonce_failure error goes away.

Still seeing the error? That means your caching plugin probably isn’t the cause. Next, disable all other plugins on your site. Refresh the page again to see if the issue is solved.

If the error disappears after disabling your plugins, this means one of these plugins was causing the issue. To find the culprit, reactivate each plugin one by one. After you activate a plugin, refresh your site to check if the problem returns. When it does, you’ve found the problem plugin.

Once you’ve found the troublesome plugin, you can remove and replace it with a similar one. Or, if you prefer, you can wait until the plugin creator issues an update that fixes the problem.

4. Check for theme issues

A good theme makes your website look great and easy to use. But sometimes, a custom or premium theme can cause conflicts. These conflicts can lead to issues when pages use nonce values.

To check if your theme is causing this problem, switch to a basic default WordPress theme. A good example is the Twenty Twenty-Two theme that comes with WordPress.

Activate the default theme, then refresh your page. If the nonce_failure error goes away, your theme was the issue.

At this point, you have two options. You can contact your theme’s developers and tell them about the issue. Or you can switch permanently to a different theme.

5. Update your site software

Keeping your site software updated is important. Outdated plugins and themes may cause errors like nonce_failure. That’s because older software might not work properly with the latest WordPress guidelines and security updates.

Before you begin updating your plugins and themes, take a full site backup. This ensures that you have a safety net to fall back upon in case anything goes wrong.

First, go to your WordPress dashboard and update your plugins and themes. It’s easy—just click on the update option that appears next to each plugin and theme.

Next, make sure your WordPress core is also up to date. You’ll usually see a notification at the top of the dashboard when an update is available. Follow the simple steps shown to update your WordPress installation.

Lastly, check if you have other software running on your server, like PHP or database tools. Keeping these updated will help your site run smoothly too.

After updating everything, refresh your page. This often solves nonce_failure issues and helps your site work better overall.

6. Refresh your permalinks

Permalinks are URLs for your website posts and pages. Sometimes, your site’s permalinks can create problems. These issues can cause errors like nonce_failure.

Refreshing your permalinks can clear these issues quickly. Refreshing permalinks clears your rewrite cache and updates the rewrite rules in your site’s .htaccess file.

Doing this is very easy. First, log in to your WordPress dashboard. Then, go to Settings > Permalinks in the menu.

Now, select any different permalink structure from your current one. After that, click on Save Changes. Next, switch back to your original permalink structure and click Save Changes again.

Now, refresh your page. This simple step can often fix the nonce_failure issue instantly.

7. Increase the PHP memory limit

Your WordPress website needs memory to run smoothly. Sometimes, your site doesn’t have enough memory. This shortage can lead to errors, like the nonce_failure issue.

Increasing your site’s PHP memory limit gives WordPress more resources. That helps it carry out important tasks, like creating and checking nonce values, without errors.

Doing this is easy. All you need to do is add a single line of code to your wp-config.php file.

First, edit the wp-config.php file using an FTP program or your hosting file manager. Next, paste this line of code at the bottom:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Save your changes after adding this line. Then try refreshing your page again. This simple fix often solves the nonce_failure problem quickly.

8. Synchronize WordPress time

Sometimes, the clock on your WordPress site can fall out of sync with your hosting server’s clock. When time settings don’t match, your nonces may fail to verify. And that’s when the nonce_failure error can show up.

Luckily, fixing this is easy. Go to your WordPress dashboard and click Settings > General. Scroll down until you see the Timezone section.

Next, select a different timezone from the list and click Save Changes. After this, choose your correct timezone again. Click Save Changes once more.

Doing this helps your site re-sync its time properly with your server. Refresh your page and check if the nonce_failure error has gone away.

9. Regenerate nonces

Sometimes, expired or invalid nonces cause the nonce_failure error. A slightly more technical way of solving this is by regenerating your website’s nonces. This means WordPress will create a fresh nonce each time a user logs in.

To regenerate nonces, you’ll need to add a small piece of code to your website’s theme. It’s not hard, but make sure you’re careful when editing.

First, open your theme’s functions.php file. You can find it in your theme folder via FTP or in the WordPress dashboard under Appearance > Theme File Editor.

Then, add the following code to the bottom of your theme’s functions.php file:

function regenerate_nonces() {
    if (is_user_logged_in()) {
        $current_user = wp_get_current_user();
        wp_set_auth_cookie($current_user->ID);
    }
}
add_action('init', 'regenerate_nonces');

Save the file after adding this code. WordPress will now generate fresh nonces each time a user signs in.

10. Check debug log

Sometimes, popular solutions don’t fix the nonce_failure error. In these cases, other hidden issues may be at fault. Checking your WordPress debug log can help you spot exact problems.

If debugging isn’t on yet, turning it on is easy. Simply open your site’s wp-config.php file. Use your hosting’s file manager or an FTP client to open this file.

Then, add this code right above where it says, /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:

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

Save the changes to your file.

Now, try loading your website again. This reproduces the nonce_failure error and logs the issue.

Next, check your debug log. You’ll find it at wp-content/debug.log in your WordPress files. Open it and look for any messages about nonce issues.

This method might point you directly to the exact cause. Once you spot it, you’ll have a clear idea of what to fix next.

What is the WordPress nonce_failure?

In simple terms, a WordPress nonce is a special security code. WordPress uses this code to protect your site’s URLs and forms. It helps prevent dangerous online attacks—like Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)—and keeps your data safe.

WordPress creates these nonces using a function called wp_create_nonce(). It then verifies these codes with special check-functions like check_admin_referer() or check_ajax_referer().

The nonce_failure error means something went wrong during this check. Usually, it’s because the nonce code doesn’t match or has already expired. In other words, the nonce WordPress generated earlier isn’t valid anymore.

When this happens, WordPress shows the nonce_failure message instead of accepting your action. This helps keep your website safe, but it can feel frustrating if you don’t know how to fix it quickly.

What causes the WordPress nonce_failure?

The nonce_failure error has a few common causes. Understanding these reasons can help you solve the issue faster.

How to avoid the WordPress nonce_failure?

With some simple steps, you can easily prevent the nonce_failure error on your WordPress site. Let’s look at some practical tips.

Final thoughts

Dealing with a WordPress nonce_failure might seem tricky at first. But as you’ve seen, common fixes are usually easy and quick. Just follow our simple tips, and you’ll have your website running smoothly again in no time.

But nonces are not perfect. They can expire quickly, be reused within their active period, or cause problems on cached pages.

A WordPress-specific security plugin like MalCare is the best solution. It offers great protection without slowing down your site. It has a smart firewall, powerful malware detection, and one-click malware cleaning. Also, it regularly scans your site for vulnerabilities and blocks harmful threats. Using MalCare can help you protect your valuable site data and stay stress-free.

FAQs

How to fix nonce verification failed?

To fix a nonce verification failed error, try refreshing the page first to reload a fresh nonce. If that doesn’t work, clear your browser cache and your site’s cache from caching plugins, server, or CDN. Ensure your WordPress plugins, themes, and core are all up to date. If the problem persists, check for plugin or theme conflicts by disabling them one by one. These steps can usually solve the issue quickly.

What does nonce validation failed mean?

Nonce validation failed means that the security code, known as a nonce, didn’t pass the verification process. This can happen if the code is expired, missing, or incorrect. Nonces are used to protect your site from malicious actions. So if they don’t match, WordPress won’t accept the action to ensure safety.

How do I turn off nonce?

We do not recommend turning off nonce verification. This is because it protects your site from security threats. If you still want a workaround, you can adjust your code to bypass nonce checks. But remember, this may leave your site vulnerable. Always prioritize security and seek safer alternatives, like a WordPress-specific security plugin.