What can I do if my website is slow?

If your website loads slowly, there can be various causes. Often it is due to too many or faulty plugins, a non-optimized theme, missing caching, large images, or slow scripts.

This article provides typical checkpoints to help you narrow down the cause.

Initial Check

First, check whether the website is consistently slow or only occasionally. If the website is only sometimes slow, this could be due to temporarily high load or many simultaneous accesses.

Also test:

• whether only a single page is affected
• whether the backend is also slow
• whether problems occurred after changes to plugins, themes, or scripts
• whether large images or external content are embedded

Enable Caching

If possible, enable a caching system in your application. Especially with WordPress, Joomla, or shop systems, caching can significantly improve loading time.

Also check whether your used theme or plugins offer their own cache functions.

Check Plugins and Themes

Temporarily deactivate recently installed or updated plugins. Then check if the website loads faster.

Use only plugins that you really need. Many active plugins can increase loading time.

If you use a CMS like WordPress, briefly test a standard theme if needed. This allows you to check whether the used theme is the cause.

Optimize Images and Files

Large images can greatly increase loading time. Use compressed images and upload images only in the size they are needed on the website.

Also check whether external content such as fonts, tracking scripts, maps, or embedded content slows down the website.

Check PHP Version

Use a current PHP version if your website is compatible with it. Old PHP versions can be slower and are often no longer recommended by current applications.

Check Slow Scripts in the Control Panel

In the control panel, you can enable the php_slow.log to identify slow PHP scripts.

Open Webhosting → PHP Settings in the control panel.

Click Settings next to the desired PHP version.

Enable logging of slow scripts in the slowlog section and save the change.

The setting may take a few minutes to become active. Afterwards, the file php_slow.log will be created in the /log/ directory.

This file logs scripts whose execution takes longer than the set period. This allows you or the person managing your website to see which scripts affect the loading time.

If the Problem Persists

If your website remains slow despite optimization, contact support with the following information:

• affected domain
• since when the problem exists
• whether only certain pages are affected
• whether recent changes were made to the website, plugins, or theme
• if available: relevant entries from the php_slow.log