If you open your WordPress website and see the dreaded message:

Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress.

…it can feel like your entire site has suddenly broken. This error often comes with a recommendation to “check that the mysqli PHP extension is installed and enabled.” While this sounds technical and intimidating, there’s a simple fix you can try before calling your hosting provider — restoring the default .htaccess file.

Why This Error Appears

This message is WordPress’s way of saying it can’t find the PHP extension needed to connect to your database. The mysqli extension (short for MySQL Improved) is essential for WordPress to talk to your database and load your website content.

Several things can cause this error:

  • You are running an outdated PHP version that WordPress no longer supports.
  • The PHP mysqli extension is disabled on your hosting server.
  • Your .htaccess file is corrupted or has the wrong rules.

In many cases, a damaged .htaccess file can disrupt the way WordPress connects to your database. By restoring it to its default state, you may resolve the problem instantly.

Step-by-Step: Restoring the Default .htaccess File

Follow these steps to replace your .htaccess file with the official default version from WordPress.

Step 1: Access Your Website Files

  1. Log in to your hosting control panel (such as cPanel or Plesk).
  2. Open the File Manager tool, or use an FTP client like FileZilla.
  3. Go to the root directory of your WordPress site. This is usually called public_html or might be inside a subfolder if WordPress is installed there.
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Step 2: Locate the .htaccess File

  1. In the root folder, look for the file named .htaccess.
  2. Since it’s a hidden file, make sure your file manager or FTP client is set to show hidden files.
  3. Before making changes, download a copy of your existing .htaccess file to your computer for backup.

Step 3: Replace with the Default WordPress .htaccess File

  1. Open a text editor (like Notepad or VS Code) on your computer.
  2. Paste the following default .htaccess content:
# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress
  1. Save the file as .htaccess.
  2. Upload it to your WordPress root folder, replacing the existing file.

Step 4: Check Your Website

  1. Go to your site in a browser and refresh the page.
  2. If the error was caused by a corrupted .htaccess, your website should now load normally.

Additional Things to Check if the Error Persists

If replacing the .htaccess file didn’t solve the problem, there may be other causes:

  • PHP Version: WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Ask your host to upgrade if you’re on an older version.
  • mysqli Extension: Contact your hosting provider and request that they enable the mysqli PHP extension on your server.
  • Theme or Plugin Conflict: Try deactivating all plugins and switching to a default theme to see if the issue resolves.

While this MySQL extension error can be frustrating, in many cases it’s not as serious as it looks. Restoring the default .htaccess file is quick, safe, and often resolves the issue without needing deep technical skills.


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If you’ve tried this and the error still appears, it’s best to contact your hosting provider’s support team. They can check server settings and make sure everything WordPress needs to run is properly enabled.

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