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Fixing the 'Oops! Something Went Wrong' and Other Common WP Go Maps Errors

20 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Wp go maps (formerly wp google maps)

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Why Your WP Go Maps Plugin Might Not Be Working

WP Go Maps (formerly WP Google Maps) is a powerful tool for adding interactive maps to WordPress sites, but like any complex plugin, it can sometimes run into issues. Based on common community reports, problems often fall into a few specific categories: API errors, HTTPS/SSL conflicts, caching issues, and GDPR consent problems.

Common WP Go Maps Errors and Their Solutions

1. The "Oops! Something Went Wrong" Error

This is one of the most frequent errors users encounter. It's typically a generic message from Google Maps when it cannot load properly.

Why it happens: This error usually indicates a problem with your Google Maps API configuration.

How to fix it:

  • Enable the correct API: Log into your Google Cloud Console, navigate to "Libraries," and ensure the "Google Maps JavaScript API" service is enabled. This was the solution that worked for one user whose console showed an 'ApiNotActivatedMapError'.
  • Check your API key: Ensure your API key is valid, has the correct restrictions (if any), and has the necessary APIs enabled.
  • Verify billing: Google Maps APIs now require a billing account to be set up, even if you're using the free tier.

2. Maps Not Displaying on HTTPS/SSL Sites

If your site recently switched to HTTPS and your maps stopped working, you're experiencing a mixed content error.

Why it happens: The plugin may be trying to load Google's API or your custom marker icons over HTTP instead of HTTPS, which browsers block for security reasons.

How to fix it:

  • Update custom markers: Go to your map editor, click on the 'Advanced' tab, and click 'Reset' next to any custom marker pins to regenerate their URLs with HTTPS.
  • Check plugin version: Ensure you're using an updated version of WP Go Maps, as older versions had hardcoded HTTP references in their code. One user reported finding the function wpgmaps_load_maps_api() in wpGoogleMaps.php with a hardcoded HTTP call.
  • Clear all caches: Clear your WordPress cache, browser cache, and any server-side caching systems.

3. Map Not Showing With Caching Plugins Enabled

Several users reported that maps would display when logged in (without caching) but not for regular visitors when caching was enabled.

Why it happens: Caching plugins may serve outdated JavaScript files or prevent the Google Maps API from loading correctly for non-logged-in users.

How to fix it:

  • Exclude map scripts from caching: In your caching plugin settings, try excluding the WP Go Maps JavaScript files from being cached.
  • Purge all caches: After making changes to your map settings, ensure you purge all caching systems completely.
  • Test with caching disabled: Temporarily disable caching to confirm this is indeed the source of the problem.

4. GDPR Consent Notice Issues

Some users have reported problems with the GDPR consent feature, including notices displaying twice or not appearing at all.

Why it happens: These issues are typically resolved in plugin updates, as seen in one case where version 8.0.30 fixed a double-display bug. Conflicts with the Pro add-on have also been reported.

How to fix it:

  • Update the plugin: Ensure you're running the latest version of WP Go Maps, as the development team frequently addresses these issues in updates.
  • Check for conflicts: Temporarily disable other plugins to identify potential conflicts, especially if you're using the Pro add-on.
  • Customize button text: For translation issues, you can use jQuery to modify the consent button text: $("button.wpgmza-api-consent").html('Your custom text');

5. Character Encoding Problems

Some users have reported special characters (like Hebrew letters) displaying as question marks.

Why it happens: This typically occurs when the database collation isn't compatible with the character set being used.

How to fix it:

  • Check database collation: Ensure your database table collation is set to utf8mb4_unicode520_ci or another UTF-8 compatible collation rather than something like latin1_swedish_ci.

General Troubleshooting Tips

  • Always check the browser console: Press F12 and look at the Console tab for specific error messages that can pinpoint the exact problem.
  • Test with a default theme: Temporarily switch to a WordPress default theme to rule out theme conflicts.
  • Disable other plugins: Temporarily disable other plugins to identify potential conflicts.
  • Ensure Google Maps API is properly set up: Many issues stem from incomplete API configuration in the Google Cloud Console.

Most WP Go Maps issues can be resolved through methodical troubleshooting. Start with the browser console errors, then work through these common solutions based on the specific problem you're experiencing.

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