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Troubleshooting Missing Data and Display Issues in WP Statistics

19 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Wp statistics – the most popular privacy-friendly analytics plugin

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Users of the WP Statistics plugin sometimes encounter issues where data fails to display correctly on the Overview page or within dashboard widgets. A common symptom is seeing empty grey boxes where graphs and statistics should appear. This guide will help you diagnose and resolve these display problems.

Why This Happens

Based on community reports, these display glitches are often not due to a loss of data but are typically caused by one of three factors:

  • Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Another active plugin or your theme may be causing a JavaScript conflict that prevents the WP Statistics charts from rendering properly.
  • Browser or Server Caching: Outdated cached files can serve old JavaScript or CSS that is incompatible with the current version of the plugin.
  • JavaScript Errors: A specific error, such as Uncaught ReferenceError: postboxes is not defined, can halt the execution of scripts needed to load the graphs and data.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Issue

Step 1: Perform a Hard Refresh and Clear Caches

This is the easiest first step and often resolves the issue.

  1. Browser Hard Refresh: Press Ctrl + Shift + R (or Cmd + Shift + R on Mac) while on the WP Statistics page to bypass the browser's cache.
  2. Clear Site Cache: If you use a caching plugin (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket), clear its cache from its settings page.
  3. Server Cache: If your host provides a server-level cache (e.g., Varnish, Redis), you may need to clear that as well. Contact your hosting provider for assistance.

Step 2: Check for JavaScript Errors

Browser console errors can provide a direct clue to the problem's source.

  1. Navigate to your WP Statistics Overview or Settings page.
  2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect.
  3. Click on the Console tab.
  4. Look for any error messages highlighted in red. Common errors related to this issue include Uncaught ReferenceError: postboxes is not defined or Uncaught TypeError: $(...).wpColorPicker is not a function.
  5. Note any error messages, as they are valuable for further troubleshooting.

Step 3: Conflict Test

The most reliable way to identify a conflict with another plugin or your theme is to perform a test.

  1. Switch to a Default Theme: Temporarily switch your WordPress theme to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. Check if the WP Statistics data displays correctly. If it does, the issue is with your regular theme.
  2. Deactivate All Plugins: If the problem persists with a default theme, deactivate all plugins except for WP Statistics.
  3. Reactivate Plugins One-by-One: Reactivate your other plugins one at a time, checking the WP Statistics page after each activation. When the data disappears again, you have found the conflicting plugin.

Step 4: Verify Data Integrity

In rare cases, the issue might be related to the data itself.

  • Check Automatic Cleanup Settings: Visit Statistics > Settings > Data Management and ensure the Automatic Cleanup option is configured to your preference. It is enabled by default to purge data older than 180 days to maintain database performance. If this was recently enabled, it may have removed historical data, which cannot be recovered.
  • Database Restoration: If you recently restored your site from a backup and data is missing, ensure the database table names from the backup match the names of the current tables in your database.

When to Wait for a Plugin Update

Sometimes, these display issues are caused by a bug introduced in a specific plugin update. The WP Statistics team is typically quick to address and fix such bugs. If you have performed all the steps above and the issue remains on a default theme with only WP Statistics active, it is likely a known bug. Keep your plugin updated to the latest version to ensure you receive these fixes as they are released.

By following this structured approach, you can usually identify and resolve the cause of missing data in your WP Statistics dashboard.

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