Failed to initialize plugin wplink

This error usually isn’t caused by Yoast itself.

“Failed to initialize plugin wplink” typically means a JavaScript error in the
WordPress admin, often triggered by a plugin conflict or a theme script that
isn’t compatible with the latest WordPress update.

Since you’re also seeing:

• blank Yoast pages
• Media Library not loading

that strongly points to a broader admin JS issue.

Here’s what I’d suggest trying, in this order:

1) Temporarily deactivate ALL plugins except Yoast.
If the editor and media library start working again, reactivate plugins
one by one to find the conflict.

2) Switch temporarily to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Four / Twenty Twenty-Five)
to rule out a theme-related JS issue.

3) Clear any caches:
– browser cache
– server cache
– plugin cache (if applicable)

4) Open your browser DevTools (F12) → Console tab
and check for JavaScript errors. If you see red errors, paste them here —
they usually point directly to the culprit.

5) Make sure your PHP version is supported by both WordPress and Yoast
(PHP 8.0–8.2 is usually safest right now).

In most cases I’ve seen, this turns out to be a plugin or theme injecting a
broken script that prevents WordPress admin components (like wplink and media)
from initializing.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the update — glad to hear it’s resolved 👍

Yes, that makes sense. Missing jQuery / legacy JS issues can definitely cause exactly this kind of behavior, and jQuery Migrate often fixes it.

Appreciate you sharing the solution, it’ll help others who run into the same issue.

Best,
Pouya