Title: Fatal error: …../wp-includes/widgets.php on line 358
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# Fatal error: …../wp-includes/widgets.php on line 358

 *  722579
 * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/)
 * What the heck is this and how do I fix it? I can’t even proceed with an install
   until it’s gone.
 * **Fatal error: Cannot unset string offsets in /home/melissaa/public_html/blog/
   wp-includes/widgets.php on line 358**
 * [http://www.melissaannephotography.com/blog/](http://www.melissaannephotography.com/blog/)

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [alanft](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alanft/)
 * (@alanft)
 * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/#post-803643)
 * does this happen with an empty plugins folder?
 *  Thread Starter 722579
 * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/#post-803698)
 * yes it does
 * the plugins folder is empty now
 *  [alanft](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alanft/)
 * (@alanft)
 * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/#post-803750)
 * can you get into the admin?
 * if so, try clearing out all the widgets in your appearance. or changing theme.
 * if not, what if you (temporarily) start a new blog by changing the db prefix 
   in wp-config.php?
 * change $table_prefix = ‘wp_’; to something else, eg “wp_temp_clean_”
 *  [alanft](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alanft/)
 * (@alanft)
 * [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/#post-803751)
 * actually, before you do that read this
    [http://wordpress.org/support/topic/165484?replies=13](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/165484?replies=13)
   and check your wp-admin/widgets.php, line 45 for
 *     ```
       // for the sake of PHP warnings
       if ( empty( $sidebars_widgets[$sidebar] ) )
       	$sidebars_widgets[$sidebar] = array();
       ```
   
 * if you don’t have that code which is there to stop that error (i think), then
   get the latest WP code. the problem is either a blank, or garbled option(‘sidebars_widgets’)
   which needs resetting.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Fatal error: …../wp-includes/widgets.php on line 358’ is closed to new
replies.

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [alanft](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alanft/)
 * Last activity: [17 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-wp-includeswidgetsphp-on-line-358/#post-803751)
 * Status: not resolved

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