How to Fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress

Table of Contents

• What is the White Screen of Death in WordPress?
• Common Causes of the White Screen of Death
• How to Fix the White Screen of Death
  • 1. Increase Memory Limit
  • 2. Disable Plugins
  • 3. Switch to a Default Theme
  • 4. Enable Debug Mode
  • 5. Clear Cache
  • 6. Restore a Backup
• Preventing the White Screen of Death
• FAQs

What is the White Screen of Death in WordPress?

The White Screen of Death (WSOD) is a common WordPress issue where your site loads as a blank white page. It happens when a critical error prevents WordPress from functioning properly.

Common Causes of the White Screen of Death

• PHP Memory Limit Exhaustion – Not enough memory to run WordPress.
• Plugin Conflicts – A faulty plugin may crash the site.
• Theme Issues – A broken theme could cause the error.
• Corrupt Core Files – WordPress files may be damaged.
• Server Issues – Hosting problems can trigger WSOD.

How to Fix the White Screen of Death

1. Increase Memory Limit

A low memory limit can cause WSOD. To increase it:

1. Access your website via FTP or File Manager.
2. Open the wp-config.php file.
3. Add this line before the
   /* That's all, stop editing! */ comment: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
4. Save the file and refresh your site.

2. Disable Plugins

Faulty plugins can cause WSOD. To disable plugins:

1. Access your site via FTP or File Manager.
2. Navigate to wp-content/plugins/.
3. Rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
4. Check if the site loads. If yes, rename the folder back and disable plugins one by one.

3. Switch to a Default Theme

A broken theme can cause WSOD. Switch to a default theme:

1. Access wp-content/themes/ via FTP.
2. Rename your active theme folder.
3. WordPress will switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.
4. Check if your site is working.

4. Enable Debug Mode

Debug mode helps identify errors:

1. Open the wp-config.php file.
2. Add these lines:
   define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
3. Check the debug.log file in wp-content for error messages.

5. Clear Cache

If you use caching plugins or a CDN, clear your cache:

• If you have a caching plugin, go to its settings and clear cache.
• If using a CDN (like Cloudflare), purge cache from the dashboard.

6. Restore a Backup

If nothing works, restore your site from a backup:

1. Use your hosting backup feature or a plugin like UpdraftPlus.
2. Restore your website files and database.
3. Check if your site is back to normal.

Preventing the White Screen of Death

• Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins.
• Use a reliable hosting provider.
• Keep backups of your site.
• Monitor error logs for early issue detection.

FAQs