AlphaDC
How to Fix the White Screen of Death on WordPress
Irwan
Last update: September 18, 2024
White screen website on a laptop

Encountering the White Screen of Death (WSoD) on WordPress can be a nightmare for website owners. It typically results in a blank, white page that can prevent access to your site, either on the front end or in the admin dashboard. Fortunately, there are several ways to troubleshoot and fix this issue. In this guide, we’ll go through the most common causes and solutions to get your WordPress site back up and running.

1. Clear Your Browser Cache

Sometimes the White Screen of Death is a result of an old version of your website being loaded from the browser's cache. Before diving into more technical fixes, clear your browser cache or try opening the site in incognito mode. This simple step might resolve the issue without further effort.

2. Disable Plugins and Themes

A conflict with a plugin or theme is one of the most common causes of the WordPress White Screen of Death. To test this:

  • Deactivate all plugins: Use FTP or your hosting provider's file manager to navigate to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder and rename it to something like plugins-old. This deactivates all plugins. Reload the site to see if this fixes the issue.
  • Switch to a default theme: If the issue persists, rename the /wp-content/themes/ folder to deactivate your active theme. WordPress will default to one of its built-in themes, like "Twenty Twenty-Three". If your site works after this, the theme is likely the cause.

If either step fixes the problem, reactivate your plugins and themes one by one to identify the culprit.

3. Increase PHP Memory Limit

Another common cause of the White Screen of Death is exhausted memory. WordPress needs a certain amount of memory to operate, and if your site exceeds the PHP memory limit, it could crash.

To increase the memory limit:

  1. Access your site via FTP or cPanel.
  2. Open your wp-config.php file.
  3. Add the following line:phpCopy codedefine('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
  4. Save the file and refresh your site.

If increasing the memory resolves the issue, you may need to optimize your site’s performance or review resource-heavy plugins.

4. Enable Debug Mode

WordPress has a built-in debugging mode that provides more information about what’s going wrong. To enable this:

  1. Open your wp-config.php file.
  2. Find the line that says define('WP_DEBUG', false); and change it to:phpCopy codedefine('WP_DEBUG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
  3. Save the file. Errors will now be logged in a file located in /wp-content/debug.log. Reviewing this file can give you clues about the issue.

5. Check File Permissions

Incorrect file permissions can also cause the White Screen of Death. Make sure that your WordPress files have the correct permissions:

  • Folders should have permissions set to 755.
  • Files should have permissions set to 644.

You can update these settings using an FTP client or your hosting control panel.

6. Restore from a Backup

If you regularly back up your WordPress site, now is the time to restore it. Using your hosting provider’s control panel or a backup plugin, revert your site to a previous version before the issue occurred.

7. Contact Your Hosting Provider

If all else fails, the issue might be server-related. Contact your hosting provider to see if there’s a server problem causing the White Screen of Death. They can often assist with server-side debugging.

Conclusion

The WordPress White Screen of Death can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can usually resolve it quickly. By clearing your cache, deactivating plugins, increasing your PHP memory limit, and checking your file permissions, you should be able to restore your site without too much hassle.

Remember to keep regular backups of your WordPress site to avoid potential data loss in the future.

If you're finding these steps too difficult to follow or simply don't have the time to troubleshoot your WordPress site, I can help! I offer professional WordPress troubleshooting services, including resolving issues like the White Screen of Death. Whether it's plugin conflicts, theme issues, or server problems, I can quickly identify and fix the problem to get your site back online. Feel free to reach out, and I'll take care of the technical details for you.