WordPress White Screen of Death: How to Fix it

One of the most frustrating scenarios for WordPress website owners is encountering the dreaded "White Screen of Death" (WSOD). When the white screen appears, it means that something has gone wrong, leaving your website inaccessible and you scratching your head.

But fear not! In this blog post, we will guide you through some common causes of the WordPress White Screen of Death and provide simple solutions to help you get your website back up and running.

What Causes the WordPress White Screen of Death?

The WordPress White Screen of Death can be triggered by a variety of factors. Here are a few common culprits:

1. Plugin or Theme Compatibility Issues: Incompatible plugins or themes can conflict with WordPress core files and result in the White Screen of Death.
2. Memory Exhaustion: Insufficient PHP memory limit can cause the white screen to appear, especially if your website is running heavy plugins or themes.
3. Corrupted Files: Missing or corrupted WordPress core files can lead to the white screen issue.
4. PHP Errors: Syntax errors or incompatible code within your theme's or plugin's PHP files can trigger the white screen.

Now that we have identified some potential causes, let's move on to the solutions.

How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death

1. Deactivate All Plugins: A quick way to determine if a plugin is causing the issue is to deactivate all plugins at once. You can do this by accessing your website's files via FTP or using a file manager provided by your hosting provider. Rename the "plugins" folder to something like "plugins_deactivated" to disable all plugins. If the white screen is gone, then you can activate the plugins one by one until you find the culprit. Remove or replace the problematic plugin.

2. Switch to a Default Theme: Similar to plugins, a problematic theme can also lead to the white screen issue. Change your theme to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-One or Twenty Twenty and see if the white screen disappears. If it does, you may need to update or contact the theme developer for a fix.

3. Increase PHP Memory Limit: If your WordPress website is running out of memory, you can increase the PHP memory limit by editing the wp-config.php file. Add the following line before the "That's all, stop editing!" comment:
⁠
⁠define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Make sure to save the changes and refresh your website to see if the white screen vanishes.

4. Reinstall WordPress Core Files: If you suspect that your WordPress core files may be corrupted or missing, you can reinstall them without affecting your website's content. Download the latest version of WordPress from the official website, unzip the file, and upload the contents (excluding the wp-content directory) to your website's root directory. Overwrite any existing files and refresh your website to check for improvements.

Remember to always back up your website before making any major changes!

With these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve the WordPress White Screen of Death issue. However, if you're still facing the problem or require assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to our team at WP Pro. We are here to help you get your website back on track!

Happy WordPressing!