How to Fix WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD) Issue

If you’re a WordPress user, facing the White Screen of Death (WSOD) can be both perplexing and annoying. This error, one of the most common in WordPress, causes the website to go completely blank with no error messages displayed. The good news is that resolving WordPress WSOD is entirely possible. In this WordPress Troubleshooting Guide, we’ll take you step by step through the process of diagnosing and fixing this issue.

For a deeper dive into troubleshooting other common WordPress issues, be sure to explore my additional WordPress troubleshooting guides. Whether you’re dealing with plugin conflicts, database errors, or performance slowdowns, these guides will provide you with the tools and steps you need to maintain your site.

What Causes the White Screen of Death in WordPress?

Before diving into the solutions, it’s important to understand why the WordPress White Screen of Death occurs. Several factors can trigger this issue, including:

• Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Sometimes, an incompatible or outdated plugin/theme can cause the WSOD.


• Memory Limit Exhaustion: If your WordPress site exceeds the allocated PHP memory, it may display the white screen.


• Corrupted Files: Missing or corrupted core WordPress files can also be a major cause.




• Server Issues: Server-side problems like incorrect file permissions or server downtime can lead to the WSOD.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how to fix the WordPress WSOD.

Step 1: Increase the PHP Memory Limit

The first step in fixing the WordPress White Screen of Death is to check and increase the PHP memory limit. WordPress sites sometimes exhaust their allocated memory, leading to the WSOD. You can increase the memory limit by editing the wp-config.php file.

Steps:

1. Connect to your website via FTP or use the file manager in your hosting account.


2. Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.




3. Add the following line of code before the line that says, “/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */”:



define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

4. Save the file and refresh your website to see if the issue is resolved.

Step 2: Deactivate All Plugins

Plugin conflicts are a common reason for the White Screen of Death. A faulty or incompatible plugin can cause your site to display a blank page. To identify the problematic plugin, deactivate all plugins at once.

Steps:

1. Access your WordPress site via FTP or cPanel file manager.


2. Navigate to wp-content > plugins.


3. Rename the “plugins” folder to something like “plugins_old”.


4. This action will deactivate all plugins on your site.


5. Check if the issue persists. If your website loads, then one of your plugins is likely causing the problem.


6. To identify the exact plugin, revert the folder name back to “plugins” and reactivate each plugin one by one through the WordPress admin dashboard.

Step 3: Switch to a Default WordPress Theme

If the plugins aren’t the issue, your theme may be the culprit. WordPress themes can conflict with other plugins or WordPress core updates, causing issues like WSOD.

Steps:

1. Connect to your website via FTP or cPanel.


2. Navigate to wp-content/themes and temporarily rename your active theme’s folder.


3. WordPress will automatically switch to a default theme (such as Twenty Twenty-One).


4. Check your site to see if the white screen disappears.


5. If your site works, the problem is likely with your theme, and you may need to update or replace it.

Step 4: Enable Debugging in WordPress

Enabling debugging can help you identify the exact cause of the WordPress White Screen of Death. WordPress has a built-in debugging tool that logs errors to a debug file, which you can review to pinpoint the issue.

Steps:

1. Open the wp-config.php file again.


2. Add the following lines before the “/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */” line:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );

define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );

define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

3. Save the file and check your wp-content folder for a debug log file called debug.log.


4. Review the error log for any PHP errors, which can help you pinpoint the root cause of the issue.

Step 5: Check for Corrupted WordPress Core Files

Sometimes, the issue could stem from corrupted WordPress core files. To fix this, you can reinstall WordPress without affecting your content.

Steps:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Dashboard > Updates.
3. Click the “Reinstall Now” button to replace the core files with fresh, uncorrupted ones.

Step 6: Contact Your Hosting Provider

If none of the above steps resolves the issue, it’s possible that the problem lies with your web hosting environment. Server-side issues, such as incorrect file permissions or server misconfigurations, could be causing the WSOD. Contact your hosting provider to check for any server-side problems.

Conclusion

The White Screen of Death (WSOD) can be a daunting problem for WordPress users, but it’s usually fixable with some basic troubleshooting steps. Start by increasing your PHP memory limit, deactivate plugins, switch themes, enable debugging, and consider reinstalling WordPress core files. If the issue persists, it’s always a good idea to consult your hosting provider for further assistance.

By following these steps, you can get your website back up and running smoothly without too much hassle.