How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death (Complete Troubleshooting Guide)

The WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD) is a terrifying sight—your website suddenly goes blank, showing only a white screen with no error messages. This critical issue can happen for various reasons, from plugin conflicts to server memory limits.

Don’t panic! In this step-by-step guide, we’ll explain:

✔️ What causes the White Screen of Death?
✔️ 6 proven methods to fix it (even without coding knowledge)
✔️ How to prevent it from happening again

What Causes the WordPress White Screen of Death?

The WSOD occurs when PHP crashes silently, preventing WordPress from loading. Common causes include:

1. Plugin or theme conflicts (most frequent cause)
2. Memory limit exhaustion (PHP runs out of allocated memory)
3. Corrupted WordPress core files
4. Fatal PHP errors (syntax errors in functions.php)
5. Broken .htaccess file
6. Incompatible PHP version

6 Ways to Fix the White Screen of Death

Method 1: Disable Plugins (Most Common Fix)

Since plugins are the #1 cause, disable them via FTP/SFTP:

• Connect via FileZilla or your hosting file manager.
• Go to /wp-content/plugins/.
• Rename the “plugins” folder to plugins_old.
• Check if your site loads—if yes, reactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit.

Method 2: Switch to Default Theme

A faulty theme can trigger WSOD. To test:

• Access /wp-content/themes/ via FTP.
• Rename your current theme folder (e.g., yourtheme_old).
• WordPress will auto-switch to Twenty Twenty-Four (default theme).

Method 3: Increase PHP Memory Limit

If your site crashes due to low memory:

1. Edit wp-config.php (in root directory).

2. Add this line before /* That's all, stop editing! */:
   define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

3. Save and reload.

Method 4: Check for Corrupted Core Files

Reinstall WordPress without losing content:

• Download a fresh WordPress.zip from wordpress.org.
• Replace all files EXCEPT /wp-content/ and wp-config.php.

Method 5: Fix .htaccess File

A broken .htaccess can cause WSOD. Reset it:

• Rename .htaccess to .htaccess_old.
• Go to Settings > Permalinks and save (WordPress regenerates it).

Method 6: Enable Debugging to Find Errors

If the WSOD persists, enable debugging:

1. Open wp-config.php.

2. Find define('WP_DEBUG', false); and change to:

   define('WP_DEBUG', true);
   define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
   define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

3. Check /wp-content/debug.log for error details.

How to Prevent the White Screen of Death

✅ Always update WordPress, plugins, and themes.
✅ Use a staging site before making major changes.
✅ Monitor PHP memory usage (install Query Monitor plugin).
✅ Avoid untested plugins/themes (check reviews first).
✅ Backup regularly (use UpdraftPlus or BlogVault).

Need more information; https://www.youtube.com/@easythemestore

Final Thoughts

The White Screen of Death is scary but fixable. Most cases are caused by plugin/theme conflicts or memory issues, so start troubleshooting there.

Still stuck?

• Ask your hosting support (they often help with PHP errors).
• Hire a WordPress developer for advanced debugging.

Did this guide help you fix WSOD? Let us know in the comments! 🚀