How to Fix WordPress White Screen of Death (WSoD)

If you're a WordPress user, you've likely encountered the dreaded White Screen of Death (WSoD) at least once. This issue can be frustrating and alarming, especially when it leaves your website completely blank and inaccessible. But don’t worry! 

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to resolve the WordPress White Screen of Death (WSoD) in simple steps. You’ll not only learn why this happens but also gain practical strategies to fix it, restoring your website in no time.

What is the White Screen of Death (WSoD)?

The White Screen of Death (WSoD) is a term used by WordPress users to describe a situation where the site loads as a blank white page. There’s no error message, no warning, and no obvious reason why it happens. For both beginners and experienced users, this can be one of the most puzzling problems to troubleshoot.

Why Does WSoD Happen?

Understanding the root causes of the White Screen of Death will help you resolve it efficiently. The most common reasons for WSoD are:

Plugin Conflicts: Sometimes plugins don’t play nicely with one another, or they may conflict with your WordPress theme.

Theme Issues: A poorly coded theme or a theme update gone wrong can trigger the WSoD.

PHP Errors: Incorrect or outdated PHP code, which is the backbone of WordPress, can cause fatal errors that leave your site blank.

Exhausted PHP Limits: Hosting plans have a certain limit for PHP memory usage. When the limit is exceeded, your site can crash with WSoD.

Corrupt .htaccess File: This essential file controls how your server handles requests. If corrupted, it can cause various issues, including the WSoD.

How to Fix the White Screen of Death

Now that you know the possible causes, it’s time to dive into the step-by-step solutions. Don’t worry, fixing the WSoD is usually straightforward once you know where to look.

1. Clear Your Browser Cache

Before diving into deeper troubleshooting, make sure the issue isn’t related to your browser’s cache. Sometimes, the page won’t load correctly due to stored data in your browser.

Solution: Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the page.

2. Disable Plugins

Plugins are often the culprit behind WSoD. To check if a wordpress plugin is causing the issue, you’ll need to disable them one by one.

Step 1: Connect to your website via FTP or cPanel File Manager.

Step 2: Navigate to the wp-content folder.

Step 3: Rename the plugins folder to something like plugins_old to disable all plugins.

Step 4: Refresh your website. If it loads, then the issue lies with one or more plugins.

Step 5: Rename the plugins_old folder back to plugins, then reactivate each plugin one at a time to identify the faulty one.

3. Switch to a Default Theme

If a theme update or issue is causing the WSoD, switching to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-One) can help determine if the theme is the issue.

Step 1: Connect to your website via FTP.

Step 2: Navigate to the wp-content/themes folder.

Step 3: Rename your active theme’s folder.

Step 4: WordPress will automatically revert to the default theme. Check your website to see if it loads correctly.

4. Increase PHP Memory Limit

If your site is running out of memory, you can try increasing the PHP memory limit. Sometimes this is the simplest fix to resolve the WSoD.

Step 1: Open the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress site.

Step 2: Add the following line just before the line that says “/* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */”:

php

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

Step 3: Save the file and check your site again.

5. Debugging WordPress

WordPress has a built-in debugging feature that allows you to track down PHP errors and other issues causing the WSoD.

Step 1: Open the wp-config.php file.

Step 2: Add the following lines of code:

php

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define('WP_DEBUG', true);

define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);

define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

Step 3: WordPress will log errors to a debug.log file located in the wp-content folder. Review the file for any errors that might point to the issue.

6. Repair the .htaccess File

If your .htaccess file is corrupted, you can regenerate it easily.

Step 1: Connect to your site via FTP and find the .htaccess file in your root directory.

Step 2: Rename the .htaccess file to .htaccess_old.

Step 3: Go to your WordPress dashboard > Settings > Permalinks, and simply click “Save Changes” to regenerate the .htaccess file.

Step 4: Check if the website loads correctly.

When to Contact Your Hosting Provider

If none of the above steps resolve the White Screen of Death, it might be time to contact your hosting provider. They can help check server logs, review resource limits, and identify any underlying issues that might be causing the problem.

Preventing the White Screen of Death

Once you've resolved the issue, it’s essential to take steps to prevent future occurrences of the WSoD:

Regularly update your WordPress core, themes, and plugins.

Use a staging environment to test updates before applying them to your live site.

Monitor your website’s performance to ensure it’s not hitting PHP memory limits.

Conclusion

The WordPress White Screen of Death can be a daunting issue, but with the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you should be able to resolve it quickly. Whether it’s a plugin conflict, theme issue, or exhausted memory limit, the solution is often just a few clicks away.

If you’re facing persistent issues or lack the time to manage these fixes on your own, consider reaching out to a trusted WordPress service provider. At Cyfuture Cloud, we specialize in WordPress support, offering expert solutions to keep your website running smoothly. Let us handle the technicalities so you can focus on growing your business!