How to Troubleshoot the WordPress Blank Page Error

The WordPress blank page error, also known as the "White Screen of Death," can be a frustrating issue that leaves your website inaccessible. This problem can occur on both self-hosted and cloud-hosted WordPress websites, and it can have various underlying causes. In this guide, we will explore common reasons for the WordPress blank page error and provide troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the issue on your cloud hosting or server.

Understanding the WordPress Blank Page Error

The WordPress blank page error occurs when a user visits your website and only sees a completely blank page without any content or error messages. This issue can be caused by a range of factors, including plugin conflicts, theme issues, PHP memory limits, or server-related issues.

When this happens, it’s essential to diagnose the root cause and take the necessary steps to restore the website. This problem can happen on both cloud hosting and traditional server setups, but the troubleshooting steps remain similar.

Increase PHP Memory Limit

A common reason for the WordPress blank page error is running out of PHP memory. WordPress sites running on cloud hosting or dedicated servers may have limited memory resources, which can cause scripts to time out or fail to load. To resolve this issue:

Access the WordPress root directory through your hosting control panel or using an FTP client.

Locate the wp-config.php file.

Add the following line of code before the line that says, "That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging.":
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Save the changes and reload your website.

Increasing the memory limit can resolve the blank page error if insufficient PHP memory is the cause. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, try the other troubleshooting steps.

Deactivate All Plugins

Plugin conflicts are a common cause of the WordPress blank page error. Sometimes, incompatible or poorly coded plugins can cause the website to break. To troubleshoot this issue:

Log in to your hosting control panel and navigate to the file manager or access your website via FTP.

Go to the wp-content directory.

Rename the plugins folder to something like plugins-old.

Create a new plugins folder in the wp-content directory.

Check if your website loads after deactivating all plugins. If it does, the issue is caused by one of the plugins.

Next, restore the old plugins folder and reactivate plugins one by one to identify which one is causing the issue. Once you’ve found the problematic plugin, deactivate or remove it, and your site should load correctly.

Switch to the Default WordPress Theme

A faulty or incompatible theme can also cause the WordPress blank page error. If you suspect the issue might be theme-related, you can temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-One. To do this:

Access your website’s files via FTP or file manager.

Navigate to the wp-content/themes directory.

Rename the folder of your active theme (e.g., mytheme to mytheme-old).

WordPress will automatically switch to a default theme if the active theme is unavailable.

Check if your website loads correctly. If it does, the issue is related to your original theme.

You can now investigate your theme’s code or try reinstalling it to resolve the issue.

Enable Debugging in WordPress

If the previous steps didn’t fix the WordPress blank page error, enabling WordPress debugging can provide more insight into the problem. Debugging will display error messages that can point to the underlying cause. To enable debugging:

Access the wp-config.php file in the root directory.

Add the following lines just above the line that says, "That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging.":
define('WP_DEBUG', true);

define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);

define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true);

Save the changes and reload your site.

With debugging enabled, you should see error messages or warnings related to the problem. These messages can help identify the specific issue causing the blank page error.

Check for Server-Side Issues

If the error persists even after following the previous steps, the problem could be related to your cloud hosting server or web hosting environment. Here are some server-related checks to consider:

Server Resources: Ensure that your server has sufficient resources, including CPU, RAM, and disk space. On cloud hosting platforms, you may be able to scale your server resources to resolve performance issues.

PHP Version: Ensure that your server is running a compatible version of PHP. WordPress recommends using PHP 7.4 or higher for optimal performance and compatibility. You can check and update the PHP version from your hosting control panel or by contacting your hosting provider.

Error Logs: Check the server error logs through your hosting control panel. Server-side issues, such as permission errors, can sometimes cause the blank page error. The error logs will provide detailed information about these issues.

Clear Caches

Caching issues can also cause the WordPress blank page error. Your server, cloud hosting environment, or WordPress itself may be caching outdated files. Clearing caches can resolve the issue:

Clear your browser cache and refresh the page.

If you're using a caching plugin, clear the cache from the plugin settings.

Clear any server-side caches, such as Varnish or content delivery network (CDN) caches, if applicable.

Conclusion

The WordPress blank page error can be caused by a variety of issues, including plugin conflicts, theme problems, insufficient memory, and server-related issues. By following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide, you can diagnose and resolve the issue efficiently. Whether your site is hosted on a cloud platform or a traditional server, the key to fixing the WordPress blank page error is systematically isolating the root cause and applying the appropriate fixes.

If these steps don’t resolve the problem, it may be worthwhile to contact your hosting provider to ensure there are no server-side issues affecting your website. With proper troubleshooting, your WordPress website can be up and running securely and smoothly once again.