Troubleshooting the WordPress White Screen of Death

Encountering a blank, white screen on your WordPress website can be frustrating. Known as the “White Screen of Death” (WSOD), this issue often causes the entire site or certain sections to go completely blank. Fortunately, this guide will help you identify the cause and resolve the issue efficiently.

What Causes the WordPress White Screen?

Several factors can lead to the WordPress white screen:

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1. Memory Limit Exhaustion

When your server doesn’t have enough memory to run PHP scripts, it may result in a white screen.

2. Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Conflicting or poorly coded plugins and themes can disrupt your WordPress installation.

3. Corrupted Plugins or Themes

If an update or installation process fails, it may corrupt your plugins or themes.

4. Server-Side Issues

Problems with server configuration, such as restricted memory allocation or network failures, can also trigger WSOD.

How to Fix the WordPress White Screen

Follow these solutions step-by-step to diagnose and fix the issue.

Step 1: Increase WordPress Memory Limit

Memory exhaustion is a common reason behind WSOD. To increase the PHP memory limit:

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1. Log into your hosting file manager and locate the wp-config.php file.
2. Before the line /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */, add this code:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '128M');

3. Save the file and check your website.

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Step 2: Deactivate All Plugins

If memory isn’t the issue, plugins might be. Here’s how to disable them:

1. Navigate to wp-content in your site’s files.
2. Rename the plugins folder to something like plugins_backup.
3. Reload your website. If it loads, a plugin is the culprit.

To identify the problematic plugin:

• Rename the folder back to plugins.
• Rename each plugin folder one by one, rechecking the site after each change.

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Step 3: Switch to a Default Theme

A faulty or outdated theme may also cause WSOD.

If you have admin access:

1. Go to Appearance > Themes.
2. Activate a default WordPress theme like Twenty Nineteen.

Without admin access:

1. Access phpMyAdmin via your hosting control panel.
2. Open your database and locate the wp_options table.
3. Find the template og stylesheet rows.
4. Set both values to twentynineteen.

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Step 4: Enable WordPress Debugging

To find hidden errors, turn on debugging mode:

1. Edit your wp-config.php file.
2. Locate or add the following line before the stop editing comment:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);

3. Save the file and reload your website.

Now you’ll see detailed error messages that can guide you to the exact issue.

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Conclusion

The WordPress White Screen of Death can often be resolved through systematic troubleshooting. Here’s a summary:

• Increase the memory limit.
• Deactivate all plugins.
• Switch to a default theme.
• Enable debugging to identify PHP errors.

By following these methods, most WSOD issues can be diagnosed and fixed without expert help.

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