Have you ever opened your WordPress site only to be greeted by a complete white screen? It’s a heart-stopping moment, often referred to as the “WordPress White Screen of Death” (WSOD). This frustrating error can leave you feeling helpless, but we have got you covered — it’s a common issue with several straightforward fixes. In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step solutions to resolve the WSOD, helping you get your site back up and running quickly. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, our guide will equip you with the knowledge to confidently tackle this error. Let’s dive in and demystify the WordPress White Screen of Death!
What is the WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD)?
WordPress White Screen of Death (WSoD) is a common but concerning WordPress problem. The White Screen of Death (WSoD) happens when a blank white screen replaces your website. In some cases, you may see an HTTP 500 error with the message, “This page isn’t working and is unable to handle the request”. It may also occur while you are already logged in or attempting to log into your wp-admin. This error prevents you and your visitors from accessing your website.
Causes of WordPress White Screen of Death
- PHP Error
- Database Issue
- Plugin Conflict
- Theme Issue
- Memory Limit Exhaustion
- Server Down
How to Fix WP White Screen of Death?
To fix the white screen issue, follow these steps.
1. Clear your Browser and Plugin Cache
Browser caching is used on websites to improve the user experience and speed of browsing.
- To fix this problem, go to your browser’s settings and erase your website’s cache by going to all cookies and site data.
- To erase all cookies and cache, go to Chrome’s History tab and click Clear browsing data. Go to Basic or Advanced, select a time range, and click Clear Data.
Once the process is complete, return to your website and click Refresh. If you see the wp-admin screen, you are ready to go.
2. Disable Plugins
WordPress plugins can also cause a conflict if you have recently updated or installed a new one.
To disable plugins in the WordPress dashboard, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open the WordPress dashboard.
- Click Plugins to view the list of plugins that have been installed.
- Disable all of them.
Activate them one by one to see which plugin is generating the error.
3. Enable Debugging Mode
Turn on debugging in WordPress, it will preserve error logs, allowing you to observe what types of issues are being generated.
Add the following code to your wp-config.php file:
| define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false ); |
When you add this, the blank screen will display errors, warnings, and alerts. If you do not see any issues, you should still check the debug log.
To access the wp-content folder on your website, use an FTP client. There will be a new debug.log file that has a record of all errors, notices, and warnings.
4. Adjust Your Memory Limit
When you install a plugin, it runs a series of scripts on your WordPress site. Every time the plugin runs, it consumes a small amount of your server’s memory. WordPress limits the memory available to your plugins to prevent scripts from slowing down your website. To limit the memory, follow these steps.
1. Log in to your server via SFTP.
2. Navigate to the public_html folder and locate your wp-config.php file.
3. Right-click on wp-config.php and select View/Edit.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the file and insert the following line of code:
| Define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ’64M’); |
This tells WordPress to use up to 64 MB of memory for your scripts.
5. Auto-update Failures
WordPress updates can fail to complete, particularly if the server times out. This usually resolves itself, although it can occasionally result in a White Screen of Death.
When you use automatic updates, WordPress will put your site in maintenance mode during the upgrade process. Your site become stuck in maintenance mode. If there is a compatibility issue, you will have to resolve it manually. To do this,
- Navigate to your root directory. You can use your hosting provider’s cPanel account or an FTP program to access your website’s files.
- Open the public_html folder. In the list of options, look for the .maintenance file.
- If you come across a .maintenance file, select and delete it.
- Then reload your website. If the upload was successful before the error, your site should be back up and running.
For a detailed guide, check out this comprehensive resource on Fixing White Screen of Death.
Conclusion
WordPress White Screen of Death can be a difficult problem, but with the right approach, it is completely manageable. Following these troubleshooting steps will allow you to identify and resolve the root cause of the WSOD. Remember that regular backups and monitoring can help prevent such difficulties in the future, ensuring that your website remains secure and accessible.
Q: What causes WordPress’s White Screen of Death?
WSODs are caused by plugin conflicts, theme issues, memory limit exhaustion, PHP failures, and database problems.
Q: What if I can still access the admin dashboard but the WSOD appears on the front end?
This again signals a caching problem. Clearing your browser cache and website cache (if you’re using a plugin) is an effective step.
Q: How can I recognize a faulty plugin?
Deactivate all plugins temporarily and check to see whether WSoD disappears. Reactivate one by one to determine which plugin causes the problem.
