How to Fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress: A Complete Guide

What Is the White Screen of Death in WordPress?

The White Screen of Death is exactly what it sounds like: your website or wp-admin area loads as a plain white screen with no error message, no content, and no obvious clue about what went wrong.

In most cases, this means:

  • A PHP error has stopped WordPress from loading properly

  • A plugin or theme has conflicting code

  • Your site has run out of memory or hit a server limit

Because the page is completely blank, beginners often feel stuck. But inside the server, WordPress usually knows why it crashed. We just have to surface that information using some basic troubleshooting techniques.

đź”— If you want a broader checklist of common WordPress errors (not just WSOD), you can also read our in-depth guide on general troubleshooting.

Common Causes of the White Screen of Death

Before we learn how to fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress, it helps to understand what usually triggers it.

1. Plugin Conflicts

A newly installed or recently updated plugin can:

  • Clash with another plugin

  • Conflict with your theme

  • Use functions that don’t exist in your PHP or WordPress version

This often leads to fatal errors that result in a blank white page.

🔗 If your WSOD started right after changing plugins, don’t miss this detailed guide on resolving plugin issues

2. Theme Problems

A broken or incompatible theme can also cause WSOD, especially if:

  • You’re using a theme with outdated code

  • A child theme contains a bad function in functions.php

  • There’s a syntax error introduced while editing theme files

3. PHP Memory Limit Exhausted

WordPress needs a certain amount of server memory to run. Heavy plugins (eCommerce, page builders, backup tools) and large sites can hit the memory limit and crash.

4. Corrupted Core Files

An incomplete WordPress update or a failed file upload can corrupt core files, leading to fatal errors and the White Screen of Death.

5. Server-Level Issues

Sometimes the root cause is your hosting environment:

  • Misconfigured PHP version

  • Server resource limits

  • Temporary outages or misconfigurations

In these cases, you’ll often need help from your hosting provider.

Before You Start: Create a Full Backup

Any time you’re about to change plugins, themes, or core files, it’s smart to create a complete backup of your site:

  • Database

  • wp-content folder (themes, plugins, uploads)

If your hosting offers one-click backup (cPanel, hPanel, etc.), use that. Otherwise, you can use a backup plugin for future protection once the site is back up.

How to Fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress (Step-by-Step)

Now let’s go through a practical, step-by-step process for how to fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress.

💡 Tip: If you can still access wp-admin, it’s much easier. If not, you’ll use FTP/File Manager.

Step 1: Clear Cache and Test in Another Browser

Before making big changes, rule out simple issues:

  1. Clear your browser cache.

  2. If you use a caching plugin (like LiteSpeed, W3 Total Cache, etc.), clear the site cache.

  3. Try opening the site:

    • In Incognito / Private window

    • From a different browser

    • From a different device or network

If the site loads normally in some places but not others, caching might be a factor. Still, if you’re facing a pure blank screen, continue with the deeper steps.

Step 2: Disable All Plugins

This is one of the most powerful ways to fix WSOD if the cause is a plugin conflict.

If you can access wp-admin:

  1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.

  2. Click the checkbox to select all plugins.

  3. Choose Deactivate from the Bulk Actions dropdown and apply.

  4. Refresh the site on the front end.

If the site starts loading again:

  • You’ve confirmed a plugin is the problem.

  • Reactivate plugins one by one, refreshing your site after each activation.

  • When the site breaks again, you’ve identified the culprit plugin.

You can then:

  • Look for an update

  • Check its settings

  • Replace it with a better alternative

If you CANNOT access wp-admin:

You’ll need FTP or File Manager:

  1. Connect via FTP or your host’s File Manager.

  2. Go to: /wp-content/

  3. Rename the folder plugins to plugins-old. This instantly deactivates all plugins.

  4. Check your website again.

  • If it loads now, you know a plugin was causing the WSOD.

  • Rename plugins-old back to plugins.

  • Then, log into wp-admin and deactivate/reactivate plugins one by one as described above.

Step 3: Switch to a Default WordPress Theme

If plugins aren’t the issue, your theme might be.

If you can log in:

  1. Go to Appearance → Themes.

  2. Activate a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.

  3. Refresh your site.

If the White Screen of Death disappears after switching to a default theme, your previous theme has:

  • Bugs

  • Compatibility problems

  • Or a broken template file

You may need to:

  • Update the theme

  • Reinstall a fresh copy

  • Ask the theme developer for support

If you can’t log in:

  1. Use FTP/File Manager.

  2. Go to /wp-content/themes/.

  3. Make sure a default theme like twentytwentyfour exists. If not, upload one.

  4. Rename your active theme’s folder (e.g., mytheme → mytheme-old).

  5. WordPress will fall back to the default theme automatically.

If the site now loads, you’ve confirmed a theme-level problem.

Step 4: Increase the PHP Memory Limit

If your site is hitting resource limits, increasing the PHP memory limit can fix the White Screen of Death.

  1. Access your site files via FTP or File Manager.

  2. Open the wp-config.php file in the root directory.

  3. Add this line above the comment that says “That’s all, stop editing!”:

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

  1. Save the file and refresh your site.

If WSOD disappears after this, you were likely hitting memory issues.

⚠️ Note: Some hosts override this value from the server side. If the memory limit isn’t increasing, you may need to ask your hosting provider to raise the limit for you.

Step 5: Enable Debug Mode and Check Error Logs

To see exactly what’s causing the crash, enable WordPress debug mode.

  1. Open wp-config.php.

  2. Find this line:

 
define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );

  1. Change it to:

 
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false ); @ini_set( 'display_errors', 0 );

  1. Save the file and reload your site (even if it’s still white).

  2. Now check the debug log at:
    /wp-content/debug.log

You’ll see error messages pointing to:

  • Specific plugins

  • Theme files

  • Core files

  • PHP functions

Fix or disable whatever is mentioned in the error log.

đź”— Want the official documentation on debugging from WordPress.org? Check this.

This page explains every debug constant and is invaluable for developers and power users.

Step 6: Check for Corrupted Core Files

If logs mention core WordPress files, you might need to re-upload fresh core files:

  1. Download the latest WordPress package from wordpress.org.

  2. Extract it on your computer.

  3. Via FTP, upload the wp-admin and wp-includes folders from the fresh package to your site, overwriting existing files.

  4. Do not overwrite wp-content (that’s where your themes, plugins, and uploads live).

Refresh your site once the upload completes.

Step 7: Contact Your Hosting Provider

If you’ve tried everything and the White Screen of Death persists:

  • There may be a deeper server-level issue (PHP version, opcode cache, resource caps, misconfigurations).

  • Your host can check server error logs, memory usage, and timeouts that you may not see from WordPress alone.

A good hosting provider can:

  • Restore a stable backup

  • Fix misconfigurations

  • Help spot problematic plugins or scripts

🔗 If you feel your current provider struggles with stability and performance, you may want to explore more reliable options. For example, we’ve broken down why Hostinger works well for WordPress blogs and creators here.

How Hosting Impacts the White Screen of Death

Your hosting environment plays a huge role in how often you need to fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress:

  • Low-quality hosting can mean lower memory limits, old PHP versions, and frequent timeouts.

  • WordPress-optimized hosting usually gives better resource allocation, easier backups, and staging, making it much easier to troubleshoot issues without breaking your live site.

When choosing a host, look for:

  • One-click backups and restore

  • Simple access to PHP settings

  • Staging environments

  • Good support for WordPress-specific problems

Preventing Future White Screen of Death Issues

Fix kar liya is great. Ab goal ye hai ki baar-baar WSOD ka tension hi na ho.

Here are some best practices:

1. Keep Everything Updated

  • WordPress core

  • Themes

  • Plugins

Outdated code is one of the most common reasons for WSOD and other fatal errors.

2. Use Fewer, Higher-Quality Plugins

  • Avoid installing multiple plugins that do the same thing (e.g., 2 caching plugins).

  • Stick to well-reviewed plugins with regular updates and good support.

  • Remove plugins you no longer use (don’t just deactivate them forever).

3. Test Changes on a Staging Site

Before changing themes, installing new plugins, or doing major updates:

  • Use a staging site to test everything safely.

  • Once you confirm the site works fine, push changes to your live site.

Many good hosts offer one-click staging for this exact reason.

4. Monitor Performance and Errors

  • Keep an eye on page speed, CPU/memory usage, and error logs.

  • Performance problems left unchecked can escalate into crashes and WSOD.

When to Call a Professional

Sometimes, especially on revenue-generating or enterprise sites, it’s better not to experiment too much on your own when:

  • WSOD keeps coming back repeatedly

  • Error logs show complex database or code-level issues

  • The site handles payments, bookings, or sensitive user data

In such cases, working with an experienced WordPress developer or a specialized support team can:

  • Save time

  • Protect your data

  • Prevent bigger issues down the line

Final Thoughts

The White Screen of Death in WordPress looks scary at first—but once you know how to fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress logically, it becomes just another technical problem with a clear process:

  1. Check caching and basic issues

  2. Deactivate plugins and test

  3. Switch to a default theme

  4. Increase PHP memory

  5. Enable debugging and read error logs

  6. Re-upload core files if needed

  7. Ask your hosting provider to check server-level problems

Combine these steps with regular backups, quality plugins, and reliable hosting, and you’ll dramatically reduce your chances of ever seeing a blank white screen again.