How to Fix WordPress White Screen of Death

What is White Screen of Death in WordPress ?
The White Screen of Death (WSoD) can be incredibly frustrating, especially when your site just goes blank, and it feels like everything has come to a halt. The good news is, it’s not as scary as it sounds, and there are several ways to troubleshoot and fix it. Let’s walk through the process with a bit more detail and a touch of patience to help you get your site back up and running.

White Screen

How to Fix WordPress White Screen of Death in WordPress

  1. Clear Your Browser & Cache

    Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one. Cached data can get old and messy, causing your site to glitch.
    Try below steps:

    • Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
    • If you’re using a caching plugin on your WordPress site, clear that cache too.
      This can often be the fix if it’s a caching issue.
  2. Turn on Debugging

    If clearing the cache didn’t do the trick, let’s peek behind the scenes and see what’s really going on.
    What you can do:

    • Open your wp-config.php file and add this line to turn on debugging:
       
      define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);
  3. Switch to a Default Theme

    If plugins aren’t the issue, it might be time to look at your theme. Sometimes themes can be corrupted or incompatible with updates.
    Here’s what to try:

    • Go to Appearance > Themes in the WordPress admin panel and activate a default theme like Twenty Twenty or Twenty Twenty-One.
    • If the white screen disappears, it’s your theme causing the issue. You can either update, reinstall, or switch to a different one.
  4. Increase Your PHP Memory Limit

    Your site might be running out of memory, especially if you have lots of plugins or a resource-heavy theme.
    What you can do:

  • Add this line to your wp-config.php file to increase your PHP memory

    limit:define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);