How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death

Welcome, fellow WordPress enthusiasts! Today, we will be tackling how to fix the White Screen of Death (WSOD).

This pesky error can cause panic among WordPress website owners, but fear not!

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to fix the WordPress White Screen of Death.

What Causes the WordPress White Screen of Death?

The WordPress White Screen of Death can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

Plugin or theme conflicts: A plugin or theme that’s incompatible with your WordPress installation can cause the WSOD.

Corrupted core files: If your WordPress core files are corrupted, it can cause the WSOD.

Insufficient memory limit: If your WordPress installation doesn’t have enough memory, it can cause the WSOD.

How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death

Now that we understand what the WordPress White Screen of Death is and what causes it, let’s delve into the steps to fix it.

Step 1: Enable Debugging Mode

The first step in fixing the WordPress White Screen of Death is to enable debugging mode. This will allow you to see the error message that’s causing the WSOD.

Here’s how:

Edit the wp-config.php file: Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation and edit it.

Add the following code: Add the following code to the file, just before the line that says /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */

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

Save the file: Save the wp-config.php file and refresh your website. You should now be able to see the error message causing the WSOD.

Step 2: Disable Plugins and Themes

If the error message indicates that a plugin or theme is causing the WSOD, the next step is to disable them. Here’s how:

Deactivate all plugins: Deactivate all of your plugins and see if the WSOD goes away.

Switch to a default theme: Switch to a default WordPress theme, such as Twenty Twenty-One, and see if the WSOD goes away.

Step 3: Increase Memory Limit

If the error message indicates that your WordPress installation doesn’t have enough memory, the next step is to increase the memory limit.

Here’s how:

Edit the wp-config.php file: Open the wp-config.php file and add the following code just before the line that says /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */

define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

Save the file: Save the wp-config.php file and refresh your website. You should now have enough memory to prevent the WSOD.

Step 4: Reinstall WordPress Core Files

If none of the above steps fix the WSOD, the issue may be with your WordPress core files.

Here’s how to reinstall them:

Download a fresh copy of WordPress: Download a fresh copy of WordPress from wordpress.org.

Delete old WordPress files: Delete all files and folders in your WordPress installation except for the wp-config.php file and the wp-content folder.

Upload new WordPress files: Upload the new WordPress files to your WordPress installation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the WordPress White Screen of Death can be a frustrating error, but with the steps outlined in this tutorial, you should be able to fix it in no time.

Remember to enable debugging mode, disable plugins and themes, increase the memory limit, and reinstall WordPress core files to fix the error.

Happy coding!