How to Fix White Screen of Death (WSOD) – Complete Guide

Next Level Design Agency

The White Screen of Death (WSOD) is one of the most common and frustrating issues WordPress users face. Imagine logging into your website only to see a completely blank white screen. No errors, no clues, just white. This issue can lock you out of both the front-end and back-end of your WordPress site. But don’t worry — fixing it is possible. In this complete guide, we’ll explain what causes WSOD and provide step-by-step solutions, including disabling plugins/themes via FTP and increasing the PHP memory limit.

What is the WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD)?

The WSOD occurs when your WordPress site fails to load due to a critical error. Instead of showing an error message, the site loads a blank screen. This makes it challenging for beginners to identify the root cause. Common reasons include:

• Plugin conflicts
• Theme-related issues
• Exhausted PHP memory limit
• Faulty code in custom functions or updates
• Server misconfigurations

Causes of the White Screen of Death

Let’s break down the most common causes:

1. Plugin Conflicts: Installing or updating incompatible plugins can crash your site.
2. Theme Issues: A poorly coded theme or corrupted theme files may lead to WSOD.
3. Memory Exhaustion: If your website uses more PHP memory than allocated, it fails to load.
4. Broken Updates: Incomplete or faulty WordPress, plugin, or theme updates.
5. Custom Code Errors: Mistakes in functions.php or custom code snippets.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix WSOD

Follow these tested methods to fix your site quickly:

1. Clear Browser and WordPress Cache

Sometimes the issue is temporary and can be fixed by clearing your cache:

• Clear your browser cache and cookies.
• If you use caching plugins (like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache), delete the cache folder via FTP.

2. Disable All Plugins via FTP

If a plugin is causing WSOD, you can disable all plugins at once:

1. Connect to your website using an FTP client (like FileZilla).
2. Go to wp-content/plugins folder.
3. Rename the folder to plugins_backup.
4. This will deactivate all plugins instantly.
5. Check if your website loads. If it does, rename the folder back and activate plugins one by one to find the culprit.

3. Switch to a Default Theme via FTP

If your theme is broken, switching to a default WordPress theme helps:

1. Go to wp-content/themes folder.
2. Locate your current theme folder and rename it (e.g., mytheme_backup).
3. WordPress will automatically activate a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four).
4. Reload your site to see if it works.

4. Increase PHP Memory Limit

One of the most effective solutions is increasing the PHP memory limit:

1. Access your website files via FTP.
2. Edit the wp-config.php file located in the root folder.
3. Add the following code before the line /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:

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

This increases your memory limit to 256MB, which is usually enough to fix WSOD.

5. Enable Debugging Mode

If none of the above works, enabling WordPress debugging helps identify errors:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

These settings save errors to a debug.log file in the wp-content folder.

6. Restore a Backup

If you regularly back up your site, restoring an older version is often the quickest solution.

7. Contact Hosting Provider

If nothing works, your hosting provider may help. Server misconfigurations or resource limits may require hosting support.

Preventing the White Screen of Death

Prevention is better than cure. Here are some tips:

• Update WordPress, themes, and plugins regularly.
• Use only well-coded, reputable themes and plugins.
• Perform regular backups.
• Optimize your website to reduce memory usage.
• Test updates in a staging environment before applying them live.

Final Thoughts

The WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD) can feel overwhelming, but it is fixable. By disabling plugins, switching themes, or increasing PHP memory, you can restore your site in most cases. Always remember to take backups and keep your site updated to minimize risks.

Need professional help fixing WordPress issues? Visit Next Level Design Agency for expert web design, development, and troubleshooting services.

https://nextleveldesign.agency/