⚡ Quick Fix
- Deactivate plugins (via FTP: rename
/wp-content/plugins) - Switch theme (rename theme folder)
- Enable debug mode in
wp-config.php
What is the White Screen of Death?
The "White Screen of Death" (WSOD) is one of the most frustrating WordPress errors. Your website suddenly shows nothing but a blank white page – no error message, no hints, nothing. This can scare away visitors and cost you money.
Before making any changes, always create a backup of your website. This way you can restore everything if needed.
Common Causes
- Plugin conflict – A faulty or incompatible plugin
- Theme problem – Error in active theme after update
- PHP memory limit – Not enough RAM available
- Corrupted .htaccess – Broken server configuration
- PHP error – Syntax error in edited code
Step-by-Step Solution
Enable Debug Mode
Open wp-config.php via FTP and change these lines:
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);Errors will now be logged to /wp-content/debug.log.
Deactivate Plugins
Connect via FTP and rename /wp-content/plugins to /wp-content/plugins_backup.
If the site works after this, a plugin is the culprit. Rename the folder back and deactivate plugins one by one.
Switch Theme
Rename your theme folder in /wp-content/themes/. WordPress will automatically activate a default theme.
Increase Memory Limit
Add this line to wp-config.php (before "That's all"):
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');Prevention
- Keep WordPress, themes and plugins updated
- Create regular backups
- Test updates on a staging environment first
- Only use plugins from trusted sources