How to Fix the Blank Page (White Screen of Death) in WordPress

Encountering a blank page when accessing your WordPress site can be frustrating. This issue, often called the "White Screen of Death," leaves no error message, making it difficult to diagnose. Let’s go through step-by-step solutions, including code fixes.

1. Enable Debug Mode to Find the Error

Issue: Your site loads a completely blank page, with no error messages.

Solution: Activate WordPress debugging by adding this to wp-config.php:

<code>define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);</code>

Then, check the wp-content/debug.log file via FTP for error details.

2. Disable All Plugins

Issue: A faulty plugin may be causing the blank screen.

Solution: Rename the plugins folder in wp-content via FTP:

<code>wp-content/plugins → wp-content/plugins_old</code>

If your site starts working, restore the folder name and deactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit.

3. Switch to a Default Theme

Issue: A theme error might be breaking your site.

Solution: Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four by renaming your theme folder:

<code>wp-content/themes/your-theme-name → wp-content/themes/your-theme-name_old</code>

This forces WordPress to use a default theme.

4. Increase PHP Memory Limit

Issue: Your site runs out of memory and crashes.

Solution: Increase the PHP memory limit by adding this to wp-config.php:

<code>define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');</code>

If this doesn’t work, edit .htaccess and add:

<code>php_value memory_limit 256M</code>

5. Fix Corrupted Core Files

Issue: A broken WordPress core file might be causing the blank screen.

Solution: Manually reinstall WordPress:

Download a fresh copy of WordPress from wordpress.org.
Extract the files and upload everything except wp-content to your server.
Overwrite existing files.

6. Increase Maximum Execution Time

Issue: Long-running scripts may be timing out, causing a blank page.

Solution: Extend the execution time by adding this to .htaccess:

<code>php_value max_execution_time 300</code>

Or add this to wp-config.php:

<code>set_time_limit(300);</code>

7. Restore a Backup

Issue: If all else fails, restoring a backup may be the best option.

Solution: Use your hosting provider’s backup system or restore manually via FTP.

Final Thoughts

The blank page issue can be tricky, but debugging mode, disabling plugins, switching themes, and increasing resources often resolve it. If you're still facing problems, don’t worry our expert support team is here to help. Contact us, and we'll diagnose the issue, ensuring your site is back online quickly.