The “white screen of death” is a common issue many WordPress users may encounter at some point. It’s a frustrating error that can cause your website to become inaccessible, leaving you with nothing but a blank white screen. The cause of this issue can be varied, such as incompatible plugins, a theme malfunction, or even a problem with your server. However, there are some quick fixes that you can try to resolve the issue and get your website back up and running.
In this blog post, we will go over some common causes of the WordPress white screen of death and provide you with some effective solutions to resolve the issue. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced WordPress user, this post will provide you with the information you need to fix the white screen of death and get your website back online. So, if you’re currently dealing with this frustrating error, keep reading to learn how to fix it.
What is WordPress White Screen Of Death?
The WordPress White Screen of Death (WSOD) is a common error that can be experienced by any WordPress agency owner. The error itself will present itself as a white screen which may have strange messages on it depending upon the browser.
Reasons Behind Getting the WordPress White Screen of Death Error?
Here are some of the reasons why you might be getting this error:
1. Incompatible plugins
Plugins are the backbone of a WordPress site, as it is through these that you can add features to your website. However, some plugins may conflict with each other, causing the white screen of death error. To resolve this issue, you need to uninstall all non-essential plugins from your site and then install those that are compatible with your theme.
2. Broken themes
Your theme might be faulty if it is not compatible with your version of WordPress or if there is an incompatibility between the theme and the plugins that you have installed on your site. If you are using a custom theme, make sure that you are using the latest version of WordPress and that all updates have been applied before proceeding with any modifications to it.
3. Corrupted or compromised core files
The WordPress core is the heart of your website. It contains all the information that makes up your website’s content, functionality, and appearance. If there is corruption or damage to this core file, it will not be able to function as expected and can cause errors.
4. Exceeding PHP limitations
PHP is a server-side scripting language that allows you to create dynamic web pages. WordPress uses PHP as its core technology, so when the limit is reached, it will automatically redirect you to an error page.
It can also be caused due to server-side issues, outdated versions of WordPress or other software, and syntax errors in code. Additionally, coding errors in the active theme or plugin can also lead to the white screen of death. It’s important to diagnose and fix the root cause of the problem to prevent it from happening again in the future.
5 Ways To To Fix WordPress White Screen Of Death Issue
1. Disable All Of Your WordPress Plugins
The first thing you need to do is turn off every plugin you don’t use. Reactivate them one by one to identify the plugin that is causing the issue. By doing this, you will also be able to speed up your site and identify which plugins are draining your resources.
2. Switch To The Default Theme.
The default theme is another good place to start when you’re trying to troubleshoot issues with your website. If the problem still persists after switching to the default theme, then it’s probably something more serious than a simple user error.
3. Delete Browser Caches.
Another way to deal with the white screen of death is to clear your browser cache. This will help you in getting rid of any error message or page not found errors on your website. Open up your browser and navigate to Settings and search for “Cache”. Here you should see an option named “Cache Clear” on the screen. Click on it and select the Empty Cache option from the other options available on your screen. Now restart your browser and try opening up your website again to see if the problem has been solved by clearing the browser cache or plugin cache.
4. Increase The Memory Limit
Increase the memory limit: This can be done by adding the following line of code to the wp-config.php file:
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);
This will limit WP to 256MB for all wp-content and functions directories, which is more than enough for a small website or blog. You can increase this number if you find that it’s not enough for your needs.
5. Fix syntax errors or restore a backup
Lastly, the most obvious solution: fixing your syntax errors. There are two ways to do this.
- The first is connecting to your website using an FTP client or File Manager in cPanel.
- Navigate to the root folder of your WordPress installation.
- Locate the file that you believe has the syntax error. This could be a plugin file, a theme file, or a core WordPress file.
- Download a copy of the file to your local computer.
- Open the file in a text editor and check for any syntax errors. Common errors include missing or extra quotes, semicolons, or parentheses.
- Correct any errors you find and save the file.
- Upload the corrected file back to your website, replacing the original file.
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and check if the issue has been resolved.
The second option is to restore a backup of your current version of WordPress and then reinstall it from there. This will let you reset all of your settings back to their original values, which should solve any issues with missing plugins or themes that might be causing problems with your site (or worse).
If You Know Where To Look, Fixing Your WordPress Issue Is Really Quite Simple.
The key is understanding how WordPress works in the first place. Putting that knowledge to use will help you address common issues like the white screen of death, and get back to using one of the most popular CMS systems today quickly and effectively.
