Knowledgebase

White screen of death

The "White Screen of Death" (WSOD) is a common issue encountered by website owners and developers, characterized by a blank white screen displayed instead of the expected content on a website. This frustrating phenomenon can occur due to various factors, including PHP errors, plugin conflicts, theme issues, and server misconfigurations. Resolving the White Screen of Death requires a systematic approach to troubleshooting and identifying the underlying cause. In this guide, we'll explore effective strategies for diagnosing and fixing the White Screen of Death, empowering website owners and developers to restore their websites to full functionality.

Understanding the White Screen of Death: Before diving into the troubleshooting process, it's essential to understand the potential causes of the White Screen of Death:

1. PHP Errors: Syntax errors, fatal errors, or memory exhaustion in PHP scripts can lead to a White Screen of Death. These errors often occur due to coding mistakes, incompatible plugins or themes, or insufficient server resources.

2. Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Incompatibilities between plugins or themes can trigger conflicts that result in a White Screen of Death. Updates to plugins or themes, changes in WordPress core files, or conflicts with other installed software may contribute to this issue.

3. Server Misconfigurations: Server-related issues, such as insufficient memory limits, execution timeouts, or misconfigured server settings, can cause the White Screen of Death. These issues often require adjustments to server configurations or troubleshooting with the hosting provider.

4. Database Errors: Database connectivity issues or corrupted database tables can also manifest as the White Screen of Death. Errors in database queries, database server outages, or data corruption may lead to this issue.

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Enable Debugging Mode: To diagnose PHP errors contributing to the White Screen of Death, enable WordPress debugging mode by adding the following lines to the wp-config.php file:

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

This configuration will log PHP errors to a debug.log file while preventing them from being displayed on the website.

2. Check for Plugin and Theme Conflicts: Temporarily deactivate all plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-One) to determine if the issue is caused by a plugin or theme conflict. Reactivate plugins and themes one by one, testing the website after each activation, to identify the conflicting component.

3. Increase Memory Limits: If PHP memory exhaustion is causing the White Screen of Death, increase the memory limit in the php.ini file or add the following line to the wp-config.php file:

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

Adjust the memory limit as needed based on the website's resource requirements.

4. Check Server Configurations: Review server configurations, such as PHP settings, server resource limits, and error logs, to identify any misconfigurations or limitations that may be contributing to the issue. Consult with the hosting provider to address server-related issues and adjust settings as necessary.

5. Repair Database Tables: If database errors are suspected, use phpMyAdmin or a similar database management tool to repair corrupted database tables. Backup the database before performing any repairs to avoid data loss.

6. Clear Cache and Cookies: Clear browser cache and cookies to eliminate cached data that may be causing the White Screen of Death. Additionally, clear any caching plugins or services used on the website to ensure that cached content is not contributing to the issue.

7. Reinstall WordPress Core Files: If all other troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the issue, reinstall WordPress core files to ensure that core files are not corrupted or missing. Back up the wp-content directory before reinstalling it to avoid data loss.

The White Screen of Death can be a frustrating issue, but with systematic troubleshooting and careful investigation, it can often be resolved effectively. By following the steps outlined in this guide, website owners and developers can diagnose the underlying cause of the White Screen of Death and implement appropriate solutions to restore their websites to full functionality. Remember to back up data and files before making any changes, and don't hesitate to seek assistance from hosting providers or experienced developers if needed. With patience and persistence, the White Screen of Death can be overcome, allowing websites to resume normal operation and provide visitors with the intended content and functionality.

  • 0 Users Found This Useful
Was this answer helpful?

Related Articles

These are the steps to install WordPress, choose the best server and WordPress requirements.

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL. It is the most popular website management or blogging system in use on the web, with more than 60 million...

White Screen of Death (WSoD)

The "White Screen of Death" (WSoD) is a term commonly used in the WordPress community to describe a situation where a user sees a completely white screen when trying to access their WordPress site,...

Internal Server Error

If you're encountering an "Internal Server Error" on your WordPress site, don't worry; it's a common issue and can usually be resolved with some troubleshooting. Here are some steps you can take to...

Error Establishing Database Connection

The "Error Establishing Database Connection" in WordPress is a common issue and it usually means that WordPress is unable to connect to your MySQL database. This can be caused by various reasons,...

403 Forbidden Error

A "403 Forbidden" error in WordPress typically indicates that the server understands the request, but it refuses to authorize access due to insufficient permissions. Here are steps you can...