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How to Fix the White Screen of Death in WordPress (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)

Is your WordPress website showing a blank white screen instead of loading? This is known as the White Screen of Death (WSOD), and it’s one of the most common WordPress errors.

In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to identify the cause and fix the problem, whether it’s caused by a plugin, theme, PHP memory limit, or server configuration.

What You’ll Learn

✅ What causes the White Screen of Death

✅ Enable WordPress debugging

✅ Increase the PHP memory limit

✅ Disable all WordPress plugins

✅ Switch to a default WordPress theme

✅ Check for PHP errors

✅ Restore a backup

✅ Fix corrupted WordPress core files

✅ Check file permissions

✅ Contact your hosting provider

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to recover your website and reduce the chances of the issue happening again.

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Step-by-Step Tutorial Script

Step 1 — What Is the White Screen of Death?

The White Screen of Death (WSOD) occurs when WordPress encounters a fatal PHP error but can’t display the error message, leaving you with a completely blank page.

Common causes include:

  • Plugin conflicts
  • Theme issues
  • PHP memory exhaustion
  • Corrupted WordPress files
  • Server configuration problems

Step 2 — Check If It’s the Entire Website

Visit:

  • Homepage
  • /wp-admin
  • Another page or post

If only one page is blank, the issue may be content-specific. If the whole site is blank, continue with the next steps.

Step 3 — Enable WordPress Debug Mode

Open the wp-config.php file and replace:

define('WP_DEBUG', false);

with:

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

Then reload your website.

Open:

/wp-content/debug.log

Look for the last error. It often identifies the faulty plugin, theme, or PHP file.

Step 4 — Increase PHP Memory Limit

Edit wp-config.php and add:

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

If your hosting allows it, this can resolve memory-related crashes.

Step 5 — Disable All Plugins

Using your hosting File Manager or FTP:

Go to:

wp-content/

Rename:

plugins

to:

plugins-old

Reload your website.

  • If the site loads, one of your plugins is causing the problem.
  • Rename the folder back and activate plugins one at a time until you find the culprit.

Step 6 — Switch to a Default Theme

Go to:

wp-content/themes/

Rename your active theme folder.

If you have a default WordPress theme installed (such as Twenty Twenty-Five), WordPress will activate it automatically.

If the site works, your theme is the issue.

Step 7 — Check File Permissions

Recommended permissions:

  • Folders: 755
  • Files: 644

Incorrect permissions can prevent WordPress from loading properly.

Step 8 — Reinstall WordPress Core Files

Download a fresh copy of WordPress.

Replace:

  • wp-admin
  • wp-includes

Do not replace:

  • wp-content
  • wp-config.php

This fixes corrupted core files without affecting your content.

Step 9 — Check PHP Version

Use a supported PHP version such as 8.2 or 8.3 if your plugins and theme are compatible.

Older PHP versions may cause fatal errors with newer plugins.

Step 10 — Review Recent Changes

Ask yourself:

  • Did you install a new plugin?
  • Did you update your theme?
  • Did you edit PHP files?
  • Did you update WordPress?

Undo the most recent change and test again.

Step 11 — Restore a Backup

If you have a recent backup from your hosting provider or backup plugin, restoring it can be the quickest solution.

Step 12 — Contact Your Hosting Provider

If none of the previous steps resolve the issue:

  • Ask for server error logs.
  • Check whether your account has reached resource limits.
  • Confirm that PHP and server settings are working correctly.

Common Causes

  • Plugin conflicts
  • Broken theme updates
  • PHP memory limit reached
  • Corrupted WordPress files
  • PHP compatibility issues
  • Incorrect file permissions
  • Failed WordPress updates
  • Server resource limits

Prevention Tips

  • Keep regular backups.
  • Test updates on a staging site before applying them to your live website.
  • Update plugins and themes from trusted developers.
  • Avoid editing live site files without a backup.
  • Monitor PHP errors regularly.
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