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Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death
The dreaded White Screen of Death. Usually a plugin conflict, memory limit, or corrupt file. I’ll find it and fix it fast.
A blank white page with nothing on it is a PHP fatal error with error display switched off. The error absolutely exists — you just can't see it yet. The whole fix is making it visible, then addressing it.
Sound Familiar?
What I'll Do
How to actually diagnose it
- 1
Turn on the error, don't guess
Enable logging (WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG, or the host's PHP error log). The blank page becomes a specific fatal error naming the exact file and line. Everything after this is easy; skipping it is why people flail.
- 2
Read what the fatal actually says
It's almost always one of three things: a plugin or theme calling a function that no longer exists (usually after an update or a PHP version change), a memory-limit exhaustion, or a syntax error from a recent code edit.
- 3
Confirm by isolating
If the log points at a plugin, deactivate that one (rename its folder via SFTP if you're locked out of admin). If the whole site is white including wp-admin, switch to a default theme to test. Change one thing at a time.
- 4
Fix the cause
Update or roll back the offending component, raise the memory limit if that's genuinely the issue, or correct the code edit. Then re-enable everything and confirm the log is clean.
The usual causes, ranked
- A plugin/theme incompatible with the current PHP version — very common on sites that were quiet, then the host upgraded PHP.
- Memory exhaustion — a heavy plugin or import blows the PHP memory limit. Raising `memory_limit` helps only if this is genuinely the cause; see how much RAM WordPress needs.
- A bad code edit — a stray character in `functions.php` or `wp-config.php` takes the whole site down.
- A failed or half-finished update leaving mismatched files.
White screen questions
Only wp-admin is white but the front end works (or vice versa). Why?
That split is a strong clue: a front-end-only white screen usually points at the active theme, while an admin-only one points at a plugin. It narrows the search immediately.
I'm locked out of admin too. How do I fix it?
You work over SFTP or the hosting file manager — rename plugin folders to deactivate them, or switch the theme by renaming its folder. No admin access required.
Will I lose content?
No. A white screen is a code/execution problem, not data loss. Your posts and pages are untouched in the database.
It came back after I fixed it. Why?
The underlying incompatibility wasn't resolved — you cleared the symptom but an auto-update reintroduced it. The fix has to address the root cause, not just deactivate and move on.
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