Fixing the WordPress White Screen of Death (WSoD)
The White Screen of Death (WSoD) is one of the most frustrating issues WordPress users face. When your website suddenly shows nothing but a blank white screen, it can feel like your site has disappeared. This usually happens due to PHP errors, exhausted memory, or faulty plugins/themes.
The first step to fix it is enabling debug mode. In your wp-config.php file, add:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
This will display the error causing the issue. Next, check your plugins by disabling them all via FTP or File Manager. If the site loads again, reactivate plugins one by one to identify the faulty one.
If plugins aren’t the problem, switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. If the site loads, the issue lies in your theme. Another common fix is increasing the PHP memory limit. Add this line in wp-config.php:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
Finally, ensure your WordPress core files aren’t corrupted by re-uploading a fresh copy (except wp-content).
Prevent WSoD by keeping plugins, themes, and PHP updated. Always use staging environments before major updates. With these steps, you can quickly restore your site and prevent downtime.