WordPress White Screen Problem: Solutions and Tips

Has your WordPress site suddenly stopped working and you’re just getting a “white screen”? This is a common problem that many webmasters encounter. Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions to this error. In this guide, we’ll take a step-by-step look at the causes and solutions for the “WordPress White Screen Error”.

WordPress White Screen Error Causes and Solutions

The WordPress white screen error is usually caused by a PHP error or memory limit exhaustion. This issue can cause you to encounter a white screen on the front or back of your WordPress site. Here are the common causes of this error:

• PHP Errors: Associated with faulty coding or a broken theme/plugin.
• Memory Limit Issues: Occurs when the memory limit set by your hosting provider is reached.
• Incompatible Plugin/Theme: Outdated or incompatible plugins and themes can cause problems.

You can try the following solutions to fix this error:

• Enable PHP debugging mode
• Increase memory limit
• Disable plugins or change theme
• Check your PHP version

Detect Problems Caused by Themes and Plugins

Theme or Plugins are one of the most common causes of a white screen error. To fix this problem:

1. Deactivate All Plugins: You can disable all plugins by renaming the wp-content/plugins folder via FTP or your hosting control panel. If the problem is solved, one of the plugins is at fault. Then activate the plugins one by one to identify the faulty one.
2. Activate the Default Theme: If you think your theme is the cause, rename your theme from the wp-content/themes folder and activate a default theme (e.g. Twenty Twenty-One).

Resolve White Screen Error by Increasing Memory Limit

White screen error usually occurs when the memory limit is reached. You can fix this problem by increasing the memory limit:

1. Edit wp-config.php File: Locate the wp-config.php file via FTP or hosting control panel and add the following line of code:

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

1. Edit php.ini or .htaccess File: If your hosting provider allows it, you can increase the memory limit in these files. For example:

php_value memory_limit 256M

Finding Problems by Enabling Debug Mode

Debug mode allows you to better understand the cause of the white screen error. To enable this mode:

1. Open wp-config.php: Add or edit the following code inside the file:

define('WP_DEBUG', true);

1. Check the Error Logs: After enabling debug mode, you can check the wp-content/debug.log file to see where the errors are logged.

Checking PHP Version and WordPress Compatibility

Make sure that WordPress is running an up-to-date PHP version. An incompatible PHP version can cause a white screen error. To check:

1. Find Your PHP Version: Check your PHP version from your hosting control panel. WordPress is generally compatible with at least PHP 7.4 or later.
2. Update: Update your PHP version if your hosting provider supports it.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does WordPress white screen error occur?
  It is usually caused by PHP errors, memory limit issues, or incompatible themes/plugins.
• How do I fix the white screen error?
  You can fix it by turning on debug mode, increasing the memory limit, and detecting theme/plugin issues.
• What is debug mode?
  It is a mode that allows you to see the details of errors and warnings in WordPress.
• How do I check if my PHP version is compatible?
  PHP from your hosting control panel You can check its version and compare it with the recommended versions of WordPress.