The “White Screen of Death” (WSOD) is a frustrating issue that can occur in WordPress. It is a blank white screen that appears when trying to access your website, and it can be caused by a variety of issues. In this article, we will discuss some common causes of the WSOD and how to resolve them.
One of the most common causes of the WSOD is a plugin or theme conflict. This can happen when a new plugin or theme is installed, and it is not compatible with other plugins or themes on your website. To resolve this issue, you can try disabling all of your plugins and switching to the default WordPress theme. This will allow you to identify the cause of the conflict and resolve it.
Another common cause of the WSOD is a memory limit issue. WordPress requires a certain amount of memory to run properly, and if your website does not have enough memory, it can cause the WSOD. To resolve this issue, you can increase the memory limit by adding the following code to the wp-config.php file: define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);
A corrupted .htaccess file can also cause the WSOD. The .htaccess file is a configuration file that is used to control access to your website. If this file becomes corrupted, it can cause the WSOD. To resolve this issue, you can check for a corrupted .htaccess file by renaming the file to .htaccess_old via FTP.
Another possible cause of the WSOD is a PHP error that is not being displayed. WordPress has a built-in debugging feature that can be used to display errors. To enable this feature, you can add the following code to the wp-config.php file: define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);
If none of the above steps work, it’s best to reach out to your web hosting provider for further assistance. They can help you to identify the issue and provide a solution. They might also check the server logs to find the exact cause and help you to fix it.
In conclusion, the WSOD can be a frustrating issue to deal with, but it is usually caused by a plugin or theme conflict, a memory limit issue, a corrupted .htaccess file, or a PHP error that is not being displayed. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to resolve the issue and restore access to your website.
