{"id":6505,"date":"2020-04-18T15:00:30","date_gmt":"2020-04-18T13:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=6505"},"modified":"2020-10-30T13:35:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T12:35:33","slug":"wordpress-white-screen-of-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-white-screen-of-death\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Having your entire WordPress site replaced with a fully white screen in the browser is one of the issues every WordPress user has run into at least once. This is one of the most common WordPress errors &#8211; the so-called white screen of death or WSoD, as we\u2019ll refer to it in this article. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]This error can be very frustrating because it comes with zero feedback, or it displays only in specific parts of your website. For example, you can be able to normally log into your admin panel, while the other site pages are displayed as a white screen. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]In this article, we\u2019ll show you several solutions to the white screen of death (WSoD):[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#increase-the-php-memory-limit\">Increase the PHP memory limit<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#disable-the-plugins-and-theme\">Disable the plugins and theme<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#solve-syntax-errors\">Solve syntax errors<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#enable-debugging\">Enable debugging<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#white-screen-of-death-error\">What to do if the White Screen of Death error persists?<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;70px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">What Causes the WordPress White Screen of Death?<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Just like the name suggests, <strong>the White Screen of Death happens when you\u2019re trying to access your website, but all you get is a white screen in the browser<\/strong>. It can happen on one part of your live site, or when you\u2019re trying to access the admin panel, depending on the source of the error.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>The most common cause for this error are plugins and WordPress themes<\/strong> on your website which contain a defective or invalid code. The WSoD can also be <strong>prompted by the lack of PHP memory or issues with the hosting server<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]WSoD can appear in different ways depending on the browser you are using. For example, this is how the white screen looks in Chrome. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Chrome.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"White screen in Chrome\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Chrome.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Chrome-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Chrome-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The Firefox browser, on the other hand, shows a fully white screen with no notifications.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Firefox.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"White screen in Firefox\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Firefox.png 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Firefox-300x160.png 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-screen-in-Firefox-620x331.png 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Since there are quite a few potential causes of this error, you have to approach the issue thoroughly. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If there is more than one WordPress site on your server, <strong>start by checking whether the other sites on this server are having the same issue<\/strong>. If the white screen of death displays on other sites as well, there is a problem with your server. In that case, contact your hosting provider for help. If your site is the only one dealing with the white screen error, you can rule out the server as the possible culprit.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Now we\u2019ll guide you through the methods you can apply to solve the problem with WSoD if it appears on your WordPress site. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Before we begin, take note that it is incredibly important to regularly <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-manually-backup-wordpress-website\/\">backup your website<\/a>. This allows you to quickly <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/manually-restore-wordpress-website-backup\/\">restore the last working version of your site<\/a> before you start troubleshooting.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">How to Fix the WordPress White Screen of Death<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Although WSoD appears complicated and frustrating, in most cases, solving this error is relatively simple. All you need is access to the File Manager or phpMyAdmin panel on your hosting account, as well as an <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-use-ftp\/\">FTP account<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Before you move on to more thorough methods, a quick tip. <strong>Deleting your cache memory can also help with solving the WSoD error<\/strong>. If you have a cache plugin installed and your front end is unavailable due to WSoD, simply try to delete the cache. Sometimes, this is the only reason for the error. If this doesn\u2019t solve the issue &#8211; let\u2019s dive in deeper.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"increase-the-php-memory-limit\"><\/a>Increase the PHP Memory Limit<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The white screen can appear when the script started on your website reaches the memory limit. Due to a lack of available memory, it remains unfinished. To solve this problem, you have to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/allowed-memory-size-of-bytes-exhausted-error\/\">increase the PHP memory limit<\/a> available on your site. There are a few ways to do this &#8211; one of the recommended methods is to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-edit-wp-config-file\/\">add code to the wp-config.php file<\/a>. By increasing the PHP memory limit you will enable your script to use more memory to finish the intended task.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If you\u2019re still short on memory even after the increase, there may be a problem with your theme or a plugin<\/strong>. To check this, contact your hosting provider to get a statistical report on memory use. Inspect whether the theme or some plugin is using up too much memory.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"disable-the-plugins-and-theme\"><\/a>Disable the Plugins and Theme<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]If you\u2019ve increased PHP memory limit to 256MB or 512MB, and you\u2019re still dealing with this error, explore other options. Most cases of WSoD are caused by a faulty plugin or a theme on your WordPress site. Here\u2019s how you\u2019ll figure out which one is the source of the problem.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]We\u2019ll start with the plugins since this is the simplest way to solve the WSoD error. It is quite common for sites to crash due to plugin updates, especially if the updates are conducted automatically. Deactivating plugins can be one way to get rid of the white screen.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Depending on the availability of the admin panel, you can turn off plugins using the admin dashboard, or using cPanel and FTP. We\u2019ll cover both methods.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If you can still access your admin panel<\/strong>, go to the <strong>option \u2019<em>Plugins<\/em>\u2019<\/strong>, mark all the installed plugins and select \u2019<em><strong>Deactivate<\/strong><\/em>\u2019 in the bulk action menu.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Installed-Plugins-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Installed Plugins\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Installed-Plugins-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Installed-Plugins-1-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Installed-Plugins-1-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;60px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Deactivate-Plugins.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Deactivate Plugins\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Deactivate-Plugins.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Deactivate-Plugins-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Deactivate-Plugins-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you cannot access your admin panel<strong>, you can disable plugins using FTP and File Manager in cPanel.<\/strong> For the purposes of this article, we will use FTP.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The FTP client of our choice is <a href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FileZilla<\/a>. If you don\u2019t have an FTP account, which is required to access your cPanel, create it or ask your hosting provider to do it for you.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/FTP-Accounts.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"FTP Accounts link\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/FTP-Accounts.jpg 710w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/FTP-Accounts-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/FTP-Accounts-620x330.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]When you access your server using an FTP client, locate the <strong>root folder<\/strong> with all your WordPress files. Open the <strong>wp-content folder<\/strong> and rename the <strong>Plugins folder<\/strong>. Just mark the folder, right-click on it and select the <strong>option Rename<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Rename-plugin.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Rename plugin\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Rename-plugin.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Rename-plugin-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Rename-plugin-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]We changed the name to Plugins_test.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Change-Plugin-name.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Change Plugin name\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Change-Plugin-name.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Change-Plugin-name-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Change-Plugin-name-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]As you refresh the site, WordPress will search for plugins folder to upload the plugins. Since it won\u2019t be able to find them under the new name, it will deactivate them. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Now that you turned off all the plugins, check if the error is gone. If it is, reactivate the plugins one by one. Every time you reactivate a plugin, check if the error reappears &#8211; this way you\u2019ll single out the plugin that\u2019s causing the WSoD. <\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-Plugin.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Activate Plugin\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-Plugin.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-Plugin-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-Plugin-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>You can do the same thing using FTP<\/strong>. First, you need to rename back the plugins folder so that WordPress can use them again. Inside the plugins folder, continue by renaming each plugin individually and refreshing the site to pinpoint the one causing the problem.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-Screen-of-Death.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"White Screen of Death\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-Screen-of-Death.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-Screen-of-Death-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/White-Screen-of-Death-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>When you find the plugin that\u2019s causing the white screen, simply delete it and find an alternative tool<\/strong>. If this particular plugin is important for you, contact the plugin developers to find a solution. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If this didn\u2019t solve the WSoD issue, you can move on to testing the current WordPress theme. Start by changing it to a default theme<\/strong>. If you can access the admin panel, simply navigate to <em><strong>Appearance &gt; Themes<\/strong><\/em> and pick a default theme, for example, Twenty Nineteen. If you don\u2019t have any available default theme, you can download Twenty Nineteen from the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/themes\/twentynineteen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WordPress directory<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Install-WordPress-Theme.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Appearance Themes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Install-WordPress-Theme.jpg 710w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Install-WordPress-Theme-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Install-WordPress-Theme-620x330.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;60px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-WordPress-Theme.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Activate WordPress Theme\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-WordPress-Theme.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-WordPress-Theme-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Activate-WordPress-Theme-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If you cannot log into your admin panel, you can disable the theme using cPanel on your hosting account or via FTP client<\/strong>. We\u2019ll show you how to do it using FTP.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]After you connect to the server, navigate to the <strong><em>\/wp-content\/themes\/<\/em> folder<\/strong> which is located in the root folder. This is where you\u2019ll find all the themes installed on your site. Right-click on your current theme and select Download to create its local backup.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Download-Theme.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Download Theme\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Download-Theme.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Download-Theme-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Download-Theme-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Once you create a backup on your computer, simply delete the theme from your website by right-clicking on it and selecting the <em>Delete<\/em> option.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Delete-Theme.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Delete Theme\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Delete-Theme.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Delete-Theme-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Delete-Theme-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Once you delete the active theme, WordPress will automatically use one of the default themes on your site. If you don\u2019t have any themes installed, (Twenty Twenty, Twenty Nineteen), you can <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-install-wordpress-theme\/\">use FTP to install a theme<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If it turns out that the theme caused the white screen of death, check the theme\u2019s <em>functions.php<\/em> file. Sometimes, the error is caused by poorly done updates.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Inspect the functions file for errors in code. Also, if you see needless spacings in the code at the end of <em>functions.php<\/em> file, simply remove them &#8211; sometimes this solves the error. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You can also download the latest version of your theme and reinstall it.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;81px&#8221;][vc_separator color=&#8221;custom&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#f0f0f0&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;top-picks-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_separator color=&#8221;custom&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#f0f0f0&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;84px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"solve-syntax-errors\"><\/a>Solve Syntax Errors<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of the common reasons for the white screen of death is a simple syntax error. In these cases, the culprit is invalid code inserted during file or plugin edits. This is why you should avoid editing themes and plugins directly on the live site. These experiments should always be conducted in a safe environment &#8211; simply <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-setup-wordpress-staging-site\/\">create a staging site<\/a> where you can test any changes you\u2019re planning on your website.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You can easily fix syntax errors using FTP &#8211; however, you have to be able to <strong>locate the file containing the invalid code<\/strong>. If you cannot find it, simply restore your site\u2019s last working version from backup.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"enable-debugging\"><\/a>Enable Debugging<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]If none of the previous methods helped, <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-turn-on-error-logs-in-wordpress\/\">enable debugging on your site<\/a>. You can do it by <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-edit-wp-config-file\/\">adding the following code to the wp-config.php file<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\">define( 'WP_DEBUG', true);\r\ndefine( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );<\/pre>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;39px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Enable-debugging-on-your-site.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Enable debugging on your site\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Enable-debugging-on-your-site.jpg 700w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Enable-debugging-on-your-site-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Enable-debugging-on-your-site-620x331.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>Save the changes and refresh the site<\/strong>. Instead of a white screen, you should see a notification or a warning about the error. This will be helpful in determining the cause of the issue. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>The second line of code will generate a <em>debug.log<\/em> file in the wp-content folder on your server<\/strong>. You can open it using a standard text editor such as Notepad. It will offer more information about the error.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Although debugging doesn\u2019t make the white screen go away, it is still helpful because it pinpoints the exact cause of the WSoD &#8211; a specific core file or a plugin\/theme file. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Once you determine which file and which line of code is the culprit, you can edit the code if you\u2019re familiar with programming. If you\u2019re not savvy with these things, contact the theme or plugin author for instructions and help. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;72px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"qodef-h5\"><a id=\"white-screen-of-death-error\"><\/a>What to Do If the White Screen of Death Error Persists?<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is quite rare, but if you\u2019ve tried all of these methods and you are still getting the white screen error, we recommend you contact your hosting provider for support.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If you regularly create backups of your WordPress site, this issue shouldn\u2019t last for too long. The backup always allows you to restore the last working version of the site, so you can easily skip all the troubleshooting.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<strong>If you don\u2019t have a backup and your hosting provider cannot solve the issue, you\u2019ll have to install your WordPress site from scratch<\/strong>. Of course, this isn\u2019t an ideal solution, but it\u2019s the only way to get your site up and running once again. The process may take a while, but this can be an opportunity to properly install your website to prevent these issues in the future. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We hope that this guide helped you fix the WSoD error. In most cases, this problem is caused by a small glitch that is easily fixed &#8211; so consult this tutorial whenever you run into the dreaded white screen.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this tutorial, we&#8217;ll show you what causes the WordPress White Screen of Death and guide you through several methods you can use to troubleshoot it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10600,"featured_media":8027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[14,4,13],"class_list":["post-6505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-core","tag-tips","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10600"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6505"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6505\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}