WordPress White Screen of Death

How to Fix It — Step by Step

1. Enable WP_DEBUG to expose the actual error. Open wp-config.php via FTP or your host’s file manager and add these three lines just before the line that reads /* That's all, stop editing! */:

   define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
   define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', true );

   You should see: An actual PHP error message on the white screen, or a new debug.log file created inside your wp-content/ folder.

2. Increase the PHP memory limit. Add this line to wp-config.php in the same editing area:

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

   You should see: Your site loads normally if memory exhaustion was the root cause of the crash.

3. Deactivate all plugins at once via FTP. Using FTP or your host’s file manager, navigate to wp-content/ and rename the plugins folder to plugins_disabled.

   You should see: WordPress loads with no plugins active. If the white screen is gone, a plugin was the culprit.

4. Identify the broken plugin. Rename plugins_disabled back to plugins, log into wp-admin, then activate your plugins one at a time — checking your site after each one.

   You should see: The white screen returns the moment you activate the broken plugin, telling you exactly which one to remove or replace.

5. Switch to a default theme if plugins aren’t the cause. Inside wp-content/themes/, rename your active theme’s folder (e.g., my-theme to my-theme_disabled). WordPress will automatically fall back to a bundled default like Twenty Twenty-Four.

   You should see: Your site loads with the default theme if your custom theme contained the fatal PHP error.

6. Read the debug log for a precise diagnosis. Open wp-content/debug.log in a text editor and scroll to the bottom.

   # Common entries to look for:
   PHP Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 134217728 bytes exhausted
   PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected token in .../plugins/my-plugin/file.php on line 42

   You should see: A specific file name and line number pointing directly at the broken code so you can fix or remove it.