How to Fix the Blank Page Error in WordPress in 8 Steps

A blank page error in WordPress is commonly called the ‘White Screen of Death’. It can render a website inaccessible without showing any error message. Knowing how to fix this issue is crucial if you plan to manage your website through WordPress. 

Follow the details in this guide to diagnose and fix the blank page error and quickly return your website to full functionality. 

Preliminary Steps

Create a complete backup of your site’s files and database before making any changes. You need a total backup to prevent losing vital data if the error troubleshooting fails to go as planned. Vital preliminary steps before fixing this error include: 

• Use a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) compliant software or cPanel File Manager to download all site files.
• Export the database using phpMyAdmin or a backup plugin.
• You can force-refresh the page by pressing Ctrl + F5 (on Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (on Mac). 
• Clear browser cookies and cache.
• Purge the hosting cache if your provider uses caching to deliver services.

Test to see if the blank page error has been fixed. If it persists after refreshing and clearing caches, proceed to the following steps. 

1. Enable Debugging Mode

You can activate debugging to show error messages that can identify what caused the blank page issue. 

Edit wp-config.php

• Enter your website’s root directory using FTP or File Manager.
• Locate the wp-config.php file and open it.
• Modify the following lines before the ‘/’ comment in the file:

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

Save changes and upload the file if needed

Review the debug log

• Next, scroll to the ‘wp-content’ folder,
• Open the ‘debug.log’ file to see if any PHP errors or conflicts are triggering the blank page error. 

2. Increase PHP Memory Limit

Insufficient PHP memory may cause a blank page error. Increasing the memory limit can provide WordPress with adequate resources to operate. You need to:

• Modify the wp-config.php file by accessing it in the root directory and entering this line: 

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

• Save the file and reupload it to your server to confirm this change. 
• Next, reload your site to see if the white page issue persists. 
• Consider increasing the limit or consult your host provider.

3. Check the .htaccess File

Corrupt or poorly configured .htaccess files can cause blank page errors. You can fix this in easy steps:

• Locate the .htaccess file in your site’s root directory.
• Generate a new .htaccess file if it isn’t already in your website’s directory.
• Rename the file temporarily as .htaccess_old.
• Reload the site to see if blank page issues are resolved. If the site loads, you can be sure that the .htaccess file is causing the issue.

You can regenerate the .htaccess file if you:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
• Go to ‘Settings’ and then ‘Permalinks.
• Click ‘Save Changes’ to create a new and correct .htaccess file.

4. Disable All Plugins

Plugin conflicts can trigger blank page errors. You can disable all plugins and isolate the issue more easily through these steps: 

Disabling via dashboard

• Log in to your WordPress admin area,
• Go to ‘Plugins’, 
• Select all plugins and tap ‘Deactivate’ from the dropdown action menu,
• Click ‘Apply’ to confirm your action

Reload your site to see if it works. Each time you reload your site, you can reactivate these plugins, making it easy to identify the faulty plugin. 

Disabling via FTP

You can disable plugins via FTP if you don’t have access to the WordPress dashboard by: 

• Connecting to your site through an FTP client, 
• Seeing the ‘wp-content’ folder, 
• Renaming the ‘plugins’ folder to ‘plugins_disabled’

Check if your site’s content loads. If it does, rename the folder to plugins and disable each plugin individually by renaming their folders.

5. Switch to a Default Theme

Faulty themes can cause the blank page error. You can switch to a default WordPress theme to check for potential fixes:

• Log in to the WordPress admin area, go to ‘Appearance’ and then ‘Themes’,
• Activate a default theme and reload your website

You can also switch themes via FTP if access to the admin area is unavailable:

• Connect via FTP and scroll to the ‘wp-content/themes’ folder,
• Rename the current theme folder to revert to a default theme

Reload the site to check if this solves the problem

6. Check for Syntax Errors in Custom Code

Errors in custom theme files or code can trigger a blank page error. You can:

• Review recently edited theme files like functions.php for any mistakes, or
• Use a code editor to identify syntax errors wherever they may appear in your code

You can fix these syntax errors manually or replace the current file with a backup version

7. File Permission and Ownership Issues

Incorrect file permissions can cause errors that appear as blank pages. Files should be set to 644 while directories should be at 755. You can adjust these values using the cPanel File Manager or an FTP-compliant client:

• Right-click on files and folders, then select ‘Change Permissions’,
• Set permissions to correct values and ensure they propagate to relevant files
• You may contact your hosting provider if file ownership can only be adjusted via SSH

8. Restore from a Backup

You can restore your website from a backup if all troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the problem. Restoring a backup can be a solution where most troubleshooting methods offer no good results. 

• Choose the most recent stable backup that includes all vital files and the database,
• Use a backup plugin or hosting control panel to restore these files. 
• Import the backup database using phpMyAdmin,
• Verify if the site is functional after you restore a stable backup

Conclusion

Fixing the WordPress blank page error demands a careful approach. You can fully utilize the troubleshooting methods suggested in this guide to manage such issues and get good results. 

Follow each step to resolve the blank page issue efficiently. This process protects your site’s functions while maintaining a smooth and user-friendly visitor experience. Always perform maintenance and updates with testing and monitoring schedules to ensure your WordPress site is stable and accessible. 

Feel free to reach out if you want to have our team of experts take a look!