The White Screen of Death (WSOD) is a common error in WordPress that can occur for various reasons, including plugin conflicts, theme issues, memory limitations, and server issues. Often, this issue doesn't display error messages, making it challenging to diagnose. Here are troubleshooting steps to help resolve it.

Steps to Resolve WSOD in WordPress

1. Increase Memory Limit

• WSOD can occur due to insufficient memory. Increase the memory by adding the following line in your wp-config.php file:

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

• Alternatively, follow instructions on increasing PHP memory in WordPress.

2. Disable Plugins

• Sometimes, plugins can cause WSOD. To disable all plugins:
  • Access the Plugins » Installed Plugins page in your WordPress dashboard.
  • Select all plugins and deactivate them using the 'Bulk Actions' drop-down menu.
  • If this resolves the issue, reactivate each plugin one by one to identify the culprit.
• Alternative Method: Use an FTP client to rename the plugins folder to plugins.bk.

3. Switch to a Default Theme

• Theme conflicts may cause WSOD. Switching to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-One) can help.
  • Access /wp-content/themes/ via FTP and download your current theme folder as a backup.
  • Delete the theme folder or activate a default WordPress theme from your dashboard.
• Tip: Check for extra spaces in your theme's functions.php file as they can sometimes cause WSOD.

4. Check for Error Messages

• Reviewing error logs can help identify specific issues:
  • Check your site’s root folder (public_html) for error logs, often available through your hosting control panel.
  • Alternatively, enable debugging in WordPress.

5. Enable WP_DEBUG Mode

• Enable debugging to display error messages that might be causing WSOD.
  • In wp-config.php, add:

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

  • This will display errors on the screen or generate a debug.log file in the wp-content folder.

6. Switch PHP Versions

• Sometimes, an outdated or incompatible PHP version can cause WSOD. Try switching to a different PHP version via your hosting panel.

7. Clear Cache

• If WSOD appears only on the frontend, clear your caching plugin's cache, as cached pages can cause this issue.

8. Contact Your Hosting Provider

• If the above steps don’t work, reach out to your hosting provider for assistance with server-side issues.