How to Fix White Screen of Death (WSOD) Caused by Plugins

Solution verified by Salah Uddin

Quick Tips:

This problem is often due to plugin conflicts or memory exhaustion. Disable plugins via FTP, enable WP_DEBUG, and isolate the faulty plugin. WPFix247 can help if you’re unable to access your site.

What Causes the White Screen of Death in WordPress?

The white screen of death (WSOD) appears when a critical error prevents WordPress from loading your site. Often, this is caused by a faulty or incompatible plugin—especially right after activation or update.

1. Disable All Plugins via FTP

Connect to your site using FTP or your hosting File Manager.
Navigate to wp-content and rename the plugins folder to plugins-disabled.
This disables all plugins and should restore your site if the issue is plugin-related.

2. Reactivate Plugins One by One

Rename the folder back to plugins.
Then rename each plugin folder inside wp-content/plugins to activate them one by one.
Refresh the site after each activation to find the plugin causing the WSOD.

3. Enable WP_DEBUG for More Insight

Edit wp-config.php to enable debug mode:

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

This will generate a debug.log file in the wp-content directory, which may help identify the issue.

4. Check for Memory Limit Exhaustion

If a plugin consumes too much memory, WSOD can occur. Try increasing memory limit in wp-config.php:

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

5. Use Default Theme Temporarily

Sometimes themes combined with plugins cause WSOD. Temporarily switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One by renaming your active theme folder.

Need Help?

Can’t access your dashboard or still seeing a white screen? Let the WPFix247 team take care of it. We’ll diagnose and restore your site in no time.