A WordPress white screen, often called the White Screen of Death, usually means PHP has stopped before WordPress can display a proper error message. This can be caused by plugin conflicts, theme problems, memory limits, PHP version issues, corrupted files or failed updates.
Common causes
- A recently updated plugin has broken the site.
- The active theme is incompatible with the current PHP version.
- WordPress memory limit is too low.
- A manual file edit introduced a PHP error.
- A failed update left WordPress incomplete.
- Malware or damaged files are affecting WordPress loading.
First checks
- Check whether the admin area still loads.
- Check whether only the front-end is affected.
- Review recent plugin, theme or PHP changes.
- Check the PHP error log in cPanel.
- Temporarily disable plugins by renaming the plugins folder.
- Switch to a default WordPress theme if needed.
Using debug mode
WordPress debug mode can show or log the actual error. This is useful for finding the plugin, theme or file causing the issue. Debug output should not be left visible on a live website longer than necessary.
When to contact support
If the site is live and important, contact support before repeatedly changing files. We can check logs, PHP versions, resource usage and backups to help recover the site cleanly.
Need help?
Open a support ticket directly from within your GetHosting.online customer account. Phone support is also welcome on (+44) 01457 337 247. For international contact numbers, please see our contact page.
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