WordPress outage
White screen on WordPress: the site shows nothing
A completely blank page, with no error message, on the site or in the admin. It is called the white screen of death. It looks alarming, but it is often repairable once the cause is found.
The symptoms
- The site shows a fully blank page, on the front end or in wp-admin.
- No visible error message.
- Sometimes only part of the site is blank (a page, the admin, or the front end).
The likely causes
- A conflict or bug after activating or updating a plugin.
- A theme incompatible with the PHP or WordPress version.
- PHP memory exhausted (limit too low).
- A corrupted core or theme file.
- Errors are hidden, which produces this white screen instead of a message.
What you can try yourself
Turn on error display
Set WP_DEBUG to true in wp-config.php to see the real message. It usually points to the offending plugin or file.
Disable the plugins
Without admin access, rename the wp-content/plugins folder over FTP to disable everything at once, then re-enable one by one.
Switch to a default theme
Rename your theme folder to force a native theme (Twenty Twenty). If the site returns, the theme is the cause.
Increase the PHP memory
Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT','256M'); in wp-config.php if the cause is a lack of memory.
Look at the error logs
The debug.log file or your host's logs give the exact line of the problem.
When to call a professional
If the white screen persists after these tests, if you have no access to the files, or if you are afraid of breaking the site further by editing wp-config.php: a professional identifies the cause without risk, restores cleanly, and checks that no other problem is hiding behind the white screen.
Frequently asked questions
Does the WordPress white screen lose my data?
No, the content usually stays in the database. The white screen is a display or execution problem, not a data loss. A backup before any change remains essential.
How do I find the hidden error message?
By enabling WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php, or by checking your host's log file. The message almost always points to the plugin, theme or file involved.
How much does fixing a white screen cost?
Often quick on a simple site. The work is set case by case, from around 250 EUR, and only if it can be fixed. The diagnosis is free.
We look at your site.
If we can recover it, we send you a clear price and a payment link. If we cannot, we tell you plainly, we charge nothing for that, and we can offer you a brand new site. Either way, you are never stuck.
The first look is free.
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