How to fix WordPress white screen (cPanel or FTP)

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This tutorial is for all clients using cPanel control, similar approach can be used for any other control panels.

WordPress white screen

If you experience the WordPress white screen or the so called white screen of the death you might be able to fix this issue on your own quite easily.

The WP screen white screen of the death is most likely result of: New plugin installation, update on WP, or update on any plugin that you may have installed previously. The WP white screen of the death can be also called due to bad .htaccess file, or a new or updated theme.

Dealing with bad plugins:

  1. Login to your cPanel control panel

  2. Navigate to the cPanel - FileManager (you can achieve the same using FTP but we leave this for the advanced users).

  3. Using the FileManager navigate to your WordPress main folder, then navigate to your "wp-content" folder. Now rename the sub-folder called "plugins" to something else, for example "plugins.old"

  4. Go back to your WordPress admin, and clear your browser cache, or try using different browser or computer. If you can see your WP admin properly, that means that the issue was in fact the WP white screen of the death. If you don't see WP admin, proceed with the themes and .htaccess troubleshooting methods outlined below.

  5. In order to restore your plugins, go back to the cPanel FileManager and rename the folder "plugins.old" to "plugins". Now go back to WP admin and you will see back your plugins, but they won't be active. Start re-activating them one-by-one, while you run into the plugin that has caused the white screen of the death. You can start re-activating the plugins from the ones that you know have worked before and the ones you did not update or install last.

If it turns out that the issue is not caused by a plugin proceed with the steps below.

Dealing with bad themes:

  1. Login to your cPanel control panel

  2. Navigate to the cPanel - FileManager (you can achieve the same using FTP but we leave this for the advanced users).

  3. Using the FileManager navigate to your WordPress main folder, then navigate to your "wp-content" folder. Now rename the sub-folder called "themes" to something else, for example "themes.old"

  4. Go back to your WordPress admin, and clear your browser, or try using different browser or computer. If you can see your WP admin properly, that means that the issue was in fact the WP white screen of the death due to a theme related issue (either new theme was installed, or old theme was updated). If you don't see WP admin, proceed with the .htaccess troubleshooting below. Do not use the theme that has caused the WP white screen of the death.

Dealing with bad .htaccess

If you went through the plugins, and themes troubleshooting process and you are still dealing with the WP white screen your last resort is to rename your WP .htaccess file. In order to rename .htaccess to .htaccess\_old in cPanel, you will need to go to your FileManager and then click on Settings and then enable the display of hidden files ("Show hidden files" option).

You can rename your .htaccess file via FTP as well, but you need to make sure that your FTP client is configured to your to display hidden files.

If renaming your .htaccess fixes the issue, now you know that you are dealing with an issue due to change in your .htaccess file. If you have a backup of the file, revert the changes by using your backup version. If you don't have a backup of your .htaccess you can use the standard WP .htaccess file as outlined at:

If you go through all troubleshooting steps and you are still dealing with the WP white screen of the death, please contact your WP developer/consultant for more information or our support team.

Updated 4 months ago