> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Troubleshooting blank pages in WordPress

> Learn how to troubleshoot the problem, and what to do when WordPress displays a blank page, also sometimes known as the "white screen of death."

This article discusses what to do when WordPress displays a blank page. This problem is also sometimes referred to as the "white screen of death."

<Note>
  If you receive an "Error establishing a database connection" message when you try to view a WordPress site, please see [this article](/docs/updating-wordpress-database-configuration-settings) instead.
</Note>

## Problem

When you try to view a page on a WordPress site, a blank page appears. This problem may occur on only one page, several pages, or the entire site. Additionally, you may be unable to log in.

## Resolution

The most common causes by far of blank pages appearing on WordPress sites are:

* A malfunctioning plugin.

* A malfunctioning theme.

To troubleshoot this problem, you can selectively disable plugins one by one until the affected page or pages load in your browser. Alternatively, if you suspect the current theme is causing a problem, you can revert to the default theme.

<Tip>
  When troubleshooting blank pages, you can also try enabling debugging to see additional WordPress output. For information about how to enable the debugging feature in WordPress, please see [this article](/docs/debugging-wordpress).
</Tip>

### Disabling plugins

If you can log in as the administrator, try disabling plugins one by one until the problem no longer occurs. When you determine which plugin is causing the problem, you can update it, leave it disabled, or remove it entirely.

If you cannot log in to the Administration Screen, however, you must disable plugins manually. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.

2. [Use the File Manager](/docs/cpanel-file-manager) to navigate to the *public\_html/wp-content/plugins* directory.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you installed WordPress in a subdirectory, navigate to the *wp-content/plugins* directory in that directory instead.

3. Each plugin is contained in a separate directory. To disable a plugin, rename its directory. For example, to disable the Akismet plugin, you could rename the *akismet* directory to *askismet\_backup*.

4. Retest the WordPress site. If the blank page or pages still appear, repeat steps 3 and 4, disabling a different plugin each time until you locate the cause.

5. When you are done troubleshooting, make sure you restore the plugin directories to their original names.

### Reverting to the default theme

If you disable plugins and still see blank pages, then the current theme may be causing problems.

If you can log in as the administrator, try changing the theme to the default theme. If you cannot log in, however, you can enable the default theme manually. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.

2. [Use the File Manager](/docs/cpanel-file-manager) to view the contents of the *public\_html/wp-content/themes* directory.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you installed WordPress in a subdirectory, navigate to the *wp-content/themes* directory in that directory instead.

3. Note the default theme name.
   > 👍 Tip
   >
   > The default WordPress theme names are years that are spelled out (for example, *twentyfourteen* or *twentythirteen* ). If there are several default themes installed, note the most recent theme name.

4. Return to the cPanel home screen.

5. In the **Databases** section of the cPanel home screen, click **phpMyAdmin**.

6. In the left-hand pane of phpMyAdmin, click the WordPress database. A list of tables in the database appears.
   > 👍 Tip
   >
   > Typically, the WordPress database is **username\_wpXXX** , where *username* represents your cPanel username, and *XXX* is a three-digit number.

7. Click the *wp\_options* table.

8. In the **option\_name** column, locate the **template** and **stylesheet** rows. The **option\_value** settings in these rows contain the current theme.

9. For the **template** row, double-click the **option\_value** setting, type the default theme name you obtained in step 3, and then press Enter.

10. Repeat step 9 for the **stylesheet** row. The default theme is now active.

11. Retest the WordPress site. If the previous theme is the cause of the blank pages, the site should now work correctly using the default theme.

## Related articles

* [Updating WordPress database configuration settings](/docs/updating-wordpress-database-configuration-settings)

* [Broken image links in WordPress](/docs/broken-image-links-in-wordpress)

* [Changing the WordPress theme manually](/docs/changing-the-wordpress-theme-manually)