WordPress plugin conflicts happen when a plugin, theme, or WordPress itself stops playing nicely together and causes errors, broken layouts, or even the white screen of death.
What plugin conflicts are #
A conflict can happen between two plugins, between a plugin and your theme, or between a plugin and your current WordPress version.Typical symptoms include specific features stopping working, layout glitches, error messages, or a completely blank white screen after installing or updating something.
Quick checks before installing plugins #
Before installing a plugin, check that it’s actively maintained, tested with your WordPress version, and has solid ratings and recent support activity.
Reviews and support threads often reveal known conflicts so you can avoid problem plugins before they ever touch a live site.
Troubleshooting Plugins #
Scenario 1: Site works, one plugin doesn’tIf the site is up but one plugin misbehaves, first look for and run any available update for that plugin, then retest the site. If an update fixes it, the developer has already addressed the conflict; if not, you’ll likely need to replace that plugin.
Scenario 2: One update/installation broke somethingIf you just installed or updated a single plugin and something immediately broke, deactivate that plugin right away. If the issue disappears, report it to the plugin’s developer and look for an alternative plugin or workaround while they address the bug.
Scenario 3: Batch/automatic updates broke the siteWhen multiple plugins/themes updated at once and parts of the site break (but the admin is still accessible), deactivate all plugins from the WordPress dashboard. Then switch temporarily to a default WordPress theme to rule out theme issues before testing plugins one by one.
Step‑by‑step isolation processAfter deactivating everything, reactivate your primary “core” plugin first (e.g., e‑commerce or membership) and confirm the site is stable.Then activate the remaining plugins one at a time, testing after each; when the problem returns, the last one activated is your likely culprit.
Handling the white screen of death #
If you see a white screen and can’t access wp‑admin, use your hosting control panel’s file manager or SFTP to access wp-content.Rename the plugins folder (for example to “_plugins”) to deactivate all plugins, then log in again and follow the same isolation steps; if the white screen remains, repeat the process with the active theme folder.
What to do once you find the culprit #
Once you identify the conflicting plugin or theme, deactivate it and open a support ticket or report the issue in the plugin’s repository.Decide whether to wait for a fix, switch to a different plugin/theme, or drop that feature if it isn’t essential.
How to prevent conflicts #
Keep your plugin list lean, only installing plugins you genuinely need, and update them regularly.
Run updates one by one when possible, always ensure you have a recent backup, and ideally test new plugins and updates on a staging or local site first.
