How to Fix Ninja Forms Showing a Blank Screen After Submission

Introduction

When you spend time building a beautiful form in WordPress using Ninja Forms, the last thing you expect is a frustrating issue—your users hit submit, and instead of a success message, they’re greeted with… a blank screen. If you’ve run into Ninja Forms showing a blank screen after submission, you’re definitely not alone.

This problem can be confusing because it looks like nothing happens, but behind the scenes, several issues could be causing the failure. From plugin conflicts to outdated PHP versions, the culprit is usually something small but easy to overlook. The good news? With a little troubleshooting, you can fix this issue and get your forms working perfectly again.

In this article, we’ll walk through the most common reasons why Ninja Forms shows a blank screen and provide step-by-step solutions to resolve it. Whether you’re a beginner managing your first WordPress site or a seasoned website owner, these tips will help you get back on track quickly.

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Why Does Ninja Forms Show a Blank Screen?

The “blank screen” or “white screen” issue usually happens because something interrupts the form submission process. Here are a few common causes:

• Plugin or theme conflicts – Another plugin or your theme may be interfering with Ninja Forms.
• Outdated PHP or WordPress version – Running older versions of PHP or WordPress can cause compatibility issues.
• JavaScript errors – Missing or conflicting scripts can prevent the confirmation message from displaying.
• Caching problems – Aggressive caching plugins may block form submission responses.
• Corrupted Ninja Forms files – Sometimes, the plugin itself doesn’t install or update properly.

Understanding these causes will make it easier to apply the right fix.

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Step 1: Clear Cache and Test the Form

Before diving into deeper troubleshooting, start with the basics:

1. Clear browser cache and try submitting the form again.
2. Clear your WordPress cache plugin (if you’re using one like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache).
3. Test the form in a different browser or incognito mode to rule out temporary browser issues.

If the blank screen disappears after clearing cache, you’ve solved the problem right away.

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Step 2: Check for Plugin or Theme Conflicts

A common reason for Ninja Forms showing a blank screen after submission is a conflict with another plugin or your WordPress theme. To test this:

• Deactivate all plugins except Ninja Forms.
• Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four).
• Try submitting the form again.

👉 If the form works, reactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit.
👉 If switching themes fixes it, you may need to update your theme or contact the developer for support.

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Step 3: Update PHP, WordPress, and Ninja Forms

Running outdated software can easily break form submissions. Make sure you’re up-to-date:

• Update WordPress to the latest version.
• Update Ninja Forms from your plugins dashboard.
• Check your hosting environment and ensure PHP is updated (Ninja Forms recommends PHP 7.4 or higher).

If your host is running an outdated PHP version, you can usually change it from your hosting control panel.

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Step 4: Inspect JavaScript Errors

A blank screen after submission often points to a JavaScript issue. To check:

1. Open your form page in Chrome.
2. Right-click → Inspect → go to the Console tab.
3. Submit the form and see if any red error messages appear.

If you spot errors, they’ll often point to a plugin file. Disabling or updating that plugin should fix the issue.

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Step 5: Adjust Ninja Forms Settings

Sometimes the problem lies within Ninja Forms itself:

• Go to Ninja Forms → Settings → Advanced and ensure AJAX submission is enabled.
• Double-check your Success Message settings under Emails & Actions. If no success action is configured, the form won’t show anything after submission.
• Recreate the form from scratch to rule out corruption in the existing form.

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Step 6: Disable Caching for Form Pages

If you’re using a caching plugin, make sure to exclude pages with forms from being cached. Cached versions can interfere with AJAX submissions, leading to the blank screen issue.

Most caching plugins (like WP Rocket or LiteSpeed) allow you to exclude URLs in their settings.

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Step 7: Reinstall Ninja Forms

If nothing else works, Ninja Forms itself might be corrupted. To reinstall safely:

1. Deactivate and delete Ninja Forms from your WordPress dashboard.
2. Reinstall the plugin fresh from the WordPress plugin repository.
3. Import your saved forms (export them first under Ninja Forms → Import/Export).

This often resolves stubborn issues caused by corrupted plugin files.

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Preventing Future Blank Screen Errors

Once you’ve fixed the issue, here are some tips to prevent it from happening again:

• Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins regularly updated.
• Avoid installing unnecessary plugins that could create conflicts.
• Test new plugins or updates on a staging site before applying them to your live site.
• Regularly clear your site and browser cache.

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Wrapping It Up

Running into Ninja Forms showing a blank screen after submission can be frustrating, especially when you’re relying on your forms to capture leads, orders, or important messages. Thankfully, the issue is usually caused by something small like a plugin conflict, outdated software, or caching.

By following the steps above—clearing cache, testing for conflicts, updating software, checking JavaScript errors, and adjusting Ninja Forms settings—you’ll be able to quickly resolve the problem.

Keep your site updated and test your forms regularly to avoid surprises in the future. And if the issue persists, reaching out to your hosting provider or Ninja Forms support team is always a good next step.