Kadence - Blank screen in Kadence Starter Templates plugin

UPDATE: Kadence has released an update for the Starter Templates plugin! Just update the plugin and things should be working fine again! We still recommend holding off on updating to WordPress 6.9.

December 3, 2025: We’re currently aware of an issue affecting the Kadence Starter Templates plugin when running WordPress 6.9. This is not related to your 17th Avenue theme — it's a WordPress/Kadence compatibility issue, and it's happening for all Kadence themes that use the Starter Templates plugin.

WordPress 6.9 was just released this week, and the Kadence Starter Templates plugin hasn't been updated for full compatibility yet. This is very common with major WordPress releases, which is why we recommend waiting 4 to 6 weeks before updating.* That window gives WordPress and plugin developers time to smooth out any bugs and release fixes so everything runs as expected.

Kadence will likely release a patch soon, but if you're seeing a blank screen when opening the Starter Templates plugin, here's an easy interim fix you can use while we wait for the official update.

Temporary fix: Downgrade to WordPress 6.8

  1. Go to Plugins > Add New.
  2. Search for WP Downgrade | Specific Core Version. Install and then activate the plugin.
  3. Go to Settings > WP Downgrade.
  4. In the WordPress Target Version field, enter 6.8.3. Save changes.
  5. Once the page refreshes, a box will appear. Click on the Up-/Downgrade Core button. This will redirect you to the WordPress Updates page.
  6. On the WordPress Updates page, click the Re-install version 6.8.3 button.

WordPress will reinstall 6.8.3 automatically, and then the Kadence Starter Templates plugin should immediately function normally again.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! We're here to help. 😊

*Quick Note about updating WordPress

As a general rule, it's completely safe to update minor versions of WordPress (for example, going from 6.8.2 → 6.8.3). These are small maintenance releases and rarely cause issues.

For major updates — which is when the first or second number changes, like 6.8.3 → 6.9 or 6.9 → 7.0 — we always recommend waiting at least 4 to 6 weeks before updating. Major releases often introduce bigger changes, and giving developers a little time ensures kinks and bugs are resolved. There's typically no reason to update right away, especially during the already-stressful holiday season! You can update to 6.9 in January.