We understand the frustration. That unsettling moment when your site goes offline without any explanation can be disheartening. This is one of the most prevalent errors in WordPress, yet it remains one of the most enigmatic. It doesn’t specify the issue, only that something has gone awry.
The positive aspect? This error is nearly always resolvable. With extensive experience assisting numerous clients, we have frequently addressed this issue.
In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with detailed steps to restore your site to full functionality. Just follow the instructions, and you will have everything operational again in no time.
Here’s a brief overview of the topics we will discuss in this article:
- Understanding the 500 Internal Server Error
- Common Causes of the Internal Server Error in WordPress
- How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress
- Clearing WordPress and Browser Cache
- Identifying a Corrupt .htaccess File
- Increasing the PHP Memory Limit
- Deactivating All WordPress Plugins
- Switching to a Default WordPress Theme
- Re-uploading Core WordPress Files
- Enabling Debug Logs in WordPress
- Contact Your Hosting Provider for Assistance
- Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
Understanding the 500 Internal Server Error
The 500 Internal Server Error is akin to a locked door without a key. You sense something is amiss, but there’s no explanation available.
This error is not exclusive to WordPress; it can occur on any website when the server encounters an issue it cannot resolve.
The ‘500’ in the error message refers to an HTTP status code. A quick search yields a rather vague description:
The ‘500 Internal Server Error’ response code means the server faced an unexpected situation that prevented it from completing the request.
This isn’t particularly useful, is it? It’s the server’s way of indicating, ‘Something went wrong, but I’m not sure what.’
The appearance of this error varies depending on your hosting environment and web browser. Here’s an example of how it looks on an Apache server:
If your website is hosted on Nginx, it may appear somewhat different. Additionally, if Google Chrome cannot load a proper error page, you might see something like this:
For those new to this, it can be quite daunting. There is no clear message indicating what went wrong or how to resolve it.
It’s similar to asking a mechanic to repair your car without specifying the problem. They’ll have to inspect various components to identify the issue.
Based on our experience, the most effective way to resolve this issue is by following a step-by-step approach. We will guide you through the most frequent causes and their solutions to help you restore your website functionality.
What Leads to the Internal Server Error in WordPress?
The internal server error in WordPress resembles a puzzle with missing pieces. You sense that something is amiss, but the error message fails to pinpoint the exact issue.
In our experience, a corrupted .htaccess file is often the primary cause. Occasionally, a malfunctioning plugin or an incompatible theme can also contribute to the problem.
At times, your website may exceed the PHP memory limit, resulting in a WordPress crash. Additionally, corrupted core files can trigger this error, leaving you unexpectedly unable to access your site.
In some situations, the error may only occur when attempting to access the WordPress admin area, while the rest of your website functions normally. It’s akin to being locked out of your own home while guests can still enter through the back door.
What complicates this error is that it typically arises before WordPress can fully load. Consequently, the server is unable to collect sufficient information to clarify what went wrong.
For a more in-depth understanding of how WordPress operates behind the scenes, be sure to explore our guide on the inner workings of WordPress.
Let’s go through the troubleshooting steps to restore your website.
How to Resolve the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress
Before starting the troubleshooting process, ensure you have a complete backup of your WordPress site.
If you can access the WordPress admin dashboard, you can use a backup plugin to create a full backup of your site.
We recommend using the Duplicator plugin for this purpose. It allows you to quickly back up your site, store backups in the cloud, and easily restore your site from a backup.
If you cannot access the WordPress admin area, you can manually back up your site using phpMyAdmin and an FTP client.
Once you have your backup, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the internal server error on your website.
Clear Your WordPress and Browser Cache
Sometimes, browsers and WordPress caching plugins may incorrectly save a cached version of an error page.
The simplest solution is to start by clearing your browser cache.
If you have access to your WordPress admin area, you can also clear the WordPress cache by navigating to your caching plugin’s settings page.
For more information, check out our guide on clearing the WordPress cache.
Identifying a Corrupted .htaccess File
The .htaccess file is a crucial server configuration file used by WordPress for managing redirects.
A corrupted .htaccess file is one of the most frequent reasons for encountering an internal server error.
The simplest solution is to navigate to theSettings » Permalinkssection in the WordPress admin dashboard and click the ‘Save Changes’ button without altering any settings.
WordPress will attempt to update your .htaccess file or create a new one. You can then check your website to see if this resolves the internal server error.
If the error persists, ensure that WordPress has the necessary permissions to create or modify the .htaccess file.
At times, file and directory permissions may prevent WordPress from creating or writing to your .htaccess file.
You can also manually replace the .htaccess file. Begin by logging into your website using FTP or the File Manager tool in your hosting account’s control panel.
Next, rename your existing .htaccess file to something like .htaccess_old. This allows you to keep a backup while ensuring WordPress does not recognize it.
To rename the .htaccess file, log in to your website using FTP or the File Manager tool in your hosting account’s cPanel dashboard.
Once connected, you will find the .htaccess file in the same directory as folders like wp-content, wp-admin, and wp-includes.
Right-click on the .htaccess file and choose to rename it to .htaccess_old.
Next, create a new .htaccess file.
In your site’s root folder, right-click and select the ‘Create new file’ option in your FTP client or File Manager tool.
Name the new file .htaccess and click ‘OK’ to save it.
This new .htaccess file is currently empty, so you need to add the default WordPress rewrite rules.
Right-click on the file and select ‘View/Edit’ in your FTP client or File Manager tool.
The empty file will open in a plain text editor like Notepad or TextEdit.
Now, copy and paste the following code into the file:
# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
# END WordPress
This code represents the standard rule set utilized by WordPress. Remember to save your changes and re-upload the file to the server.
Now, check your website to see if the internal server error has been resolved.
If it has, congratulations! You’ve successfully fixed the internal server error.
Important:Before proceeding with any further steps, navigate to theSettings » Permalinkssection in the WordPress admin dashboard and click the Save button without making any alterations. This action will regenerate the .htaccess file with the correct rewrite rules, preventing your post pages from returning a 404 error.
If the issue with the corrupt .htaccess file did not resolve the problem, please continue reading this article.
Increasing the PHP Memory Limit
An internal server error can sometimes occur if a script exceeds the PHP memory limit.
The simplest method to increase the PHP memory limit is by editing the wp-config.php file. Exercise caution when doing this, especially if you are a beginner. Follow these instructions closely, as even minor errors in WordPress core files can cause your site to malfunction.
Start by connecting to your WordPress website using an FTP client or the File Manager tool available in your hosting account control panel.
Locate the wp-config.php file in the main directory of your website. Right-click on it and choose ‘Download’ to create a backup in case any issues arise.
Once you have saved the file, right-click on it again and select ‘View/Edit.’
In the wp-config.php file, add the following code just above the line that says, ‘That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing’:
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
For further information, check out our guide on how to increase the PHP memory limit in WordPress.
Important:If setting it to 256M does not resolve the issue, try increasing it to 512M.
If the internal server error occurs only when logging into your WordPress admin or uploading an image in wp-admin, follow these steps to increase the memory limit:
- Create a new blank text file on your computer and name it php.ini.
- Insert this code into the file: memory=256MB.
- Save the changes to the file.
- Upload the php.ini file into your /wp-admin/ directory using FTP.
If increasing the memory limit resolved the issue temporarily, it’s important to identify the underlying cause that is depleting your memory limit.
This could be due to a poorly coded plugin or a theme function. We highly recommend contacting your WordPress hosting provider to review the server logs for precise diagnostics.
If raising the PHP memory limit did not resolve the issue, further troubleshooting is necessary.
Deactivate All WordPress Plugins
If none of the previous solutions have worked, the error is likely caused by a specific plugin on your website.
It’s also possible that a combination of plugins is conflicting with each other.
If you can access your WordPress admin area, you can easily go to the plugins page and deactivate all plugins.
If you cannot access the WordPress admin area, you can deactivate all plugins using FTP instead.
Connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client or the file manager in your hosting account’s control panel.
Once connected, navigate to the /wp-content/ folder and rename the plugins folder to plugins.deactivated.
WordPress searches for plugins in the designated plugins folder. If this folder is missing, all plugins will be automatically deactivated.
Now, visit your website to check if this action has resolved the internal server error.
To restore your plugins, simply rename the ‘plugins.deactivated’ folder back to ‘plugins’.
Your plugins will be restored, but they will remain deactivated.
You can activate plugins one by one and visit your website to identify which plugin is causing the internal server error.
For more information, refer to our guide on how to deactivate all WordPress plugins without accessing wp-admin.
If deactivating all plugins did not resolve the internal server error, please continue reading.
Switch to a Default WordPress Theme
A potential cause of the internal server error may be related to the code in your WordPress theme.
To check if this is the issue, switch your theme to a default WordPress theme.
If you can access the WordPress admin area, navigate to the Appearance » Themes page. If you have a default theme installed, simply click the Activate button to change the theme.
If you don’t have a default theme installed, click the ‘Add New’ button at the top to install a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Three or Twenty Twenty-Two.
If you can’t access the WordPress admin area, you can still switch to a default theme.
Connect to your WordPress website using an FTP client and navigate to the /wp-content/ folder.
Right-click the themes folder and download it to your computer as a backup.
Next, delete the themes folder from your website. After deletion, create a new themes folder.
Your new themes folder will be empty, indicating that no WordPress themes are currently installed.
Now, visit the WordPress themes directory and download a default WordPress theme to your computer.
Your browser will download the theme as a zip file to your computer.
Locate the zip file on your computer and unzip it. Windows users can right-click the file and select ‘Extract All’, while Mac users can double-click the zip file to extract it.
You will now see a folder containing your WordPress theme.
Return to your FTP client or File Manager and upload the extracted folder to the empty themes directory.
After uploading, WordPress will automatically activate the default theme.
You can now check your website to see if the internal server error has been resolved.
If the issue persists, consider re-uploading your WordPress themes from your backup or reverting to the previous theme you were using.
Don’t worry; there are still several additional steps you can take to resolve the error.
Re-uploading Core Files
If adjusting plugins and themes didn’t fix the internal server error, try re-uploading the /wp-admin/ and /wp-includes/ folders from a fresh WordPress installation.
This process will not delete any of your data, but it may resolve the issue if any files are corrupted.
First, visit the WordPress.org website and click the ‘Download’ button.
This will download the WordPress zip file to your computer.
Next, extract the zip file. Inside, you will find awordpressfolder.
Then, connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client.
After connecting, navigate to the root directory of your website, which contains the wp-admin, wp-includes, and wp-content folders.
In the left sidebar, locate and open the WordPress folder on your computer.
Next, select all the files within thewordpressfolder and upload them to your website.
Your FTP client will begin transferring these folders to your server.
You will be prompted to confirm if you want to overwrite the existing files. Choose ‘Overwrite’, then select ‘Always use this action’ and check the ‘Apply to current queue only’ option.
Your FTP client will now replace the older WordPress files with fresh copies.
If your WordPress files were corrupted, this step will resolve the internal server error.
Enable Debug Logs in WordPress
WordPress includes a built-in logging system for debugging purposes.
You can enable it using the WP Debugging plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, the plugin will enable debugging logs on your WordPress site.
If you cannot access the admin area of your WordPress site, you can enable debugging by adding the following code to your wp-config.php file:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true);
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);After enabling debug logs, you can access them using an FTP client by navigating to the /wp-content/ directory.
Open the debug log file in a text editor to view a list of errors and warnings that have occurred on your website.
While some errors and warnings may be benign and not require action, an internal server error indicates issues that need to be addressed.
Consult Your Hosting Provider
If you’ve tried all troubleshooting methods and the internal server error persists, it’s time to seek additional assistance.
Reach out to your web hosting support team, who can examine the server logs and identify the underlying cause of the error.
For those who wish to continue troubleshooting independently, check out our comprehensive WordPress troubleshooting guide for beginners.
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