Encountering an error on your WordPress website is never convenient, whether it occurs in the admin section or on the frontend. Site errors can be particularly frustrating, especially when the cause is unknown and the solution is unclear.
The 500 internal server error is particularly troublesome due to its vagueness. This error provides no additional information, making resolution a challenging task that requires a considerable amount of time, patience, and troubleshooting.
Compounding the issue, a 500 internal server error results in significant downtime for your site, potentially harming your reputation and causing a loss in sales. If you find yourself dealing with this error, it can be a hair-pulling experience.
Fortunately, we are here to assist you in resolving the internal server error on your WordPress site. Continue reading to understand what a 500 internal server error entails and discover effective ways to fix it, allowing you to restore your site promptly.
What Is a 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress?
A 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress is a broad and generic error that users, including yourself and site visitors, may come across while navigating your website. This error indicates a problem at the server level.
In simpler terms, it signifies that your server is unable to present your webpage to visitors as intended. Similar to the notorious white screen of death, this error has the potential to disrupt the functionality of your WordPress admin area.
Ironically, a 500 Internal Server Error is often not a result of an issue directly on your site’s server. Instead, the problem commonly originates from the root directory of your WordPress website. However, pinpointing the cause of the error requires thorough investigation, and the actual culprit remains unknown until you delve into the details. This investigation process typically involves a considerable amount of trial and error on your part.

The manifestation of an internal server error on your website can vary for site visitors due to the diverse array of web servers, operating systems, and browsers in use.
Various terms are used interchangeably to refer to the same issue, the 500 Internal Server Error. Here are some of the most common expressions:
- 500 Internal Server Error
- Internal Server Error
- Error 500
- HTTP Error 500
- HTTP Error 500 – Internal Server Error
- Temporary Error (500)
- HTTP 500
- 500 Internal Server Error. Sorry, something went wrong.
In some instances, it may be presented as “Error code: 500,” as observed on platforms like Airbnb.

Regardless of how the 500 Internal Server Error manifests on your WordPress website, the fundamental reality persists: errors leading to downtime are detrimental to SEO and business.
To mitigate the impact of downtime caused by an internal server error, explore the following troubleshooting tips tailored to assist you in identifying the issue and resolving it promptly.
How to Fix an Internal Server Error in WordPress?

To resolve an internal server error in WordPress, it’s crucial to follow these steps. Before delving into the solution, take a moment to create a backup of your website, unless you are locked out of the admin section.
Troubleshooting the problem may necessitate substantial modifications to your website’s root directory, where all the WordPress files are stored.
It’s wise to prioritize caution when implementing significant changes to your website, especially when addressing errors.
Taking preventive measures is crucial, and creating a manual backup of your website before attempting to fix an internal server error is highly recommended. In the event that the error is occurring on your site’s server, relying solely on the most recent automated backup created by your host may not be sufficient.
Now, let’s explore some actions you can take to address and resolve the 500 Internal Server Error on your WordPress website.
1. Refresh the Webpage
While it might seem straightforward, sometimes a simple webpage refresh can address temporary errors on your web host or server. This situation often arises when updating a theme or plugin on your site. If the server becomes overloaded due to the update(s), a timeout may occur, and a quick page reload can resolve the issue.
If you encounter this situation frequently with your WordPress site, it’s advisable to explore a more robust WordPress hosting solution.
2. Clear the Browser Cache

A straightforward remedy for a generic error on your website involves clearing the browser cache. Occasionally, a system glitch may hinder your site from loading correctly, and clearing the cache can resolve this issue.
Here are resources for clearing the cache on various browsers:
If clearing the cache proves effective, there’s no need to delve further into solutions for internal errors.
3. Examine the WordPress Admin Area

Before investing significant time in troubleshooting a 500 internal server error, attempt to log in to your website and check if you are locked out of the admin area.
To do this, navigate to https://yoursite.com/wp-admin and attempt to log in. If you encounter difficulties, the error likely stems from a plugin or theme installed on your website.
4. Disable WordPress Plugins and/or Themes
In the event that accessing the WordPress admin area is not possible, a potential cause may be a plugin or theme error. While resolving this issue is relatively straightforward, it may require a significant investment of time.
To initiate the process, utilize FTP to access your site’s files. Numerous FTP clients are available for both Windows and Mac, and for this example, we’ll use FileZilla.
Click on “Download FileZilla Client” to obtain the FileZilla software.

Once the FileZilla software is downloaded, you need to establish a connection to your site using the following details:
- Host: Your site’s exact URL
- Username: The username for your FTP account (typically the one used to log in to your cPanel)
- Password: The password for your FTP account (usually the one used to log in to your cPanel)
- Port: Leave this field blank unless your host specifies a certain port.
Click on “Quickconnect.”
You should now observe your local computer’s files on the left-hand panel and your website’s files on the right-hand panel.
Navigate to the right-hand side of the FTP client, access the wp-content folder, and locate the folder named “plugins” within it. Right-click on it and rename it, for example, to “plugins_deactivate.” This action will simultaneously deactivate all the plugins on your WordPress website.
Subsequently, visit your website and check if the error has been resolved. If it has, you can conclude that a plugin on your website is responsible for the internal server error.
Now that access to the WordPress admin area is restored, log in to your site. Reactivate each plugin on your website one by one, refreshing the page each time you activate one. When the error reoccurs, you’ll identify the recently reactivated plugin as the culprit.
Either remove the problematic plugin and find an alternative, or promptly contact the plugin author for a resolution.
Don’t forget to rename the “plugins_deactivate” folder back to “plugins” in your FTP client. This ensures that all your site’s plugins remain active.
If deactivating WordPress plugins fails to unveil the source of your 500 error, repeat the same steps with the “themes” folder. Rename it and check if the problem is resolved. If it is, consider changing your WordPress theme promptly.
5. Examine the .htaccess File
Modifying your WordPress website by installing plugins, themes, or implementing other changes can potentially corrupt your .htaccess file, leading to an internal server error. Fortunately, rectifying this issue is relatively straightforward using your FTP client.
To begin, locate the .htaccess file, right-click on it, select View/Edit, and rename it, for example, to .htaccess_old. Ensure that the new filename includes the “.htaccess” part to avoid introducing another error on your site.

Verify your website to confirm if the internal server error has been resolved. If it is, you’ve identified the problem.
Access the backend of your website, navigate to Settings > Permalinks, and click Save Changes. This action will regenerate your .htaccess file, ensuring that your site is operational without encountering the internal server error.
6. Increase the PHP Memory Limit
In the event that your website is utilizing excessive PHP memory, set by both WordPress and your web host, increasing it may prevent a 500 Internal Server Error from appearing on your site.
To elevate the PHP memory limit for your website, initiate the process by opening your FTP client and locating the wp-config.php file. Right-click on it, select View/Edit, and opt for the default editor, which might be something like Notepad.

Just before the “Happy blogging” line of code, insert the following line:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '64');
Save the edited file on your computer, locate it on the left-hand side of your FTP client, right-click on it, and choose Upload. Ensure that you overwrite the original file.
Refresh both your FTP client and your website to observe the outcome. If the error is no longer present, you’ve identified that PHP memory exhaustion is the issue.
Now, the task is to identify what is consuming the memory and utilizing excessive resources. This could be a poorly coded plugin or a theme function. The most effective way to gather this information is to contact your hosting provider and request them to examine the server logs.
7. Verify File Permissions
The files within your WordPress directory should be configured with permissions set to 755 or 644. Any other setting might lead to a 500 error on your website.
To inspect your site’s file permissions, log in to your FTP client and navigate to your site’s directory under Permissions.

Observe that all folders are set to 755, while other items are set to 644. If any file or folder within your WordPress directory has incorrect permissions, right-click on them and adjust the settings to the appropriate numbers.
8. Reinstall WordPress
Recall the initial setup of your website when you installed WordPress? Although uncommon, there are instances where the core WordPress files may become corrupt, leading to a 500 error on websites.
To address this, you’ll need to replace the old files by downloading a fresh copy of WordPress onto your site.
Visit http://www.wordpress.org/ and download WordPress.

Upon extracting the zip file, locate a folder labeled “WordPress.” Connect to your FTP client, find the “WordPress” folder, and locate the files named “wp-admin” and “wp-includes.” Right-click on both files and choose Upload.
When prompted, select “Overwrite.” This action replaces the wp-admin and wp-includes files on your website with fresh ones.
If this was the issue causing an error on your website, visiting your site should display everything back to normal.
9. Contact Your Host
If you have attempted all the troubleshooting tips mentioned above, and your 500 Internal Server Error persists, it is advisable to contact your hosting provider. Your web host should be equipped to assist you in identifying and resolving the issue, provided they have a knowledgeable and available support team.
This underscores the importance of selecting a high-quality managed WordPress web host. During challenging moments like these, access to 24/7 support from WordPress experts becomes crucial to minimizing downtime and recovering any potential lost sales.
Final Thoughts
While not an exhaustive list, these troubleshooting tips offer accessible solutions for addressing the 500 Internal Server Error on your WordPress website. Even for beginners, these strategies can prove helpful when confronted with an issue that brings down your site. Furthermore, these approaches simplify the process of resolving an inherently vague website error.