What is Internal Server Error 500?

An Internal Server Error, also known as a 500 Internal Server Error, is a generic error message that appears when there is a problem on the server side of a website. It indicates that the server encountered an unexpected condition and was unable to fulfill the request made by the user. This error can occur due to various reasons, such as issues with plugins or themes, corrupted files, inadequate memory limits, or a problem with the server configuration. Fixing this error typically involves troubleshooting the specific cause and making appropriate adjustments or fixes.

To fix an internal server error 500 in WordPress, you can follow these steps:

Disable Mod Security:

In your cPanel, go to the Mod Security section and click on “Disable All” for your domains. Refresh your website and check if the error is gone. You can then reach out to the support team to whitelist the rule or decide to keep Mod Security disabled.

Check the .htaccess file:

In your file manager, locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory. Rename the file to something else, and then go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Settings > Permalinks. Click on “Save Changes” to generate a new .htaccess file. If this fixes the error, it means there was an issue with the previous .htaccess file.

Investigate plugins:

If the error persists, go to your file manager and navigate to the “wp-content” folder. Rename the “plugins” folder to something else. Refresh your website, and if the error is gone, it means a plugin is causing the issue. Activate the plugins one by one until you find the problematic one. Contact the plugin developer for support or consider finding an alternative plugin.

Check PHP version and limits:

In your cPanel, search for “PHP” and select “PHP Version.” Choose a different PHP version and refresh your site to see if the error is resolved. If not, go to “PHP Options” and increase the memory limit, post max size, and upload max file size. Save the changes and check if the error is fixed.

Increase PHP memory limit:

Edit the relevant files (functions.php, .htaccess, wp-config.php, or create a php.ini file) to increase the PHP memory limit. This can help resolve errors caused by insufficient memory.

Review the error logs:

If the above steps don’t resolve the issue, check if there is an error log file in your WordPress directory. If found, you can view its contents to identify the specific cause of the error and troubleshoot accordingly.

Clear the cookies and browser cache:

Clearing the cache and cookies may resolve the issue as corrupted cache files can cause the error.

To clear cookies and browser cache, follow these general instructions:

For Google Chrome, click the three-dot menu, select “More tools,” then “Clear browsing data.” Choose the time range and click “Clear data.”

In Mozilla Firefox, go to the menu, select “Options” or “Preferences,” choose “Privacy & Security,” click “Clear Data,” and select what to clear.

In Microsoft Edge, open the menu, go to “Settings,” select “Choose what to clear” under Privacy, and click “Clear.”

For Safari (Mac), go to Safari preferences, select the “Privacy” tab, click “Manage Website Data,” and choose “Remove All.”

Switch to the default WordPress theme:

If the error persists, switch to the default WordPress theme to eliminate any potential theme-related issues.

Remember, if you’re not comfortable troubleshooting these steps yourself, you can always contact the support team of your hosting provider or a WordPress developer for assistance