How to Fix 500 Internal Server Error: An Error Has Occurred

Seeing a “500 Internal Server Error” message on your WordPress site can trigger immediate panic. Your website is down, visitors can’t access your content, and if you run an online store, you’re losing sales with each passing minute. We understand how stressful this situation is, especially when you’re not sure what caused it or how to fix it.

This error indicates something has gone wrong on the web server hosting your site, not with your visitors’ browsers. The good news? Most 500 errors can be resolved once you identify the specific cause.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through understanding what causes these errors and provide clear, step-by-step solutions to get your site back online quickly. Whether you’re a small business owner, blogger, or website administrator, you’ll find actionable troubleshooting steps to resolve this frustrating issue.

Understanding 500 Internal Server Errors

The 500 Internal Server Error is a generic HTTP status code indicating that something has gone wrong on the web server, but the server cannot provide specific details about what exactly went wrong. According to the HTTP standard definition, this error occurs when “the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request.” (Source: MDN Web Docs)

This error is deliberately vague for security reasons. Providing detailed error information could potentially reveal server vulnerabilities to malicious users. While this vagueness protects your website, it can make troubleshooting more challenging for you as the site owner.

When your server encounters this error, it displays a simple error page to visitors instead of your actual website content. The error message might appear in various formats, but they all indicate the same underlying issue – a server-side problem that’s preventing your content from being delivered properly.

Signs You’re Experiencing a 500 Internal Server Error

The error might appear in several different formats, but they all indicate the same problem:

• “500 Internal Server Error”
• “Internal Server Error: An Internal Server Error Has Occurred”
• “HTTP 500 – Internal Server Error”
• “500 Server Error”
• A blank white screen (in some cases)

Common Causes of 500 Internal Server Errors

Understanding what causes 500 errors is the first step toward fixing them. There are several potential culprits when this error appears on your WordPress site.

Server misconfigurations in files like .htaccess commonly trigger 500 errors when they contain invalid directives. Resource exhaustion during traffic spikes can overwhelm your server, leading to failure. Programming errors in PHP scripts often cause the server to crash unexpectedly. Database connection failures or faulty queries disrupt normal server operations. Finally, incompatible third-party APIs or libraries can generate internal server errors when they conflict with your site’s code. (Source: ClouDNS)

Let’s examine these causes in greater detail to help you pinpoint what might be happening with your WordPress site.

Cause	Description	Difficulty to Fix	Common in WordPress?
.htaccess Errors	Invalid directives or syntax errors in the configuration file	Easy	Very Common
PHP Memory Limits	Scripts exceeding allocated memory	Easy	Very Common
Plugin Conflicts	Incompatible or poorly coded plugins	Medium	Very Common
Theme Issues	Buggy theme code or compatibility problems	Medium	Common
Database Connection Errors	Incorrect credentials or corrupted tables	Medium	Common
Server Resource Exhaustion	Hitting CPU, memory or process limits	Medium-Hard	Common
PHP Version Incompatibility	Scripts not compatible with server’s PHP version	Medium	Less Common
Corrupted Core Files	WordPress core files damaged or modified	Medium	Less Common

This table shows the most common causes of 500 errors specifically in WordPress sites, helping you focus your troubleshooting efforts on the most likely culprits first.

Corrupted .htaccess File

The .htaccess file controls many server configurations for your WordPress site. This powerful file can redirect URLs, set up security rules, and manage caching behavior. However, even a small syntax error in this file can trigger a 500 error across your entire website.

When your WordPress site needs quick repair services to restore functionality, addressing .htaccess issues should be your top priority. This file is often modified by various plugins, especially those handling redirects, security, or performance optimization.

PHP Memory Limitations

WordPress and its plugins require adequate PHP memory to function properly. If a script attempts to use more memory than allocated, it can crash and generate a 500 error. This commonly happens when:

You’re running resource-intensive plugins, your theme has inefficient code, or your site is processing large amounts of data. Many WordPress hosting plans, especially shared hosting, have default memory limits that can be too restrictive for sites with many plugins or complex functionality.

Plugin or Theme Conflicts

A poorly coded or incompatible plugin or theme can introduce errors that crash your server and result in a 500 error message. These conflicts often occur after updates – either to WordPress core, a theme, or another plugin. Plugin conflicts are among the most common causes of 500 errors on WordPress sites.

Database Connection Issues

If WordPress cannot connect to your database properly, or if a database query fails, this often results in a 500 error. Database issues can stem from incorrect connection details in your wp-config.php file, server problems, or corrupted database tables.

Diagnosing the Source of a 500 Error

Before jumping into solutions, it’s important to identify the specific cause of the error on your site. How can you rescue your WordPress site in minutes during an emergency? Start by gathering diagnostic information to pinpoint the exact problem.

Essential Information to Gather

Before you begin troubleshooting, collect the following information to help identify the cause:

• Exact error message (take a screenshot if possible)
• When the error first appeared
• Recent changes made to your site (plugin installations, updates, theme changes)
• Whether the error appears on all pages or just specific ones
• Your current hosting environment

Checking Server Error Logs

Server logs are essential for diagnosis as 500 errors deliberately obscure details for security reasons. These logs contain detailed information about what went wrong when the error occurred. (Source: ClouDNS)

You can typically access your server’s error logs through your hosting control panel. Look for sections labeled “Logs,” “Error Logs,” or “Site Monitoring.” The exact location varies by hosting provider, but common paths include:

Hosting Panel	Log Location	File Name Pattern
cPanel	Error Log section	error_log
Plesk	Logs section	error_log
DirectAdmin	Error/Access Logs	error.log
WordPress Hosting	Site Tools or Logs	Varies by provider

When reviewing logs, look for entries with timestamps corresponding to when the 500 error occurred. Pay special attention to messages containing “PHP Fatal error” or “PHP Parse error” as these often point directly to the problem.

Using Debug Mode

WordPress includes a built-in debug mode that can provide more detailed error information. To enable it:

1. Edit your wp-config.php file (located in your WordPress root directory)
2. Find the line that says define(‘WP_DEBUG’, false);
3. Change it to: define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);
4. Add these additional lines:

define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);

define(‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false);

This configuration will write errors to a debug.log file in your wp-content directory without displaying them to site visitors.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

Now that we understand what might be causing the error, let’s walk through systematic troubleshooting steps to resolve it. Start with the simplest solutions and progress to more complex ones if needed.

1. Check and Reset Your .htaccess File

Since .htaccess issues are among the most common causes of 500 errors, start here:

1. Connect to your server via FTP or File Manager in your hosting control panel
2. Locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory
3. Download a backup copy to your computer
4. Rename the existing file to “.htaccess_old”
5. Create a new .htaccess file with default WordPress rules or let WordPress create a new one by going to Settings > Permalinks and clicking “Save Changes”

2. Increase PHP Memory Limits

If your site is hitting memory limits, you can increase the allocation:

1. Create or edit the wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory
2. Add this line before the “That’s all, stop editing!” comment:
3. define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);
4. Save the file and upload it back to your server
5. If you have access to php.ini, you can also increase memory_limit there

Troubleshooting Step	When to Try First	Success Rate	Time Required
Reset .htaccess	Always try first	High	5-10 minutes
Increase PHP Memory	When seeing memory errors in logs	Medium	5-10 minutes
Deactivate All Plugins	If above steps don’t work	High	10-15 minutes
Switch to Default Theme	If plugin deactivation doesn’t help	Medium	5-10 minutes
Check Database Connection	If site was recently migrated	Medium	10-15 minutes
Restore from Backup	When other methods fail	Very High	30+ minutes

This troubleshooting matrix helps you prioritize which solutions to try first based on their typical success rates and time investment.

3. Deactivate All Plugins

To determine if a plugin is causing the issue:

1. Connect to your site via FTP
2. Navigate to the wp-content directory
3. Rename the “plugins” folder to “plugins_old”
4. Check if your site works now
5. If it does, rename the folder back to “plugins”
6. Create a new folder named “plugins”
7. Move plugins one by one from the “plugins_old” folder to the new “plugins” folder, testing your site after each one
8. When the error returns, you’ve found the problematic plugin

4. Switch to a Default WordPress Theme

Similarly, your theme might be causing the issue:

1. Via FTP, navigate to wp-content/themes
2. Make sure a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three) is installed
3. Rename your current theme’s folder to add “_old” to the end
4. WordPress will automatically switch to the default theme
5. Check if this resolves the error

Advanced Troubleshooting Techniques

If the basic steps above don’t resolve your issue, try these more advanced techniques.

Reviewing Server Error Logs in Detail

A more detailed analysis of server logs can reveal patterns that point to the specific cause:

1. Look for recurring errors or warnings
2. Note timestamps to correlate errors with specific actions or traffic patterns
3. Search for specific PHP error types:
   

• “Fatal error” (script execution stopped completely)
• “Parse error” (syntax problem in code)
• “Warning” (non-fatal issues that might compound)

Testing Database Connection

To verify your database connection is working properly:

1. Edit your wp-config.php file
2. Check that the database name, username, password, and host are correct
3. Try connecting to your database using phpMyAdmin or another database tool
4. Run a simple query to test connection speed and reliability

Monitoring Server Resources

Analyzing real-time CPU and memory usage can help identify resource exhaustion problems that trigger 500 errors. (Source: ClouDNS)

Many hosting providers offer resource monitoring tools in their control panels. Look for graphs showing:

• CPU usage spikes
• Memory consumption patterns
• Database connection limits
• Concurrent PHP processes

API and Third-Party Service Testing

When troubleshooting API-specific 500 errors, proxy tools like Apigee Trace can help identify whether the failure originated in a policy or in the backend system. (Source: Apigee Edge)

If your WordPress site connects to external services, test these connections:

1. Temporarily disable API connections
2. Check API logs for rate limiting or authentication issues
3. Verify that API endpoints are responding correctly
4. Test API calls in isolation using tools like Postman

Diagnostic Tool	What It Checks	Where to Find It	Technical Skill Required
Server Error Logs	Detailed error messages and stack traces	Hosting control panel	Medium
WordPress Debug Mode	PHP errors and warnings	wp-config.php edit	Low-Medium
Browser Developer Tools	Network requests and responses	Built into browsers (F12)	Low
Database Check & Repair	Table integrity and connection issues	phpMyAdmin or hosting tools	Medium
Resource Monitoring	CPU, memory, and process usage	Hosting control panel	Low
API Testing Tools	External service connectivity	Postman, Insomnia, etc.	Medium-High

This table outlines the most useful diagnostic tools for identifying the root cause of 500 errors, organized by complexity and what they help you examine.

Prevention Strategies

After fixing the immediate issue, you’ll want to take steps to prevent 500 errors from occurring again in the future.

Regular Maintenance

Considering that security vulnerabilities are among the eight critical issues hackers exploit, it’s important to maintain your WordPress site regularly. A consistent maintenance routine helps prevent many issues that can lead to 500 errors:

1. Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated
2. Regularly back up your site (before making any changes)
3. Clean your database periodically
4. Remove unused plugins and themes
5. Monitor plugin and theme compatibility

Performance Optimization

Many 500 errors stem from resource limitations. Optimizing your site’s performance can help prevent these issues:

1. Use a caching plugin to reduce server load
2. Optimize images and media files
3. Minify CSS and JavaScript files
4. Consider a content delivery network (CDN)
5. Choose a reliable hosting provider with adequate resources

Testing Changes Before Deploying

Always test changes in a staging environment before applying them to your live site:

1. Create a staging copy of your site
2. Apply updates or new plugins there first
3. Test thoroughly for any issues
4. Only deploy to your live site when confirmed working

Implementing Ongoing WordPress Care

Implementing a robust WordPress care plan for ongoing maintenance can significantly reduce the likelihood of encountering server errors in the future. A proper care plan includes:

1. Scheduled backups and updates
2. Security monitoring and malware scanning
3. Performance optimization and monitoring
4. Regular database maintenance
5. Uptime monitoring to detect issues quickly

Prevention Strategy	Implementation Difficulty	Effectiveness	Long-term Value
Regular Backups	Low	Very High	Essential
Update Management	Low	High	High
Performance Optimization	Medium	High	High
Staging Environment	Medium	Very High	High
Quality Hosting	Medium (cost)	Very High	Essential
Managed WordPress Care	Low (outsourced)	Very High	Very High

This prevention strategy matrix helps you understand which approaches provide the best balance of implementation effort and long-term protection against 500 errors.

When to Seek Professional Help

Sometimes, 500 errors are beyond DIY fixes, especially if they involve complex server configurations or database corruption.

Signs You Need Professional Assistance

Consider seeking help if:

1. You’ve tried all the above steps and still see the error
2. The error appears intermittently and is difficult to reproduce
3. You’re not comfortable making server configuration changes
4. You suspect the issue is with your hosting provider’s server
5. Your site was hacked and may have malware causing the errors
6. You’re experiencing database corruption issues

What to Provide to Support Teams

When reaching out for help, be sure to include:

1. All the diagnostic information you’ve gathered
2. A list of troubleshooting steps you’ve already tried
3. Access to your site (temporary login credentials)
4. Timeline of when the issue started and any recent changes
5. Error logs if you have access to them

Professional Support Options

Several resources are available for professional WordPress support:

1. Your hosting provider’s support team
2. WordPress developers and consultants
3. Specialized WordPress support services
4. The plugin or theme developer (if the issue is related to their product)

Conclusion

The 500 Internal Server Error can be frustrating, but with systematic troubleshooting, you can usually identify and fix the underlying issue. Remember to start with the most common causes—.htaccess issues, plugin conflicts, and memory limits—before moving to more complex solutions.

By following the steps in this guide, you should be able to resolve most 500 errors on your WordPress site. More importantly, implementing the prevention strategies we’ve outlined will help you avoid these errors in the future, keeping your site running smoothly for your visitors and customers.

If you’re still struggling after trying these steps, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. At Fixmysite.com, we specialize in quickly resolving WordPress errors like these, getting your site back online with minimal downtime.

Need immediate assistance with a 500 error? Our team is ready to help. Visit our support page to get your WordPress site back online today.