One of the most frequent WordPress issues is the 500 internal server error. It arises out of the blue and prevents access to your website.
The WordPress 500 Internal Server Error: What Is It?
The 500 internal error in WordPress is an application-side problem that mostly affects servers. It is usually caused by problems with the theme or plugins, corrupted.htaccess files, databases, cache, hosting, or PHP memory limits.
Any URL you visit will cause the web server to receive your request and display the page you have requested. However, if there is an internal server fault, the server does not display the page and instead displays an error message.
The error page can appear as follows:
Why Does WordPress Give a 500 Internal Server Error?
Any website may have a 500 internal server error. Plugin or theme conflicts, PHP memory exhaustion, damaged files, and code errors are common reasons. A corrupt.htaccess file is one particular thing to be concerned about, especially if the mistake is limited to the WordPress admin area.
We suggest using a methodical approach to troubleshoot this problem. Checking themes and plugins should come first. Then, look at the PHP memory limit and look for any damaged files. Additionally, if the problem is limited to the WordPress admin area, make sure your.htaccess file is intact.
In summary, server-side modifications are necessary for the remedies since the server side is the primary source of this problem.
How Can the WordPress Website 500 Internal Server Error Be Fixed?
There are several ways to repair the 500 internal server problem on WordPress because it can happen for a number of reasons. To fast repair the problem, I suggested going through the changes given below in chronological order.
1. Make a WordPress site backup
It’s crucial to backup your WordPress website. Your website’s data may still be hacked even if you have taken stringent security measures, such as upgrading WordPress core and plugins on a regular basis or choosing a safe WordPress hosting provider.
Your website might be brought down by a simple code error. That’s why it’s so important to backup your WordPress website. You have two options for doing it: manually or using reliable WordPress backup plugins.
2. Go Back to the Page
Try the easiest fix first—sometimes, just refreshing the page can solve the internal server problem.
Sometimes an overload can cause a server to be down for a while, however this can usually be resolved with a simple refresh. Thus, if you’re trying to resolve the 500 problem, start with a page refresh.
Proceed to the other remedies if this doesn’t fix the issue.
3. Delete All Data from the Browser Cache
One simple solution to troubleshoot a 500 internal server issue on your website is to delete all of the cookies and cache. You may also avoid the White Screen of Death and the 404 error by following this procedure.
Check to see whether everyone can access your website before emptying the cache on your browser. This may be accomplished by using the website “Is it Down Right Now.” If it’s not working for you alone, please clean the cache on your browser.
Every browser has a distinct process for clearing its cache and cookies. By accessing the settings, you may delete them.
If you use Chrome, erase the cookies and cached images by using the shortcut key combination Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
After clearing your browser, reload your website to see whether the issue still exists. If so, go with the following technique.
4. Delete the WordPress Cache
Occasionally, a 500 internal server error on your WordPress website may prevent the site from loading properly. It’s interesting to note that if your cache is holding onto an old version of your website, you may continue to experience problems even after fixing this mistake.
The cache’s persistence may prevent recent modifications from being shown, giving the impression that the 500 error is still occurring. It becomes essential to clear your WordPress cache in order to guarantee that both you and your visitors can view the most recent version of your website.
There are several ways to make your WordPress cache disappear. But I’ll walk you through the process of deleting the cache from your WordPress caching plugin in this article. Please see our comprehensive article on how to clean WordPress cache for more techniques.
One of the most widely used WordPress caching plugins is Cache Breeze: Clearing Your WordPress Caching Plugin. Here’s how to use the Breeze plugin step-by-step:
- Enter the WordPress Dashboard and log in.
- After installing, turn on the Breeze plugin.
- Go to the Breeze plugin’s Settings section..
- Mark the choices you want to use in the Settings section.
- The webpage will be reloaded when the cache is cleared.
5. Examine your file.htaccess.
One essential file present in all PHP-based applications is the.htaccess file, which controls the configuration of your website.
A 500 internal server error may occur if your.htaccess file is damaged. Usually, an incorrectly installed theme or module affects this file.
In certain situations, you can access the.htaccess file and correct the issue. To access and fix the.htaccess file, follow the instructions below.
- Log in to the Cloudways platform if you are a user.
- Choose your server by clicking servers.
- Paste your Master Credentials into the FTP client after copying them from Server Management.
- Select Quickconnect.
- Select public_html under applications.
- A file with the name.htaccess may be found in the root directory.
- Your.htaccess file may now be downloaded to a local place on your computer from the live server.
- Open this file with Notepad++, Dreamweaver, Sublime Text 3, or any other text editor.
- Go to WordPress.org’s.htaccess file.
- Select the code variant that works best for your website and copy & paste it.
- Transfer the.htaccess file to your web server after saving it.
- For various WordPress installations and setups, different codes apply. The following code must be used if you have utilised WordPress Multisite in WordPress 3.5 or later:
6. Audit of Plugins
Make sure your website is using the latest recent plugins by doing frequent plugin audits.
Incompatible or out-of-date plugins might result in errors on your WordPress website due to compatibility problems. Since it may be somewhat taxing to update every plugin, Cloudways provides the SafeUpdates function to automate WordPress site maintenance.
However, if you would want to carry out the audit by hand, you can do so by following these steps:
- Access your WordPress dashboard.
- Make a note of the plugins you wish to disable.
- Select Deactivate from the drop-down menu by clicking on it.
- Make a website refresh.
One option is to deactivate each plugin one at a time, reload, and see if the website functions properly before activating the corresponding plugin. The entire procedure will assist you in locating the problematic plugin.
After identifying the offending plugin, you have two options: delete it or replace it with an updated version. Proceed to the next step if, after verifying all of your plugins, the issue persists.
7. Audit of Themes
There are circumstances in which even the best WordPress themes may result in a 500 internal server error. The following are the steps to return to the WordPress default theme:
- Access your WordPress dashboard.
- Select Themes under Appearance.
- Turn on the theme Twenty Twenty-Two.
- When a new theme is enabled, your old theme will be instantly removed.
If you are unable to access your WordPress dashboard, you can modify your theme using the FTP client.
- Open your FTP client and log in.
- Look for the “theme” folder. It may be in wp-content.
- Rename the folder “theme.”
- Check to check whether the issue still exists by refreshing your WordPress website.
- Choose another theme if you don’t notice the issue, as it indicates that your theme is the reason.
8. Communicate with your hosting supplier
If you have tried the aforementioned options and the issue still continues, get in touch with your WordPress or PHP hosting provider. You can submit a request to the technical specialists, and they will review your server settings to remedy the problem.
If you utilise Cloudways, the procedure is really simple. Reach out to our round-the-clock support staff for immediate assistance in addressing any problems.
In short
I’m hoping the WordPress 500 internal server problem has disappeared from your website after attempting the changes outlined in this comprehensive tutorial. What remedy enabled you to resolve the 500 issue on your website? Tell us in the comments section below.