Resolving a 500 Internal Server Error

A 500 error means the server encountered an unexpected problem. This is one of the most common WordPress errors and is usually fixable without contacting support.

Common Causes

A faulty or incompatible plugin
A corrupt theme
A corrupted .htaccess file
PHP memory limit exceeded
A corrupted WordPress core file

Step 1: Deactivate All Plugins

Log in to cPanel > File Manager
Navigate to public_html/wp-content/plugins
Rename the plugins folder to plugins_disabled
Try accessing your site
If it works, rename the folder back to plugins, then reactivate plugins one by one to find the culprit

Step 2: Reset Your .htaccess File

In File Manager, navigate to public_html
Find the .htaccess file (enable Show Hidden Files in Settings)
Rename it to .htaccess_old
Go to WordPress Admin > Settings > Permalinks > Save Changes (this regenerates .htaccess)

Step 3: Increase PHP Memory Limit

Add this line to your wp-config.php file:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

Step 4: Check Error Logs

In cPanel > Metrics > Error Logs, look for the specific error causing the 500 status.

Still Getting the Error?

Open a support ticket with the error log information and we will resolve it for you.

How to Fix a 500 Internal Server Error