My Website Is Showing a 500 Error

What Is a 500 Internal Server Error?

A 500 Internal Server Error means something went wrong on the server while processing your request. It is one of the most common errors and can have several causes. The good news is that most 500 errors are straightforward to diagnose and fix.

Common Causes

• Corrupted .htaccess file – A syntax error or incompatible directive in your .htaccess file is the single most frequent cause.
• PHP errors – A fatal error in your PHP code will trigger a 500 response when error display is turned off.
• Incorrect file permissions – Files should typically be set to 644 and directories to 755. Permissions of 777 can also cause a 500 error on shared hosting.
• Exhausted PHP memory limit – If a script tries to use more memory than allowed, the server will return a 500 error.
• Broken plugin or theme – A recently installed or updated WordPress plugin or theme can introduce incompatible code.

How to Fix It

1. Rename your .htaccess file – Connect via File Manager or FTP and rename .htaccess to .htaccess_backup. If the site loads, regenerate the file from your CMS settings.
2. Check the error log – In cPanel, open Metrics > Errors or check the error_log file in your site's root directory. The log will tell you the exact file and line causing the problem.
3. Fix file permissions – Use the File Manager or an FTP client to reset files to 644 and folders to 755.
4. Increase the PHP memory limit – Add ini_set('memory_limit', '256M'); to your script or update the value in MultiPHP INI Editor inside cPanel.
5. Disable plugins – Rename the wp-content/plugins folder to isolate plugin issues, then re-enable plugins one at a time.

Still Stuck?

If none of the above resolves the issue, open a support ticket and include the contents of your error_log file. Our team will investigate the server-side cause promptly.