You click on your website. You expect to see your homepage. Instead, you see a plain white screen with a boring, scary message:
“500 Internal Server Error”
Or maybe just: “The server encountered an internal error…”
It is frustrating because it doesn’t tell you what is wrong. It just tells you that the server is confused.
Think of it like a “Check Engine” light in your car. It could be a loose gas cap, or it could be a blown engine. You don’t know until you look under the hood.
In this guide, we will show you exactly how to look under the hood. We will walk you through the 6 proven steps to fix this error and get your site back online fast.
Step 1: The "Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again?" (Backups)
Before we start deleting files, stop.
If you have a recent backup (from yesterday or before the error started), restoring it is the fastest fix.
Action: Log in to your hosting panel. Find your “Backups” tool. Click Restore.
Result: If the site comes back, you know the error was caused by a recent change (like a plugin update).
If you don’t have a backup, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: The #1 Culprit: Corrupted .htaccess File
The .htaccess file is the traffic cop of your server. If it gets corrupted (which happens often during updates), it stops all traffic and throws a 500 error.
How to fix it:
Connect via FTP: Use FileZilla or your hosting File Manager.
Find the File: Go to your main folder (
public_html). Look for.htaccess.Rename It: Right-click and rename it to
.htaccess_old.Test: Reload your website.
Did it work?
Yes: Great! Your site is online. Now, log in to your WordPress Dashboard, go to Settings > Permalinks, and click Save Changes. This generates a fresh, clean
.htaccessfile for you.No: The error is still there. Rename the file back to
.htaccessand move to Step 3.
Step 3: Increase PHP Memory Limit
Sometimes, your server is just exhausted. If a plugin tries to use more memory than your plan allows, the server gives up (500 Error).
The Fix:
Open your
wp-config.phpfile via FTP.Scroll down to the line that says “That’s all, stop editing”.
Paste this code just before it:
PHP
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
Save and Refresh.
If your site loads now, you simply needed more power. (Read our full Memory Limit Guide for details).
Step 4: The Plugin Conflict (Deactivate All)
If memory wasn’t the issue, a plugin is likely breaking your site. Since you can’t access the dashboard, we have to disable them manually.
Connect via FTP.
Navigate to
wp-content.Find the folder named
plugins.Rename it: Change the name to
plugins_off.Test: Reload your site.
Did it work?
Yes: One of your plugins is the villain.
Rename the folder back to
plugins.Go inside and rename individual plugin folders (e.g.,
elementortoelementor_off) one by one until the error stops.
No: It is not a plugin. Move to Step 5.
Step 5: Re-upload Core Files (The Nuclear Option)
Sometimes, a WordPress update fails halfway through. This leaves you with missing or corrupted system files.
We need to replace the “engine” of WordPress without touching your content.
How to do it safely:
Download WordPress: Get a fresh
.zipfile from WordPress.org. Unzip it on your computer.Connect via FTP.
Upload: Drag the
wp-adminandwp-includesfolders from your computer to your server.Overwrite: When asked, select “Overwrite”.
Note: This does not affect your wp-content folder (your themes/images) or your wp-config.php file. It just replaces the core system files.
Step 6: Enable Debugging (The Last Resort)
If you have tried everything and the 500 error is still there, stop guessing. Let’s ask WordPress what is wrong.
Open
wp-config.php.Find
define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );.Change
falsetotrue.Reload your site.
Instead of “500 Internal Server Error,” you should now see a specific message like: “Fatal error: Call to undefined function in /plugins/bad-plugin/index.php”
Now you know exactly which file to delete!
Conclusion
The 500 Internal Server Error is a generic “I’m confused” message from your server. It is rarely fatal.
Your Checklist:
Rename .htaccess (Most likely).
Increase Memory (Common).
Disable Plugins (Common).
Re-upload Core Files (For failed updates).
Still Offline? If you have tried all 6 steps and your site is still down, the issue might be on your host’s end (server outage) or a deep database corruption.
Contact Our WordPress Support Team today. We can interpret the server logs, find the hidden error, and get your business back online fast.
