HTTP 500 - Internal Server Error
This is a general error that means something went wrong on the server, without giving the exact reason. It's often caused by a corrupted .htaccess file, a plugin conflict, or a PHP limit.
Why this happens
A 500 error is a generic 'something went wrong on the server' message rather than a specific one. It's most often triggered by a corrupted .htaccess file, a plugin conflict, an exhausted PHP resource limit, or a file permissions issue - the vague wording is exactly why it's worth checking each common cause in order.
Step-by-step fix
- Back up your .htaccess file in the root folder, then rename it (e.g. .htaccess-old).
- Go to wp-admin > Settings > Permalinks and click 'Save Changes' without changing anything - this regenerates a fresh .htaccess file.
- If that doesn't work, rename the Plugins folder to disable all plugins and check again.
- Also try raising the PHP memory limit and execution time (see the steps above).
How to prevent it happening again
- Avoid manually editing .htaccess unless you keep a backup of the working version first.
- Update plugins one at a time rather than all at once, so you can isolate the cause if something breaks.
- Keep your PHP version reasonably current, since very old PHP versions are more prone to compatibility-related 500 errors.
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