HTTP Error 500! As far as Content Management Systems (CMSs) go, WordPress is easy to run and manage. It’s a remarkably stable platform, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever encounter problems. One of the most common issues that you might come across is the WordPress HTTP error 500.
One of the advantages of this type of error is that the causes are known. The culprit could be one of several common issues. If you trust your diagnostic abilities, you can fix the error 500 in no time.
In this post, we’ll explain the HTTP error 500 in WordPress, why it happens, and four solutions you can use to fix it. There’s plenty to discuss, so let’s get to it!
In This Article
What Does the HTTP Error 500 Mean?
The HTTP error 500 goes by several different names. For example, it’s often called a WordPress Internal Server error. No matter how you refer to this issue, it can be a lot of trouble for your website.
HTTP status 500 is not specific to WordPress. So what does this error mean? In a nutshell, your website’s server tells you that something has gone wrong, but it’s not sure what the problem is.
This issue often stops your site from displaying properly. In its place, visitors will see an error message, the wording of which varies depending on which browser you use:
For example, you may also see a message like this one: “The page cannot be displayed because an internal server error has occurred.” Alternatively, as you can see in the above example, you may see: “[website] is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP ERROR 500”.
A similar problem is the vague HTTP error that sometimes occurs when you try to upload files to your Media Library:
Although the issues aren’t the same, they share similar causes. Therefore, if you know how to troubleshoot the 500 internal server error in WordPress, you’ll also be able to fix HTTP errors when uploading images.
What Causes the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress?
Usually, HTTP error codes give you insight into what’s causing them. For example, if you run into error 404, it means that the page you’re trying to access isn’t there. However, the WordPress error 500 isn’t quite as informative. Just what causes the 500 internal server error in WordPress?
There are four main reasons for this issue on your WordPress website, which are:
- You’ve reached your site’s PHP memory limit. If this is the source of the error, you’ll usually see it when trying to log into your admin dashboard or when uploading a media file.
- Your .htaccess file has been corrupted. The .htaccess file contains critical configurations for your server. If it becomes corrupted, WordPress may malfunction.
- There’s a plugin conflict on your site. Plugin conflicts occur when the code of two or more plugins work against each other, your theme, or WordPress core. There’s a chance you might see the WordPress Internal Server error 500 after updating plugins.
- The error is at the server level. As “Internal Server error” suggests, this problem sometimes involves your server and not your website. Therefore, you may want to be prepared to contact your web host.
Since the HTTP error 500 message doesn’t explain which of these scenarios is the case for your site, you’ll likely have to try multiple solutions. We’ve included fixes for all the above causes below and a few others.
How to Fix the HTTP Error 500 in WordPress (4 Potential Solutions)
Before you dive into fixing the HTTP error 500 in WordPress, you’ll need to make sure you have the proper tools on hand. Those include:
- Root access to your server if you have a Virtual Private Server (VPS) or dedicated hosting.
- A File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client such as FileZilla or Cyberduck, and an understanding of the basics.
- A text editor for modifying your code — which, while not necessary, will come in handy.
- Although some advice discusses waiting a few minutes before testing again, switching browsers, or checking your file permissions, we’ll skip over these solutions. We’ll assume that you’ve already tried these before reading this article during your initial panic.
Therefore, let’s get to work on four methods that offer a 500 internal server error fix:
- Increase Your WordPress Memory Limit
- Check Your .htaccess File for Errors
- Deactivate and Test Each Installed Plugin
- Switch Your Default WordPress Image Editor
Wrapping Up
Site errors are never fun to discover, especially when they completely restrict access to your front end. The HTTP error 500 in WordPress is one of the worst, although you’re not helpless when it comes to making things right again.
A systematic approach to fixing this error is all that’s needed. Once you have the right tools on hand, you can check elements such as your PHP memory limit, .htaccess file, plugins, and more. If none of these solve the problem, your host should be able to root out the cause.
Of course, the best thing you can do to improve your site is support it with premium maintenance services.
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