How to fix 500 internal server error

Nothing spoils a cozy evening lounging tucked in a blanket with a cup of tea behind your computer screen than an annoying code telling you that the web page you’re trying to access is unavailable – like the ‘500 Internal Server Error.’

Oh, well. You can give up and surf someplace else or try to tackle the problem. If you opt for the latter, you’ll first need to understand what a 500 internal server error really is.

What is a 500 internal server error?

A 500 internal server error is a common and rather broad type of a status code for the internet’s Hypertext Transfer Protocol, telling a web user that there’s an issue (an unexpected condition or configuration problem) on the web server’s side of the web location they’re trying to visit, preventing the fulfillment of their request.

However, this is where clarity about the problem ends. Indeed, the HTTP status code ‘500 Internal Server Error’ means that it’s not clear what exactly is wrong and the server is having trouble pinpointing the problem.

This error code might show up in different forms depending on the website visited, and its usual variations include:

500 Internal Server Error
Error 500 Internal Server Error
500 Error
HTTP Error 500
Internal Server Error 500
HTTP Status 500 – Internal Server Error
500. That’s an error

Why does a 500 internal server error happen?

Although the definition indicates that the problem stems from the server, this might not always be the case. Other common culprits for a HTTP Error 500 might also involve corrupted browser cache and temporary connectivity problems.

Then, there are syntax errors or incorrect rules in the website’s .htaccess file, incorrect file and folder permissions, wrong PHP version for the website, corrupted .htaccess file, corrupted website’s database, and not to mention issues with WordPress themes and plugins.

And that’s not all either. The problem might arise from an exhausted PHP memory limit on the website, corrupted WordPress core files, large files on the website, or issues with the MySQL server – just to name a few.

How to fix a 500 Internal Server error as a user

If you’re a website visitor seeing this error code, some things you can do on your part include:

Reloading the page: If the HTTP Error 500 only shows up for you, you can try refreshing the web page in the same browser by clicking the refresh button at the top of the browser or pressing F5 on your keyboard.
Clearing your browser cache and cookies: You may also resolve the error code by clearing your cache and deleting cookies, be it all of them or just those related to the website.
Using a different network: If there’s a connectivity issue across your entire network, switch to a different one, like using a phone with mobile data instead of the LAN or WiFi network on your PC.
Contact the website administrator: Reach out to the website’s administrators, through contact information offered on the website’s main header or a dedicated contact page. They might not even know there’s a problem.

And that’s pretty much all you can do, as the trouble typically originates at the source – the website’s server itself.

How to fix a 500 Internal Server error as a website owner or administrator

On the other hand, if you’re the owner or administrator of the website displaying this error code to visitors, there are quite a few things you can try:

Creating a customized Internal Server Error 500 page: Make a fun 500 error page that is in line with your brand and encourages users to stay on your website.
Checking the error logs for the website: Identify misconfigured files or scripts causing the error.
Resetting file and folder permissions: If there are any incorrect permissions, change them from the File Manager in your hosting panel or from an FTP client.
Changing the PHP version: PHP script incompatibilities that cause errors can be solved by switching to an older or later version.
Fixing the .htaccess file: If this file is corrupted, defines an incorrect root folder, or contains syntax errors, fix these issues or regenerate the file.
Repairing the database or credentials: If the problem is in a corrupted database on your website, repair it or restore from a backup.
Disabling WordPress plugins: Sometimes a misconfigured plugin is causing all the racket, so start disabling them one by one until you find it.
Changing the WordPress theme: A misconfigured WordPress theme can crash everything, so replace it to see if this is what’s happened.
Increasing the PHP memory limit of the website: In case an exceeded memory limit of your website is the culprit, make sure it’s set to a higher value.
Check for large files: Similarly, very large files could be the problem, so be sure to locate them.
Restoring the website: If all else fails, consider restoring the website from a backup, which will revert any changes that caused the error.
Being proactive: Employ preventative measures like bringing in tools that crawl your website, highlighting 500 errors.

Conclusion

Overall, there are plenty of obvious and not-so-obvious reasons why a particular web page is showing the 500 error message. The problem might be on the visitor’s side but this is rare – so it’s important that the website owner or administrator is aware of it and deploys possible solutions.

Meanwhile, if you’re seeing a 404 error code, then you might want to try the remedies listed here, which range from using a search engine to checking the URL for spelling mistakes as a visitor, and from creating a redirect to checking domain settings as a website owner or administrator.