How to fix Internal Server Error (500 Error)

To fix the Internal Server Error (500 Error) on your WordPress blog, follow these detailed steps:

Step 1: Backup Your Website

Before making any changes, create a complete backup of your WordPress site, including files and the database.

Step 2: Check the .htaccess File

1. Access Your Site via FTP or Hosting File Manager

• Use an FTP client like FileZilla or your hosting control panel’s file manager.

2. Locate the .htaccess File

• It’s in the root directory where wp-content, wp-admin, and wp-includes folders are.

3. Rename the File

• Rename .htaccess to .htaccess_old.

4. Check Your Site

• Visit your website to see if the issue is resolved.

5. Regenerate .htaccess

• If the site works, regenerate .htaccess:

• Go to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks.

• Click Save Changes without making any adjustments.

Step 3: Increase PHP Memory Limit

1. Edit wp-config.php

• Access the root directory using FTP or File Manager.

• Open wp-config.php and add the following line just before /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:

define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

2. Save and Upload the File.

• Check your website again.

Step 4: Deactivate Plugins

1. Access the WordPress Plugin Folder:

• Go to wp-content/plugins using FTP or File Manager.

2. Rename the Plugins Folder:

• Rename the plugins folder to something like plugins_old.

• This disables all plugins.

3. Check Your Site:

• If the site works, the issue is caused by a plugin.

4. Reactivate Plugins One by One:

• Rename the plugins_old folder back to plugins.

• Activate plugins one at a time through the WordPress dashboard to find the culprit.

Step 5: Switch to a Default Theme

1. Access wp-content/themes Folder

• Rename your active theme folder to something like theme_old.

2. Activate a Default Theme Automatically

• WordPress will switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Three.

3. Check Your Site:

• If this fixes the issue, your theme might be causing the error. Consider updating or reinstalling it.

Step 6: Reinstall WordPress Core Files

1. Download a Fresh Copy of WordPress

• Go to wordpress.org and download the latest version.

2. Extract Files:

• Extract the files to your computer.

3. Upload Core Files via FTP:

• Upload everything except the wp-content folder and wp-config.php file.

• Allow the system to overwrite core files.

4. Check the Site Again.

Step 7: Check Server Error Logs

1. Access Hosting Control Panel:

• Look for an Error Logs section or ask your web hosting support to check error logs.

2. Fix Any Server-Side Errors:

• If logs point to server-side issues, contact your web hosting provider.

Step 8: Contact Your Web Host

If none of the above steps work, contact your hosting provider’s support team. They can help troubleshoot server-related problems.

These steps should fix the Internal Server Error on your WordPress blog. If you still have issues, please contact us for help.