500 Internal Server Error means something went wrong on the server while processing your request. It is one of the most common errors on shared hosting and is almost always caused by something within your own account.
Common Causes
Incorrect file permissions PHP scripts require specific permissions to execute. Files set to777 or scripts missing execute permissions can trigger a 500 error. See Setting File & Folder Permissions for recommended values.
Syntax error in .htaccess
An invalid rule or typo in your .htaccess file will cause a 500 error for the entire site or directory it affects. Open the file in the File Manager and check for recently added rules. Temporarily renaming .htaccess to .htaccess.bak will disable it — if the error disappears, the .htaccess file is the cause.
PHP syntax error or fatal error
A broken PHP file — often caused by an incomplete edit or a failed plugin/theme update — will return a 500 error. Check your error logs for a PHP Fatal error line pointing to the specific file.
Resource limit reached
If your account has hit its Entry Process or RAM limit, PHP requests may fail with a 500 error. Check your resource usage to rule this out.
Plugin or theme conflict (WordPress)
A faulty WordPress plugin or theme is a very common cause. Deactivate all plugins via the database or by renaming the wp-content/plugins folder temporarily to identify the culprit.
First Steps
- Check your error logs — the cause is almost always recorded there
- Check resource usage for any limit breaches at the time of the error
- If the error started after a change (file edit, plugin update, code deployment), revert that change first