WordPress has several error messages. Some are easy to solve, others can cause more problems. So is the ‘500 Internal Server Error’. What does this error message mean and how do you fix it? In this blog we are going to discuss how you can solve this error message in WordPress. Wondering how to fix more WordPress errors ? Take a look at our WordPress services.
What is a ‘500 Internal Server Error’?
The error message 500 internal server error is relatively common on WordPress websites. It basically means that the server encountered an unexpected state and that the execution of the request was prevented. This error can have several causes.
Several 500 error messages
The ‘500 Internal Server Error’ can look different from the different web servers, operating systems and browsers. In most cases, you will encounter variations with the same number, such as ‘HTTP 500’, ‘500 Error’, ‘500 Internal Server Error’. Sorry something went wrong”, or “The page cannot be displayed – HTTP 500”. So these error messages all come down to the same thing.
Why do I get a 500 error?
As mentioned earlier, a 500 error can be caused by different elements. The most common causes are:
- A temporary error on the server
- A server failure
- A plugin that causes a conflict in the CMS
- An error in the .htaccess file
- An error reading a script
- The script does not have the correct permissions
- The folder containing the PHP script does not have the correct Browser Cache permissions
- Incorrect database credentials
- Corrupted database
In most browsers you will only see one of the variations on the error message, but with Internet Explorer it is possible to request an extensive error message. You can do this by clicking on ‘extra > internet options‘ in the browser, choosing the ‘advanced’ tab, scrolling to ‘view web pages’ and searching for the option ‘show user-friendly HTTP error messages’.
What are the consequences of a 500 error?
It is of course annoying if your visitor cannot get to your website or keeps getting an error message. In addition, the error messages can have a negative impact on SEO. If the website is unavailable for a longer period of time, Google may see the error message as a problem that needs to be fixed at the website level. According to Google, this is not user-friendly and a reason to let your website drop in the rankings of the search engines.
How can I fix a 500 error in WordPress?
Time needed: 10 minutes
An ‘Internal Server Error’ cannot simply be fixed. You will first have to look for the cause. We can also distinguish the most common causes, user errors and problems with the server. Initially, get started with the following steps:
- Refresh the web page
A simple action that is often not thought of. It can happen that the host or the server is overloaded, but is quickly available again. So wait a while if you encounter the error message and then refresh your page. While waiting, you can also try to open the same WordPress website via another browser, so you at least rule out that that is where the problem lies.
- Clear your browser’s cache
Before you perform all kinds of difficult actions, it is wise to first empty the cache of your browser. It will not always help, but it is a waste of your time and effort if afterwards it turns out that the problem originated there.
- Check your server logs
The error message logs can help you to quickly specify a specific error. The logs can usually be found in the ‘/wp-content-folder‘, but some hosts have separate folders for the logs.
- Check your plugins and themes
An error in a plugin or theme can be the cause of a 500 error. Therefore, consider whether you have recently installed a new plugin or made a change to the code. If you don’t know exactly anymore, or different people work on the WordPress website, it is better to deactivate all plugins and activate the plugins one by one and then refresh the page. If you then see the ‘500 Internal Server Error‘ error message, then you have found the culprit.
- PHP memory limit
The 500 error may also have to do with your server’s PHP memory limit. You can try to increase the limit. In some cases, you can easily customize it yourself in the user interface. Is that not possible with you? Then contact your hosting provider.
Wondering how you can increase your PHP? Check out our blog about increasing the WordPress memory limit, here is a complete step-by-step plan.
Contact us
Are you unable to increase your PHP memory limit or do you need another WordPress solution ? Contact our WordPress specialists and developers. They regularly encounter these problems and have the solution for your WordPress website. You can reach us in the chat or you can call us on 030 20 72 488. We hope to speak to you soon! 🙂
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