The dreaded 500 internal server error. It always seems to come at the most inopportune time and you're suddenly left scrambling to figure out how to become your WordPress site back online. Trust us, we've all been there. Other errors that behave similarly that y'all might have as well seen include the frightening error establishing a database connexion and the dreaded white screen of death. Just from the moment your site goes downward, you're losing visitors and customers. Not to mention it simply looks bad for your make.

Today nosotros're going to dive into the 500 internal server mistake and walk you lot through some ways to get your site back online quickly. Read more below almost what causes this error and what you can practise to prevent it in the future.

  • What is a 500 internal server mistake?
  • How to set the 500 internal server error

Cheque Out Our Ultimate Guide to Fixing the 500 Internal Server Error

What is a 500 Internal Server Error?

The Internet Engineering Job Force (IETF) defines the 500 Internal Server Error as:

The 500 (Internal Server Error) condition code indicates that the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the asking.

When you visit a website your browser sends a asking over to the server where the site is hosted. The server takes this request, processes it, and sends dorsum the requested resource (PHP, HTML, CSS, etc.) along with an HTTP header. The HTTP too includes what they phone call an HTTP status lawmaking. A condition lawmaking is a style to notify you about the condition of the request. It could be a 200 status code which means "Everything is OK" or a 500 status code which ways something has gone incorrect.

There are a lot of different types of 500 status error codes (500, 501, 502, 503, 504, etc.) and they all mean something different. In this case, a 500 internal server error indicates that the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request(RFC 7231, section vi.6.1).

500 internal server error in WordPress
500 internal server error in WordPress

500 Internal Server Error Variations

Due to the various web servers, operating systems, and browsers, a 500 internal server mistake can present itself in a number of different ways. But they are all communicating the same thing. Below are merely a couple of the many dissimilar variations you might see on the spider web:

    • "500 Internal Server Mistake"
    • "HTTP 500"
    • "Internal Server Error"
    • "HTTP 500 – Internal Server Mistake"
    • "500 Error"
    • "HTTP Error 500"
    • "500 – Internal Server Error"
    • "500 Internal Server Error. Sorry something went wrong."
    • "500. That'due south an error. In that location was an error. Please try again afterward. That'south all we know."
    • "The website cannot brandish the folio – HTTP 500."
    • "Is currently unable to handle this request. HTTP Error 500."

You might also see this bulletin accompanying it:

The server encountered an internal mistake or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request. Please contact the server ambassador, [email protected] and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might accept washed that may accept caused the error. More information near this error may be available in the server error log.

Internal Server Error
Internal Server Mistake

Other times, you lot might simply see a blank white screen. When dealing with 500 internal server errors, this is actually quite mutual in browsers similar Firefox and Safari.

500 internal server error in Firefox
500 internal server fault in Firefox

Bigger brands might fifty-fifty have their own custom 500 internal server error messages, such as this one from Airbnb.

Airbnb 500 internal server error
Airbnb 500 internal server mistake

Here is some other creative 500 server mistake example from the folks over at readme.

readme 500 internal server error
readme 500 internal server error

Fifty-fifty the mighty YouTube isn't rubber from 500 internal server errors.

500 internal server error on YouTube
500 internal server error on YouTube

If it'due south an IIS seven.0 (Windows) or college server, they take additional HTTP status codes to more closely bespeak the crusade of the 500 mistake:

  • 500.0 – Module or ISAPI error occurred.
  • 500.11 – Application is shutting downward on the web server.
  • 500.12 – Application is busy restarting on the web server.
  • 500.13 – Web server is too busy.
  • 500.15 – Straight requests for global.asax are not allowed.
  • 500.xix – Configuration information is invalid.
  • 500.21 – Module non recognized.
  • 500.22 – An ASP.NET httpModules configuration does non apply in Managed Pipeline mode.
  • 500.23 – An ASP.Net httpHandlers configuration does not apply in Managed Pipeline way.
  • 500.24 – An ASP.NET impersonation configuration does not apply in Managed Pipeline mode.
  • 500.50 – A rewrite fault occurred during RQ_BEGIN_REQUEST notification handling. A configuration or inbound rule execution error occurred.
  • 500.51 – A rewrite fault occurred during GL_PRE_BEGIN_REQUEST notification handling. A global configuration or global rule execution error occurred.
  • 500.52 – A rewrite error occurred during RQ_SEND_RESPONSE notification treatment. An outbound rule execution occurred.
  • 500.53 – A rewrite error occurred during RQ_RELEASE_REQUEST_STATE notification treatment. An outbound rule execution mistake occurred. The rule is configured to be executed earlier the output user cache gets updated.
    500.100 – Internal ASP fault.

500 Errors Impact on SEO

Unlike 503 errors, which are used for WordPress maintenance style and tell Google to check back at a subsequently time, a 500 fault tin have a negative impact on SEO if not fixed right away. If your site is only down for say 10 minutes and it's being crawled consistently a lot of times the crawler will simply get the folio delivered from cache. Or Google might not even have a chance to re-crawl it before it's dorsum up. In this scenario, you're completely fine.

Yet, if the site is downward for an extended catamenia of time, say half-dozen+ hours, and then Google might encounter the 500 fault every bit a site level event that needs to be addressed. This could impact your rankings. If yous're worried about echo 500 errors you should effigy out why they are happening to brainstorm with. Some of the solutions below can help.

How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error

Where should y'all start troubleshooting when you see a 500 internal server mistake on your WordPress site? Sometimes you lot might not even know where to begin. Typically 500 errors are on the server itself, only from our experience, these errors originate from 2 things, the offset isuser error (client-side issue), and the 2d is that at that place is a problem with the server. So nosotros'll dive into a little of both.

Check out these common causes and ways to set the 500 internal server error and go support and running in no time.

one. Try Reloading the Page

This might seem a picayune obvious to some, merely one of the easiest and start things you should try when encountering a 500 internal server fault is to simply look a infinitesimal or then and reload the folio (F5 or Ctrl + F5). It could exist that the host or server is simply overloaded and the site volition come right dorsum. While you're waiting, you could also quickly effort a dissimilar browser to rule that out every bit an issue.

Some other matter you can practice is to paste the website into downforeveryoneorjustme.com. This website will tell y'all if the site is downward or if information technology's a problem on your side. A tool like this checks the HTTP status code that is returned from the server. If information technology's anything other than a 200 "Everything is OK" so it will return a downwards indication.

downforeveryoneorjustme
downforeveryoneorjustme

Nosotros've besides noticed that sometimes this can occur immediately subsequently you update a plugin or theme on your WordPress site. Typically this is on hosts that aren't set up properly. What happens is they experience a temporary timeout right later. However, things usually resolve themselves in a couple of seconds and therefore refreshing is all y'all need to practice.

two. Clear Your Browser Cache

Clearing your browser cache is always another good troubleshooting step before diving into deeper debugging on your site. Beneath are instructions on how to clear enshroud in the various browsers:

  • How to Strength Refresh a Unmarried Page for All Browsers
  • How to Clear Browser Cache for Google Chrome
  • How to Clear Browser Cache for Mozilla Firefox
  • How to Clear Browser Enshroud for Safari
  • How to Clear Browser Cache for Internet Explorer
  • How to Articulate Browser Enshroud for Microsoft Edge
  • How to Clear Browser Cache for Opera

3. Check Your Server Logs

You lot should also have advantage of your error logs. If yous're a Kinsta client, you can easily see errors in the log viewer in the MyKinsta dashboard. This can help yous quickly narrow down the effect, particularly if it's resulting from a plugin on your site.

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Check error logs for 500 internal server errors
Check error logs for 500 internal server errors

If your host doesn't have a logging tool, you lot tin likewise enable WordPress debugging fashion by adding the following lawmaking to your wp-config.php file to enable logging:

          define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', truthful ); ascertain( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', faux );

The logs are typically located in the /wp-content directory. Others, like here at Kinsta might have a defended folder called "logs".

WordPress error logs folder (SFTP)
WordPress fault logs folder (SFTP)

You lot can also check the log files in Apache and Nginx, which are commonly located here:

  • Apache: /var/log/apache2/mistake.log
  • Nginx: /var/log/nginx/mistake.log

If y'all're a Kinsta client you lot can likewise take advantage of our analytics tool to become a breakup of the full number of 500 errors and meet how frequently and when they are occurring. This can help you troubleshoot if this is an ongoing effect, or perhaps something that has resolved itself.

Response analysis 500 error breakdown
Response analysis 500 error breakdown

If the 500 error is displaying considering of a fatal PHP fault, you can also try enabling PHP error reporting. Simply add the following lawmaking to the file throwing the fault. Typically you tin narrow downward the file in the panel tab of Google Chrome DevTools.

          ini_set('display_errors', 1); ini_set('display_startup_errors', i); error_reporting(E_ALL);

And y'all might need to also modify your php.ini file with the following:

          display_errors = on

4. Error Establishing a Database Connection

500 internal server errors can besides occur from a database connectedness error. Depending upon your browser you might encounter unlike errors. But both will generate a 500 HTTP status code regardless in your server logs.

Beneath is an instance of what an "error establishing a database connection" message looks similar your browser. The entire page is blank because no data can be retrieved to render the page, as the connexion is non working properly. Not only does this suspension the front-end of your site, simply it volition as well forbid you from accessing your WordPress dashboard.

Example of error establishing a database connection
Example of error establishing a database connectedness

So why exactly does this happen? Well, hither are a few common reasons below.

  • The most common issue is that yourdatabase login credentials are incorrect. Your WordPress site uses split login information to connect to its MySQL database.
  • Your WordPress database is corrupted. With so many moving parts with themes, plugins, and users constantly deleting and installing them, sometimes databases go corrupted. This tin be due to a missing or individually corrupted table, or maybe some information was deleted by blow.
  • Yous may have corrupt files in your WordPress installation. This can even happen sometimes due to hackers.
  • Issues with your database server. A number of things could exist incorrect on the web hosts end, such as the database existence overloaded from a traffic spike or unresponsive from also many concurrent connections. This is actually quite mutual with shared hosts every bit they are utilizing the same resources for a lot of users on the same servers.

Check out our in-depth post on how to fix the error establishing a database connection in WordPress.

v. Bank check Your Plugins and Themes

Third-party plugins and themes can easily crusade 500 internal server errors. Nosotros've seen all types cause them here at Kinsta, from slider plugins to ad rotator plugins. A lot of times y'all should meet the fault immediately after installing something new or running an update. This is one reason why nosotros always recommend utilizing a staging environment for updates or at least running updates 1 by one. Otherwise, if you encounter a 500 internal server error yous're of a sudden scrambling to figure out which i caused it.

A few ways yous can troubleshoot this is by deactivating all your plugins. Call up, you won't lose any information if you just deactivate a plugin. If y'all tin can notwithstanding access your admin, a quick way to exercise this is to browse to "Plugins" and select "Conciliate" from the bulk deportment menu. This will disable all of your plugins.

Deactivate all plugins
Deactivate all plugins

If this fixes the effect yous'll need to find the culprit. Start activating them one by one, reloading the site after each activation. When you run across the 500 internal server error return, y'all've found the misbehaving plugin. You can so reach out to the plugin developer for help or mail a back up ticket in the WordPress repository.

If you lot can't login to WordPress admin you can FTP into your server and rename your plugins binder to something like plugins_old. Then check your site again. If it works, then you volition need to exam each plugin 1 by 1. Rename your plugin binder back to "plugins" and and then rename each plugin folder inside of if it, 1 by ane, until you notice it. You could also try to replicate this on a staging site commencement.

Rename plugin folder
Rename plugin folder

Always makes sure your plugins, themes, and WordPress core are upwardly to date. And check to ensure y'all are running a supported version of PHP. If it turns out to exist a disharmonize with bad code in a plugin, you might demand to bring in a WordPress programmer to fix the issue.

half dozen. Reinstall WordPress Cadre

Sometimes WordPress core files tin can get corrupted, particularly on older sites. It's actually quite easy to re-upload only the core of WordPress without impacting your plugins or themes. Nosotros have an in-depth guide with five different ways to reinstall WordPress. And of course, make certain to take a backup earlier proceeding. Skip to one of the sections below:

  • How to reinstall WordPress from the WordPress dashboard while preserving existing content
  • How to manually reinstall WordPress via FTP while preserving existing content
  • How to manually reinstall WordPress via WP-CLI while preserving existing content

vii. Permissions Error

A permissions fault with a file or folder on your server can also crusade a 500 internal server error to occur. Hither are some typical recommendations for permissions when it comes to file and folder permissions in WordPress:

  • All files should be 644 (-rw-r–r–) or 640.
  • All directories should exist 755 (drwxr-xr-x) or 750.
  • No directories should always be given 777, even upload directories.
  • Hardening: wp-config.php could also be set to 440 or 400 to prevent other users on the server from reading it.

Run into the WordPress Codex article on irresolute file permissions for a more in-depth explanation.

You tin hands run into your file permissions with an FTP client (equally seen below). You could besides reach out to your WordPress host support team and ask them to quickly GREP file permissions on your folders and files to ensure they're setup properly.

File permissions SFTP
File permissions SFTP

viii. PHP Memory Limit

A 500 internal server error could also exist caused by exhausting the PHP memory limit on your server. You could try increasing the limit. Follow the instructions beneath on how to change this limit in cPanel, Apache, your php.ini file, and wp-config.php file.

Increment PHP Retention Limit in cPanel

If you're running on a host that uses cPanel, you can easily change this from the UI. Nether Software click on "Select PHP Version."

Select PHP version
Select PHP version

Click on "Switch to PHP Options."

Switch to PHP options
Switch to PHP options

Y'all can then click on the memory_limit attribute and modify its value. So click on "Save."

Increase PHP memory limit in cPanel
Increase PHP memory limit in cPanel

Increase PHP Memory Limit in Apache

The .htaccess file is a special subconscious file that contains diverse settings you can apply to modify the server behavior, right down to a directory specific level. First login to your site via FTP or SSH, have a await at your root directory and run across if there is a .htaccess file in that location.

.htaccess file
.htaccess file

If there is yous can edit that file to add together the necessary lawmaking for increasing the PHP memory limit. Most likely it is set at 64M or below, you tin attempt increasing this value.

          php_value memory_limit 128M

Increase PHP Memory Limit in php.ini File

If the above doesn't piece of work for you might effort editing your php.ini file. Log in to your site via FTP or SSH, go to your site's root directory and open or create a php.ini file.

php.ini file
php.ini file

If the file was already there, search for the three settings and modify them if necessary. If y'all only created the file, or the settings are nowhere to be found you tin paste the code below. You can change of class the values to meet your needs.

          memory_limit = 128M

Some shared hosts might also require that you add the suPHP directive in your .htaccess file for the above php.ini file settings to piece of work. To do this, edit your .htaccess file, also located at the root of your site, and add the following code towards the summit of the file:

          <IfModule mod_suphp.c>  suPHP_ConfigPath /dwelling house/yourusername/public_html </IfModule>

If the above didn't work for you, it could be that your host has the global settings locked down and instead accept information technology configured to employ .user.ini files. To edit your .user.ini file, login to your site via FTP or SSH, go to your site's root directory and open or create a .user.ini file. You can then paste in the following code:

          memory_limit = 128M

Increment PHP Retentiveness Limit in wp-config.php

The terminal option is not one we are fans of, but if all else fails y'all tin give it a go. Outset, log in to your site via FTP or SSH, and locate your wp-config.php file, which is typically in the root of your site.

wp-config.php file
wp-config.php file

Add the post-obit code to the top of your wp-config.php file:

          define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '128M');

You lot can too inquire your host if you're running into memory limit problems. Nosotros utilize the Kinsta APM tool and other troubleshooting methods hither at Kinsta to assist clients narrow downwards what plugin, query, or script might be exhausting the limit. You tin also use your own custom New Relic key from your ain license.

Debugging with New Relic
Debugging with New Relic

ix. Problem With Your .htaccess File

Kinsta only uses Nginx, simply if you're using a WordPress host that is running Apache, it could very well be that your .htaccess file has a trouble or has get corrupted. Follow the steps below to recreate a new one from scratch.

Start, log in to your site via FTP or SSH, and rename your .htaccess file to .htaccess_old.

Rename .htaccess file
Rename .htaccess file

Normally to recreate this file yous tin simply re-salve your permalinks in WordPress. However, if you're in the eye of a 500 internal server error you most probable can't admission your WordPress admin, so this isn't an option. Therefore you can create a new .htaccess file and input the following contents. Then upload it to your server.

          # Brainstorm WordPress <IfModule mod_rewrite.c> RewriteEngine On RewriteBase / RewriteRule ^alphabetize\.php$ - [L] RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d RewriteRule . /index.php [50] </IfModule> # END WordPress

Come across the WordPress Codex for more examples, such every bit a default .htaccess file for multisite.

10. Coding or Syntax Errors in Your CGI/Perl Script

500 errors being caused by errors in CGI and Perl is a lot less common than it used to be. Although it'due south even so worth mentioning, peculiarly for those using cPanel where there are a lot of one-click CGI scripts still existence used. Every bit AEM on Stack Overflow says:

CGI has been replaced by a vast variety of web programming technologies, including PHP, various Apache extensions like mod_perl, Java of various flavors and frameworks including Java EE, Struts, Spring, etc, Python-based frameworks like Django, Ruby on Track and many other Ruby frameworks, and diverse Microsoft technologies.

Here are a few tips when working with CGI scripts:

  • When editing, always used a plain text editor, such as Atom, Sublime, or Notepad++. This ensures they remain in ASCII format.
  • Ensure correct permissions of chmod 755 are used on CGI scripts and directories.
  • Upload your CGI scripts in ASCII mode (which you lot tin select in your FTP editor) into the cgi-bin directory on your server.
  • Confirm that the Perl modules you crave for your script are installed and supported.

11. Server Issue (Check With Your Host)

Finally, considering 500 internal server errors can also occur from PHP timing out or fatal PHP errors with third-party plugins, you can ever check with your WordPress host. Sometimes these errors can be difficult to troubleshoot without an expert. Here are just a few common examples of some errors that trigger 500 HTTP condition codes on the server that might accept y'all scratching your head.

          PHP bulletin: PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Mistake: Call to undefined function mysql_error()...        
          PHP message: PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Cannot use object of blazon WP_Error as array in /world wide web/folder/web/shared/content/plugins/plugin/functions.php:525

Nosotros monitor all client's sites here at Kinsta and are automatically notified when these types of errors occur. This allows us to be pro-active and outset fixing the consequence right abroad. We also utilize LXD managed hosts and orchestrated LXC software containers for each site. This means that every WordPress site is housed in its own isolated container, which has all of the software resource required to run it (Linux, Nginx, PHP, MySQL). The resources are 100% individual and are not shared with anyone else or even your own sites.

PHP timeouts could as well occur from the lack of PHP workers, although typically these cause 504 errors, not 500 errors. These determine how many simultaneous requests your site can handle at a given fourth dimension. To put it just, each uncached request for your website is handled by a PHP Worker.

When PHP workers are already decorated on a site, they beginning to build up a queue. Once y'all've reached your limit of PHP workers, the queue starts to push out older requests which could issue in 500 errors or incomplete requests. Read our in-depth article about PHP workers.

Monitor Your Site

If y'all're worried virtually these types of errors happening on your site in the futurity, you tin also utilize a tool similar updown.io to monitor and notify you immediately if they occur. Information technology periodically sends an HTTP HEAD request to the URL of your choice. You lot can simply use your homepage. The tool allows you to set up bank check frequencies of:

  • 15 seconds
  • 30 seconds
  • 1 minute
  • 2 minutes
  • 5 minutes
  • x minutes

It will send you an email if and when your site goes down. Here is an instance beneath.

Email notification of 500 error
Email notification of 500 fault

This can be especially useful if yous're trying to debug a faulty plugin or are on a shared host, who tend to overcrowd their servers. This can give you proof of how oft your site might really exist doing down (even during the middle of the night). That's why we always recommend going with a managed WordPress host. Make sure to cheque out our mail that explores the top 9 reasons to cull managed WordPress hosting.

Summary

500 internal server errors are always frustrating, merely hopefully, now yous know a few additional ways to troubleshoot them to quickly get your site support and running. Remember, typically these types of errors are acquired past third-political party plugins, fatal PHP errors, database connection issues, problems with your .htaccess file or PHP memory limits, and sometimes PHP timeouts.

Was there anything we missed? Perhaps you have another tip on troubleshooting 500 internal server errors. If so, let us know beneath in the comments.

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