How to Fix WordPress 500 Internal Server Error (htaccess, PHP errors, plugin conflicts)

The 500 Internal Server Error always feels personal. One minute my site is fine, the next it’s a blank page or a cold “Internal Server Error” (HTTP error 500) message, like a locked door with no keyhole.

When it happens, I treat it like a quick detective job. My troubleshooting process is simple: I don’t guess, and I don’t “fix” five things at once. I gather clues, change one variable, test, and keep a site backup. That’s how you solve it without breaking something else.

Below is the exact path I follow when the 500 shows up, with the three usual suspects: .htaccess, PHP fatal errors, and plugin conflicts.

Secure the scene: confirm the WordPress 500 error and capture clues

Before I touch files, I make sure I’m not chasing a ghost.

First, I confirm it’s really an HTTP error 500 and not a browser cache or CDN glitch. I load the site in a private window, then try a different network (phone hotspot works). If I’m using a host-level cache, I purge it in the hosting panel. If I’m using a CDN, I purge that cache too.

Next, I protect myself:

• I take a quick site backup (or at least download .htaccess and wp-config.php before editing wp-config.php).
• If I have a staging environment, I work there first.
• I write down the exact time the error started and what I changed last (plugin update, theme edit, new snippet, PHP version switch).

Now I go hunting for evidence. In 2026, most hosting providers make logs easy to find inside common panels like cPanel, Plesk, Hostinger hPanel, or SiteGround Site Tools. I look for “Errors”, “Raw Access Logs”, “server logs”, or “PHP errors”. If I see a line that says “PHP Fatal error”, I stop and follow that lead.

If I can still access wp-admin, I also check Tools → Site Health. It won’t solve everything, but it often points at memory limits or REST/API issues. And if I’m not sure what PHP I’m running, I use this guide to check PHP version via the Site Health tool.

For a plain-English explanation of what a 500 Internal Server Error usually means, I like Pagely’s breakdown of how to troubleshoot WordPress 500 errors. It’s a good gut-check that I’m not missing the obvious.

Reset .htaccess file without breaking your site

When I see a WordPress 500 error on an Apache or LiteSpeed host, the .htaccess file is often my first suspect. A single bad rule or corrupted code that interferes with the server configuration can take the whole site down.

Here’s my safe reset process (it’s fast, and it’s reversible):

1. Connect to your site files using your host’s File Manager, SFTP, or an FTP client like FileZilla.
2. Open the site root (often public_html/) and find .htaccess file.
3. Rename it to something like .htaccess_old. Renaming is safer than deleting.
4. Try loading your site again.
5. If the site loads, generate a fresh .htaccess file:
   • Go to WordPress admin → Settings → Permalinks
   • Click Save Changes (no need to change anything)

If I can’t access wp-admin but renaming fixed the 500, I manually create a new .htaccess file with the default WordPress rules:

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

Two important cautions:

• If your host uses Nginx (no .htaccess support), this won’t apply. In that case, the “rewrite rules” live in the server config, and your host should help.
• If you use a security plugin or caching plugin that writes to .htaccess, it might re-add rules later. Keep that in mind if the 500 returns right after you “fixed” it.

If renaming .htaccess file changes nothing, I restore the filename and move on. One suspect cleared.

Resetting this file is a key part of the 500 Internal Server Error fix.

Trace PHP errors and plugin conflicts (then decide if it’s hosting)

If .htaccess isn’t guilty, I assume PHP died somewhere. A WordPress 500 error, often called the white screen of death or a general HTTP error 500, is usually just a fatal error with the details hidden.

Turn on safe debugging (without exposing errors to visitors)

I edit wp-config.php and add or update these lines to enable debug mode. I do this carefully, and I remove it after I’m done.

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);
@ini_set('display_errors', 0);

Then I reproduce the error and check wp-content/debug.log.

Security note: I don’t share full logs publicly. Logs can include file paths, usernames, and sometimes request details. If I need to send a log snippet to a contractor or host, I trim it to the few lines around the fatal error.

Rule out plugin conflicts the quick way

If I can’t even load wp-admin, I disable plugins at the folder level to check for a plugin conflict:

1. In the wp-content folder, rename plugins to plugins_off.
2. Reload the site.
3. If the site works, I rename it back to plugins.
4. Inside plugins/, I rename plugins one by one until the 500 returns.
5. The last plugin renamed is my prime suspect for the plugin conflict.

If wp-admin still works, I deactivate all plugins, then reactivate them one at a time.

For devs or anyone maintaining custom code, it also helps to check if a WordPress plugin is active with PHP so you can fail gracefully when a dependency isn’t available.

If the 500 only happens on certain actions

Some 500s only show up when saving permalinks, uploading images, or checking out. That’s when I look at host limits and permissions like the PHP memory limit. Here’s a quick cheat sheet I keep:

Where the 500 appears	What I suspect first
Everywhere (front end and admin)	Fatal PHP error, database connection error, broken .htaccess, downed service
Only wp-admin actions (save/update)	WAF rule, mod_security, PHP timeouts
Only one plugin page	Plugin conflict, missing PHP extension
After a PHP version change	Incompatible plugin/theme, old code
After large import/upload	PHP memory limit, execution time, file permissions

If I want a second opinion on common causes, WP Rocket’s guide on fixing the WordPress 500 Internal Server Error mirrors the same pattern: isolate, confirm with logs, then adjust. If the issues point to the PHP memory limit, try steps to increase memory limit in wp-config.php.

Troubleshooting checklist (the fast recap)

• Confirm it’s a real 500 (private window, cache purge)
• Back up, or test on staging
• Check server error logs in your host panel; use phpMyAdmin for database checks if your hosting provider allows it
• Rename .htaccess, then regenerate permalinks
• Check PHP memory limit and increase memory limit if low
• Enable WP_DEBUG_LOG (keep display off)
• Disable plugins by renaming wp-content/plugins
• Switch to a default WordPress theme if needed
• Re-upload WordPress core files to rule out corruption in WordPress core files
• Revert your last change (plugin update, snippet, PHP version); increase memory limit again if uploads fail

What to send your host (copy and fill in)

If I hit a wall, especially after verifying WordPress core files and trying to increase memory limit, I open a ticket and send this (it saves days of back-and-forth):

Subject: WordPress 500 error help (timestamps and logs included)
Site: yourdomain.com
When it started: YYYY-MM-DD, HH:MM (your time zone)
What changed right before: (plugin/theme update, code edit, PHP change)
Where it happens: (entire site, wp-admin only, specific URL)
Steps I tried: (renamed .htaccess, disabled plugins, enabled debug log, checked PHP memory limit)
Relevant log snippet: (10 to 30 lines around the fatal error)
Affected URLs: (2 to 5 example links)

If you’re stuck, drop that template into your host chat and attach the log lines. Support teams move faster when you hand them clean evidence. If switching to a default WordPress theme helps, it confirms a theme issue over hosting.

Conclusion

When a WordPress 500 error or 500 Internal Server Error hits, I don’t treat it like a mystery for later. Always have a site backup before starting the troubleshooting process. I grab logs, reset the .htaccess file, check for corrupted files in the WordPress core files, then isolate PHP and plugins until the culprit shows itself. The goal isn’t just to get the site back online, it’s to learn what failed so it doesn’t happen again. These steps will usually resolve the issue and allow access back into wp-admin. If you find the exact error line in your log, you’re already most of the way to the fix.