500 Internal Server Error

How to Fix “500 Internal Server Error”

HTTP Status Error 📄 All browsers
⚡ Quick answer

A 500 Internal Server Error means something went wrong on the web server itself — not on your end. The server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from completing your request.

First, check if your internet is working and what your current IP address is:

🔍 Check My IP Address →

What Causes the “500 Internal Server Error” Error?

HTTP 500 is a catch-all server-side error. Unlike 4xx errors which are the client's fault, 5xx errors indicate the server has a problem. For visitors, there is very little you can do — the fix must come from the website owner. Common server-side causes include: a bug in the website's code, a misconfigured .htaccess file, exhausted server memory limits, a corrupted database, a failed plugin or theme (in WordPress), server software crashes, or file permission issues on the server.

How to Fix It — 5 Methods

1 Reload the page and wait ▶
  1. Press F5 to reload
  2. Wait 1–2 minutes and try again — many 500 errors are temporary spikes in server load
  3. Try on mobile data to confirm it is not a network issue on your end
2 Clear your browser cache ▶
  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete
  2. Select "All time" → check cached images and cookies
  3. Click Clear and reload
3 Check Down Detector ▶
  1. Visit downdetector.com and search for the site
  2. If many people are reporting the same issue, it is a server outage — wait for the site owner to fix it
4 If you own the site — check error logs ▶
  1. Log in to cPanel or your hosting control panel
  2. Find "Error Logs" — look for the most recent PHP or server error
  3. For WordPress: deactivate all plugins via FTP (rename the plugins folder) to isolate a plugin conflict
  4. Check .htaccess — rename it to .htaccess_old and reload
  5. Increase PHP memory limit: add php_value memory_limit 256M to .htaccess
5 Contact the website or your hosting provider ▶

If you are a visitor: contact the website through their social media or alternative contact method and report the error.

If you are the site owner: contact your hosting provider's support. They can check server logs and identify whether the issue is at the hosting level.

🔒
Some errors are caused by ISP blocks or network restrictions
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✅ Fixed it? Visit tools.examineip.com to confirm your IP address and connection are working correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 500 error my fault?
No. A 500 error is always a server-side problem — something went wrong on the website's server. As a visitor there is nothing you can do except wait for it to be fixed or contact the site owner.
How long does a 500 error last?
It depends on the cause. A temporary spike in server load may resolve in seconds. A misconfigured plugin or corrupted .htaccess may last until the site owner fixes it. Most 500 errors are resolved within minutes to hours.
What is the difference between 500 and 503?
500 means an unexpected error occurred on the server. 503 means the server is temporarily unavailable — usually due to maintenance or being overloaded. 503 explicitly tells browsers to try again later.

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Last updated: March 30, 2026 • Report an error

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