Error 500, also known as “500 Internal Server Error” or “HTTP Error 500,” is one of the most frustrating error messages you can encounter while browsing the Internet. Unlike other errors such as 404 (page not found) that clearly indicate what’s happening, error 500 is much more ambiguous and can be confusing for both users and web administrators.
In essence, when you see an HTTP 500 error on your screen, the server is communicating that something has gone wrong, but it cannot specify exactly what. It’s as if the server were telling you: “I have an internal problem and cannot process your request right now.” The concerning part is that this message provides very little information about the root cause of the problem.
Why is it so important to quickly fix a 500 error?
A 500 internal server error can have serious consequences for any website:- Loss of visitors: Users who encounter this error typically abandon the page immediately.
- Damage to reputation: It conveys an image of unprofessionalism and neglect.
- Impact on SEO: Google and other search engines penalize pages that display server errors repeatedly.
- Loss of conversions: If your website is an e-commerce or generates leads, every minute with a 500 error means direct economic losses.
Common Causes of 500 Internal Server Error
The HTTP 500 error can arise for multiple reasons, and identifying the specific cause is the first step to solving it. These are the most frequent:1. File Permission Problems
Web servers need specific permissions to access and execute certain files. If these permissions are incorrectly configured, the server won’t be able to process requests correctly, resulting in a 500 error. Critical files like.htaccess or directories containing CGI scripts are usually especially sensitive to permission problems.
2. Execution Time Exceeded
When a script takes too long to execute (exceeding the limit configured on the server), the process is forcibly stopped, causing a 500 error. This commonly occurs with poorly optimized PHP scripts or overly complex database queries.3. Errors in the .htaccess File
The.htaccess file controls many directory-level configurations on Apache servers. A simple misplaced comma or incorrect directive can trigger 500 errors across the entire website.
4. PHP Limits Exceeded
Servers have preset limits for memory usage, execution time, and file upload size. If your PHP code tries to exceed these limits, the server will respond with a 500 error.5. Incompatible Plugins or Themes (especially in WordPress)
The WordPress 500 error is particularly common when there are conflicts between plugins, outdated themes, or incompatibilities with new core updates.
How to Diagnose the Specific Cause of Error 500
Before attempting to fix the problem, you need to identify the exact cause. Here are the steps you should follow:
1. Check the Server Error Logs
Error logs are your best ally for diagnosing a 500 error. They record detailed information about exactly what failed. You can access them through:
- Your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
- Via FTP in the logs folder
- Through SSH if you have server access
Look for recent entries that coincide with when you experienced the error.
2. Enable Error Debugging
If you have access to the php.ini file or can create a .htaccess file, you can enable more detailed error messages with these directives:
# For php.ini
display_errors = On
error_reporting = E_ALL
For .htaccess
php_flag display_errors on
php_value error_reporting E_ALL
3. Use Diagnostic Tools
There are online tools that can help you diagnose errors on your website. Tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights can identify performance issues that are potentially causing 500 errors.
Practical Solutions for Error 500
Once the cause is identified, you can proceed with the appropriate solution. Here are the most effective solutions based on the cause of the problem:
1. Fix Incorrect File Permissions
The recommended standard permissions are:
- Files: 644 (read and write for the owner, read-only for everyone else)
- Directories: 755 (read, write, and execute for the owner, read and execute for everyone else)
- Executable scripts: 755
You can change permissions via FTP or using the chmod command if you have SSH access.
2. Increase PHP Limits
If the error is due to resource limitations, you can increase the limits by modifying your php.ini file or creating a .htaccess file with these directives:
php_value memory_limit 256M
php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_time 300
3. Fix WordPress 500 Error
The WordPress 500 error has some specific solutions:
- Deactivate all plugins: Access via FTP and rename the
/wp-content/plugins/folder to/wp-content/plugins-disabled/. If the error disappears, activate the plugins one by one to identify the problematic one. - Switch to a default theme: Rename your current theme folder in
/wp-content/themes/and WordPress will automatically activate a default theme. - Increase resources in wp-config.php:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
4. Restore or Fix the .htaccess File
If you suspect the .htaccess file is causing the problem:
- Access via FTP and rename the current
.htaccessfile to.htaccess.backup - Create a new
.htaccessfile with the basic configuration:
# 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
5. Contact Hosting Support
If you’ve tried all the above solutions and are still experiencing the 500 internal server error, it’s time to contact your hosting provider’s technical support. They have access to server logs and configurations that may contain crucial information to solve the problem.
Preventing Error 500: Best Practices
As always, prevention is better than cure. Implement these practices to minimize the likelihood of encountering a 500 error:
1. Perform Regular Backups
Having updated backups will allow you to quickly restore your site if a critical 500 error appears. Make sure to back up:
- All files on your website
- The complete database
- Before making significant changes
2. Implement a Testing Environment
Never make changes directly in production. Use a staging environment to test new plugins, themes, or updates before implementing them on your live site.
3. Keep Software Updated
Outdated versions of CMS, plugins, or themes are a common cause of incompatibilities that can trigger 500 errors. Keep everything updated, but always after testing in a staging environment.
4. Monitor Server Performance
Use monitoring tools to detect problems before they escalate to a 500 error. Services like New Relic, Pingdom, or UptimeRobot can alert you to performance or availability issues.
5. Implement Good Technical SEO
A comprehensive technical SEO approach will not only improve your ranking but also contribute to the stability of your website, preventing errors like 500.
How ClickCrows Can Help You Prevent and Fix 500 Errors
At ClickCrows, we understand the negative impact that server errors can have on your online business. Our team of technical SEO experts can help you:
- Audit your site to identify potential vulnerabilities that could cause 500 errors
- Optimize performance of the server to reduce the likelihood of timeout errors
- Set up monitoring systems that provide preventive alerts for potential problems
- Implement caching solutions to reduce server load and prevent errors
Our approach is not limited to solving existing problems, but to creating a robust web infrastructure that minimizes the possibility of facing errors such as the 500 internal server error in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions about Error 500
Yes, if Google repeatedly encounters 500 errors when crawling your site, it may reduce the indexing frequency and even temporarily penalize your ranking. It’s crucial to fix these errors as soon as possible to minimize the SEO impact.
While it’s impossible to guarantee 100% prevention, by following the best practices mentioned above and having good technical maintenance, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of experiencing them.
It depends on the cause. Some 500 errors can be fixed in minutes (like deactivating a problematic plugin), while others may require deeper investigation and corrections that could take hours or days.
In the vast majority of cases, yes. Unlike errors such as 404 that can be due to user actions (trying to access a non-existent URL), the 500 error almost always indicates a server-side problem.
Visitors have limited options, such as clearing their browser cache or trying to access later. However, the real solution must be implemented by the website administrator.
