A 500 Internal Server Error means the server encountered an unexpected condition and could not complete your request. This is one of the most common WordPress errors, and there are several well-known causes you can check before raising a support ticket.
What causes a 500 error
The most frequent causes on a WordPress site are:
- A corrupted or misconfigured
.htaccessfile - PHP memory limit exhausted by a plugin or theme
- A PHP error in a plugin or theme file
- A failed WordPress core, plugin, or theme update
The error message itself does not tell you which one it is, so you need to work through them one at a time.
Step 1: Enable debug mode
Open your site in the Web60 portal and go to Advanced. Turn on Debug Mode. This tells WordPress to log PHP errors to a file instead of failing silently. Once enabled, reload the page that is showing the error.
Step 2: Check the debug log
Using File Manager, navigate to wp-content/debug.log. This file will contain the PHP error messages that are causing the 500 response. Look for the most recent entries at the bottom of the file. The log will usually name the plugin or theme file responsible.
Step 3: Test your .htaccess file
In File Manager, find the .htaccess file in your site root. Rename it to .htaccess.bak. Now try loading your site. If it loads normally, the .htaccess file was the problem. To regenerate a clean one, go to your WordPress Dashboard, then Settings, then Permalinks, and click Save Changes. WordPress will write a fresh .htaccess file automatically.
Step 4: Deactivate all plugins
If the debug log points to a plugin, or if you are not sure, deactivate all plugins at once using WP-CLI through the Web60 portal. If your site loads after deactivating everything, reactivate plugins one at a time until the error returns. The last plugin you activated is the one causing the problem.
Step 5: Increase PHP memory
Open the Web60 portal and go to Advanced, then PHP Settings. Increase the PHP memory limit. If your site was running out of memory during page loads, this may resolve the error immediately. A setting of 256M is a reasonable starting point for most sites.
If nothing works
If you have tried all five steps and the error persists, raise a support ticket from the Web60 portal. Include your site domain and any error messages from the debug log. The support team can investigate server-side logs that are not visible from the portal.
FAQ
Q: Will I lose any data when deactivating plugins?
A: No. Deactivating a plugin does not delete its data or settings. Once you identify and fix the problem, you can reactivate your plugins one by one and everything will be as it was before.
Q: What does increasing the PHP memory limit do?
A: PHP memory limit controls how much server memory a single page load can use. Some plugins or themes need more memory than the default allows. Raising the limit gives WordPress more room to work, which can resolve errors caused by memory exhaustion.
Q: Can a theme cause a 500 error?
A: Yes. A broken or incompatible theme can trigger a 500 error just like a plugin can. If deactivating all plugins does not fix the issue, try switching to a default WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-Four to rule out a theme problem.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose any data when deactivating plugins?
No. Deactivating a plugin does not delete its data or settings. Once you identify and fix the problem, you can reactivate your plugins one by one and everything will be as it was before.
What does increasing the PHP memory limit do?
PHP memory limit controls how much server memory a single page load can use. Some plugins or themes need more memory than the default allows. Raising the limit gives WordPress more room to work, which can resolve errors caused by memory exhaustion.
Can a theme cause a 500 error?
Yes. A broken or incompatible theme can trigger a 500 error just like a plugin can. If deactivating all plugins does not fix the issue, try switching to a default WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-Four to rule out a theme problem.
Last updated: 4 April 2026