A 500 Internal Server Error means your server hit a problem it couldn't finish, usually a plugin, theme or settings issue. Your content is almost always safe.
What it means
Unlike a 404 (page not found), a 500 means the page exists but PHP crashed while building it. WordPress can't even render its own error page, which is why you just see a generic server message.
Why it happens
The usual suspects are a plugin conflict, a theme incompatibility after a WordPress update, exhausted PHP memory, or a corrupted .htaccess/core file. It often appears right after an update.
What to do
- Rename the plugins folder via FTP/file manager to rule out a plugin - if the site loads, reactivate plugins one at a time.
- Switch to a default theme (rename your theme folder) to rule out the theme.
- Delete .htaccess and let WordPress regenerate it from Settings > Permalinks.
- Check PHP error logs in your hosting control panel for the exact line that failed.
Still stuck? A 500 can take the whole site down. If you're not comfortable in wp-config.php and file manager, this is exactly the kind of emergency fix we handle.
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