A 500 error means the server tried to run your site and something stopped it. It is deliberately vague in the browser, because the detail belongs in the log rather than on a public page.
Find the real error first
Do not guess. In cPanel open Errors, which shows the most recent entries from the error log, or look for an error_log file in the folder where the failing page lives. The actual cause is almost always named there.
The usual causes
- A mistake in .htaccess. One bad line breaks the whole site. If you have just edited it, rename it and see if the site returns.
- A PHP version change. Code that will not run on the version you switched to. Switch back and the site returns.
- A missing PHP extension after a version change – see Choosing a PHP version.
- Exceeding the memory limit, which stops the process mid-request.
- Wrong file permissions. Files should be 644 and folders 755. Anything set to 777 will be refused.
- A plugin, theme or extension that has just been installed or updated.
Getting back quickly
Undo the last thing you changed. Almost every 500 error follows a change made minutes earlier: an edit, an update, an installation, a version switch. If you cannot identify it, open a ticket and include the time it started and what you were doing.
