A WordPress internal server error usually means the site cannot load because something has failed behind the scenes.
Common causes include a plugin, theme, .htaccess rule, PHP error or change to the wp-config.php file.
Before making changes, take a backup if possible.
Useful checks include:
- Rename the
.htaccessfile temporarily and reload the site. - Disable plugins if the error started after a plugin change.
- Switch to a default WordPress theme if the error may be theme-related.
- Check the site’s error log in cPanel.
- Enable WordPress debug logging if you are comfortable editing
wp-config.php.
If renaming .htaccess fixes the issue, log in to WordPress and go to Settings > Permalinks, then save the settings to recreate the file.
If disabling plugins fixes the issue, re-enable them one at a time until the error returns. This should help identify the plugin causing the problem.
If you are not sure what the error means, contact support before making further changes.