Fixing a 500 internal server error

A 500 means PHP stopped part-way through building the page. Your files and your database are fine — something in the code failed.

Three causes account for nearly all of them: a plugin, the theme, or not enough PHP memory.

1. Read the error log — it usually names the file

1. Open your Pressy and go to PHP in the sidebar.
2. Open the Error log tab and press Load error log.

The newest entry is the one that matters. A line mentioning wp-content/plugins/some-plugin/ tells you exactly which plugin to deactivate. A line saying "Allowed memory size exhausted" means it is the memory limit, so skip to step 4.

2. Restart the container

1. On your Pressy's overview, press Restart.

Takes seconds, and clears a stuck PHP process. Do this before anything more drastic — it costs nothing and fixes a real proportion of 500s.

3. Turn off the plugin that is causing it

If you can still reach wp-admin, deactivate it from WordPress → Plugins in your dashboard.

If the 500 has locked you out of wp-admin too, rename its folder instead:

1. Open the Files screen in your dashboard, or connect over FTP.
2. Go to public_html/wp-content/plugins/.
3. Rename the offending folder — add -off to the end.
4. Reload your site. WordPress deactivates a plugin whose files it cannot find, and you are back in.

Not sure which one? Rename the whole plugins folder to plugins-off. That deactivates everything at once. If the site comes back, rename it back and turn plugins on one at a time until it breaks again.

4. Raise the PHP memory limit

If the log said memory:

1. Go to PHP → Version and limits.
2. Under Quick limits, set memory_limit to 256M.
3. Reload your site.

Full steps: raising PHP limits.

If 256M does not do it, the plugin is leaking rather than needing headroom — find it with step 3 rather than climbing higher.

5. Rule out the theme

Switch temporarily to a default WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-Four. If the 500 stops, the theme is the cause.

When to write to us

Send us a note if:

• The error log is empty but the site still 500s.
• You have deactivated every plugin and switched theme and it persists.
• The 500 appeared without anything being changed, updated or installed.

Include your Pressy's address and the newest line from the error log. That is usually all we need.