Fix HTTP 500 Internal Server Error

Common causes

Corrupt .htaccess, exhausted PHP memory limit, faulty plugin or theme, or a syntax error in functions.php.

Fix steps

1. Rename .htaccess to .htaccess.bak via cPanel File Manager and reload.
2. If the site loads, go to WordPress → Settings → Permalinks → Save to regenerate .htaccess.
3. Edit wp-config.php and add: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
4. Rename /wp-content/plugins to plugins-off — if the site loads, a plugin is the cause.
5. Switch to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Four) to rule out theme conflicts.
6. Check cPanel → Errors for the last 300 server errors.