HTTP, short for Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a communications agreement between the internet and a web browser. An HTTP is what we use to get onto websites.
When we are on our phones or computers, we send through a request to the desired server of a website. Our request is for images and texts to load on a website.
The server will receive our request, and it will send a response back, which would be the webpage loading successfully, and us seeing all the information as it should be.
When you experience HTTP Error 500, it is the server telling you it does not know how to deal with the request we have put through, resulting in the webpage not being able to load.
We have become so reliant on the web, that when an error occurs, for example, ‘Error Code 224003‘ we’re not aware of what the reason could be.
When seeing ‘HTTP Error 500’ on your computer, we have created this easy guide for you to follow, to assist you in understanding this problem and providing a few troubleshooting tips for you to try.
What is 500 HTTP Error?
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
When surfing the internet and going onto different websites, your browser will connect to the specific server and send through an HTTP demand to be able to put you on the website.
HTTP Error 500 shows up when there has been a disruption trying to connect to the necessary server, resulting in the web page loading unsuccessfully.
This is an internal server error, meaning the problem lies on the website’s server that you are trying to connect to.
What are the variations of HTTP Error 500
HTTP Error 500 can come across your screen in a few different ways, all meaning the exact same thing.
This is just dependant on how your browser or server is configured;
- 500 Internal Server Error
- HTTP 500 – Internal Server Error
- Internal Server Error
- HTTP 500 Internal Error
- 500 Error
- HTTP Error 500
Why do I get Server Errors
Why do I get Server Errors
‘Why do I get server errors’ does not have an exact answer, as this could be anything that has gone wrong with a website’s server.
A few possible causes could be;
- There’s been a permissions error with the server
- The .htaccess file has been contaminated
- The third-party plugins or themes have been damaged
- The limit for the PHP memory has been met
As you can see, the HTTP Error 500 is quite technical. For a better understanding of what the causes mean, please use these links;
How Do I Fix HTTP 500 Error
Server Error 500
Remember, a HTTP 500 error is not caused by something that you have done, it is the problem with the server of the website you trying to visit so it has nothing to do with your computer or internet.
Because Server Error 500 does not arise from our device or internet, we can only perform a few troubleshooting steps which may help in fixing the HTTP error 500;
Fix 1. Reload the web page
This is the simplest of solutions, and can occasionally do the trick. A quick refresh of getting the website to load may fix this issue.
You can completely exit the website and access it again, or you can click the refresh button while staying on the website.
Fix 2. Clear Internet Cache
Internet cache is data that is stored on your computer or device when you load a website. This data gets saved to make the loading of the page quicker as it stores information like the website’s pictures and texts.
This data can sometimes become contaminated or blocked up, causing the web page to possibly experience the HTTP Error 500 code;
On Chrome
Step 1. Get onto your browsers home page
Step 2. Click on the three dots at the top right-hand corner
Step 3. Choose ‘Settings’ from the drop-down menu
Step 4. Select ‘Advanced’
Step 5. Click on ‘Clear Browsing Data’
Step 6. Make sure ‘Cached Images and Files’ has been selected
Step 7. Confirm by selecting ‘Clear Data’
On Chrome mobile
Step 1. Open up the home page of Chrome
Step 2. Select the three dots at the top of the screen for Android. iOs will have this button at the bottom of the page
Step 3. Select ‘Settings’
Step 4. Choose ‘Privacy’
Step 5. Click on ‘Clear Browsing Data’
Step 6. Ensure ‘Cached Images and Files’ has been selected
Step 7. Choose ‘Clear Data’ for Android or ‘Clear Browsing Data’ for IOS
Step 8. Choose ‘Clear Data’ for Android or ‘Clear Browsing Data’ for IOS
You have now successfully cleared your cache data.
Fix 3. Remove browser cookies
Removing your browser’s cookies is very similar to clearing the cache data. They are also very similar to each other, and usually, when you remove the one, you’ll remove the other with it.
Your browser cookies are little pieces of information for a specific web page, like your username and password.
On Chrome
Step 1. Go into your Chrome homepage
Step 2. Select the three dots at the top of the page on the right
Step 3. Choose ‘More Tools’
Step 4. Click on ‘Clear Browsing Data’
Step 5. Choose ‘Cookies and Other Site Data’
Step 6. Click on the ‘Time Range’ and select ‘All Time’
Step 7. Confirm by selecting ‘Clear Data’
On Chrome mobile
Step 1. Go onto Chrome’s homepage
Step 2. Click on the three dots at the top right of the page
Step 3. Select ‘Settings’
Step 4. Click on ‘Privacy’
Step 5. Choose ‘Clear Browsing Data’
Step 6. Select ‘Cookies’ and ‘Site Data’
Step 7. Confirm this
On Safari
If you are on a Mac;
Step 1. Get onto Safari’s homepage
Step 2. Select ‘Preferences’
Step 3. Choose ‘Privacy’
Step 4. Click on ‘Manage Website Data’
Step 5. You can now choose which cookies you want to remove or select ‘Remove All’
Step 6. Click on ‘Remove Now’
Step 7. Select ‘Done’
On Safari Mobile
Step 1. Go into ‘Settings’
Step 2. Find ‘Safari’ and click on this
Step 3. Choose ‘Clear History and Website Data’
You have now cleared your browser cookies.
Fix 4. Check your software
If you have recently updated your software or made any changes, there may have been a malfunction while the software was downloading.
Check to see if the download was successful and that there were no errors while the software was being updated.
Conclusion
As we have already confirmed, HTTP Error 500 is an error with the server you are trying to access, and not anything to do with you, so you may have to just wait it out, and try accessing the desired website at a later stage.
If it’s any consolation, this error is generally always temporary so you should be able to access the website in no time.
We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of what HTTP Error 500 is, and a few troubleshooting tips that you could try.
