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Fix WordPress 500 Errors When Saving in Elementor

Enstine Muki
Understanding the Elementor Shortcode Error

You’re building a gorgeous page with Elementor in WordPress, everything looks perfect… then BAM! You hit save and get the dreaded “500 Internal Server Error.” It’s frustrating, confusing, and honestly—enough to make anyone scream into their coffee. But fear not! We’re going to break it down step-by-step so you can fix it, stay sane, and keep designing like a pro.

TLDR:

The 500 error usually means something’s wrong on the server—often due to memory limits, plugin conflicts, or bad configurations. Start by increasing the memory limit, checking error logs, and deactivating conflicting plugins. Elementor and WordPress are sensitive to server setups, so your host plays a big role too. Follow the steps below and you’ll be back to saving without errors in no time.

💡 What is the 500 Internal Server Error?

This generic error message means the server can’t process the request. It doesn’t tell you the real problem, which is why it’s a bit like a doctor saying, “Something’s wrong, but I won’t tell you what.”

In the context of Elementor and WordPress, it often pops up when:

Let’s start fixing this step by step.

1. 🔍 Enable Debugging for Clues

First, let’s get some clues. You can enable WordPress debugging easily:

  1. Open your site’s wp-config.php file via FTP or your host’s file manager.
  2. Look for the line that says:
    define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );
  3. Change it to:
    define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
    define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
    define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );

This will log all errors to a file called debug.log located in wp-content.

Try to save something in Elementor again so the error is logged. Then check the debug.log file for hints.

2. 💾 Increase PHP Memory Limit

Saving in Elementor can be memory-hungry. If you’re working with beautiful, dynamic content, chances are your site needs more oomph to process it.

Here’s how to increase your memory:

  1. Edit your wp-config.php file.
  2. Add this line before the “That’s all, stop editing!” comment:
    define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );

This boosts the memory available to WordPress, helping Elementor complete its save operation successfully.

Understanding the Elementor Shortcode Error

3. 🔌 Deactivate Plugins One-by-One

Plugin conflicts are sneaky. Even plugins that seem unrelated to design can cause Elementor to trip. Here’s how to test:

  1. Go to the WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
  3. Deactivate all plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro.
  4. Try to save in Elementor again.

If it works, reactivate the other plugins one-by-one and test after each to find the culprit.

4. 📝 Rebuild the .htaccess File

If your .htaccess file is corrupted, it can prevent requests from going through. It’s like a badly written map — your server gets lost!

To fix it:

  1. Access your website files via FTP or file manager.
  2. Locate the .htaccess file in your root directory.
  3. Rename it to something like .htaccess-old to keep it as backup.
  4. Go to your WP Admin > Settings > Permalinks, then click Save Changes. This creates a fresh .htaccess file automatically.

Now try to save the page again with Elementor.

5. 📦 Check Server Configuration

Elementor needs a certain PHP setup to work smoothly. Make sure your host meets these requirements:

You can sometimes adjust these settings in your php.ini or .htaccess file, or from your hosting control panel.

If that’s too techy, ask your hosting provider to make these changes for you. Just send them the list—they’ll know what to do.

6. 🧪 Roll Back Elementor Version

Sometimes the latest version of Elementor isn’t playing nice—especially just after a big update. If the 500 error showed up after upgrading Elementor, try rolling back to a previous version.

  1. Go to Elementor > Tools > Version Control
  2. Choose a previous stable version (like the version you had before the error)
  3. Click Reinstall

This won’t affect your content. It just replaces the plugin files with the older ones.

7. 🌐 Talk to Your Hosting Provider

If all else fails, your host might be the problem. Shared hosting can limit resources and bug out under pressure (especially if you’re using Elementor + WooCommerce + other power-hungry plugins).

Let your host know about the 500 error when saving with Elementor. Ask if they can check their server logs. A good provider will help you diagnose and solve it fast.

8. ✨ Bonus Tips to Keep Elementor Happy

Once things are running smoothly again, keep them that way:

🎉 You Did It!

Fixing a 500 error in Elementor may seem scary at first, but it’s usually one of a few common issues. With a little detective work, some plugin magic, and a dash of patience, you can get back to creating stunning websites without interruption.

So go forth, fix that error, save your content—and build the dream site your visitors will love!

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