Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:
1/ Check the Joomla error logs: Joomla logs errors and warnings to a file called error.php, which is located in the /logs directory of your Joomla installation. You can access this file via FTP or your web host's file manager. Look for any error messages that correspond to the time and date when you encountered the 500 error. The error message may provide clues as to what is causing the issue.
2/ Disable Joomla plugins: Sometimes a plugin can cause a 500 error, especially if it has conflicts with other plugins or the Joomla core. Try disabling all plugins, then enabling them one by one to see which one is causing the issue.
3/ Check file permissions: Ensure that the files and directories in your Joomla installation have the correct permissions. Joomla requires certain directories to be writable in order to function properly. The directories that need to be writable are:
/administrator/cache
/cache
/logs
/tmp
4/ Check for .htaccess issues: Joomla uses a .htaccess file to control various server settings. If there is an issue with your .htaccess file, it can cause a 500 error. Try temporarily renaming the .htaccess file to something like .htaccess_backup and see if the error goes away.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may need to contact your web host for further assistance, as the issue may be related to server configuration or settings.
