5 Ways to Fix 403 Forbidden Error (2020 Edition)

Einsstark
4 min readMay 24, 2020

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403 Forbidden Error — 5 Ways to Fix it —  https://www.einsstark.tech/ways-to-fix-it-403-forbidden-error/

By www.einsstark.tech / May 24, 2020

In this guide, we’re going to get over with 403 Forbidden Error.

So, what is a 403 Forbidden error, and how to fix it?

You must have seen this 403 number while browsing.

Actually, it’s a hypertext transfer protocol response a user receives that.

And you are seeing this message on the screen while surfing because you are not authorized to visit a particular URL or website.

If you are a WordPress user and you are getting issues related to 403 error, give a read to Hostinger’s article to solve 403 errors on WordPress based websites.

Let’s glimpse into the depth of this 403 error, like what mean by 403 Forbidden error? And how can you fix it?

But before heading to the solutions to fix this issue, I would like you to check out the bio of 403 Forbidden error. I meant definition.

What is 403 Forbidden Error?

“403 Forbidden error is a piece of HTTP code appearing on screen on web browsers when users are denied access to a website.”

Here are a couple of different messages appearing on the computer showing a 403 Forbidden error issue.

Access Denied You don't have permission to access

Forbidden: You don't have permission

403 error: Access Denied

403 forbidden request Forbidden

You don't have permission to access this page: 403 error

Reason Behind 403 Forbidden error

The most common reason behind the 403 error is the targeted website does not want you to access it. And that’s why they show these messages when you try to enter the URL.

Here are original reasons behind the 403 Forbidden error:-

Geographically Restricted Content

Some websites are not available at all places, meaning you could not access the content of the website that is geographically restricted to your location.

IP Address is Blocked

Another reason behind 403 Forbidden error is the IP address has been blocked and you can not have excess access to the website if you’re not using a proxy. Though using a proxy may or may not solve the issue.

Contents That are Not Legal

You must have seen many illegal movie sites showing 403 Forbidden error when users click to the URL on SERPs because officials have blocked those sites because of copyright infringement.

Content Only for Private Users

Many libraries and schools around the world are conducting online classes, and those classes are password protected.

If you are not an official student or member of that school or institute and trying to login again and again with false credentials, your browser might show 403 error messages.

How to Fix 403 Forbidden Error

When you are getting this error on web browsers, you could think of a practicable way to fix it, and still no one can’t be sure of it.

Here we have listed down a few of the different methods to solve 403 error issues.

Directly Contact the Company

If you’re facing the issue, you’re not alone. There are others too looking for the fixes.

One way is to contact the company whose website is showing 403 Forbidden error and tell them about the situation.

But,

How would you get the contact information of a website it does not allow you to access it?

Even though you don’t have access, you could use Hunter to find email addresses by the domain name.

Clear Browsing Data

Clearing browsing data might help you solve 403 Forbidden errors by clearing cache files and stored data.

Although chances are low that it will work.

Before clearing the browser’s data, make sure you don’t wipe out saved passwords.

Internet Service Provider will Help You

If you are getting the 403 on multiple websites, this is the actual issue and you have to solve this.

Now, call your Internet Service Provider for help, as there might be cases where your IP is blacklisted by those sites. That’s why you can’t access it.

Deactivate Browsers Plugins

You won’t believe this but the website may deny you access because of active browsers plugins, maybe you are using some kind of VPN or proxy extensions. Consider disabling it to see if it’s working.

Disable Firewall

You know this might be very odd to hear this, but your Firewall might be the culprit behind the problem you’re facing.

Disable Firewall if you’re sure enough about your PC’s protection and try reloading the targeted page again.

Conclusion

So we have discussed how to solve 403 Forbidden errors with five different methods.

Furthermore,

We have considered you a general user denied access to a website that is related to a 403 error.

If you are a website owner and looking for a solution for your WordPress website, read about 403 Forbidden errors on Hostinger’s website.

There they have perfectly explained the solutions, which are easy to understand.

And, as for Non-WordPress cases, we have done our part.

So, did it help you?

Originally published at https://www.einsstark.tech on May 24, 2020.

About Einsstark: Making life with technology better! We share useful how-to guides, products, and services to help you with software and web technologies.

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Einsstark

Making life with technology better! We share useful how-to guides, tech news, products, and services to help you with software and web technologies.