Understand what error 403 is and discover how to solve it easily
Error 403 is a file or access permission failure, which occurs when the server does not recognize or deny entry to the site due to configuration problems in your WordPress.
Anyone with a WordPress site can occasionally encounter the 403 - forbidden error. The problem is not as serious as it seems: illustratively, it would be like having the correct key to open the door of the house and still not being able to enter .
Now, let's consider that you paid for the hosting service , you set up your CMS (Content Management System) on your own and the servers have not decided to take control of your website (an assumption more conducive to conspiracy theories).
To solve this problem, we carry out a tutorial so that they do not prevent you from accessing your own page and keep your Digital Marketing strategy firm . Check!
See the answers to your questions about the 403 error:
- What does the 403 error mean?
- What are the causes of error 403?
- How to solve error 403 in WordPress?
What does the 403 error mean?
The 403 error is related to the access settings of your WordPress page . There are some necessary permissions for the processes to develop correctly, but some minor failure may occur, mainly in the system installation.
The problem can still be identified as HTTP Error 403, HTTP Error 403, or just Forbidden. The messages vary by server:
- your client does not have permission to get URL / intl from the server;
- you are not authorized to view this page;
- no permission to access;
- you don't have permission to access on this server;
- request forbidden by administrative rules.
You will probably spend more time imagining what happened than correcting the error. Despite this, we will describe some of the possible causes of the 403 error below.
What are the causes of error 403?
Same as the HTTP code - HTTP status code - sent by the page is correct, the server can prohibit access to a URL because it considers that the information sent is not compatible for the maintenance of its communication flow.
This "communication failure" can be useful for diagnosing site configuration problems: in short, the server understands your demand, but it doesn't work because it doesn't have the proper permissions . This is the most common reason for the 403 error.
It is also possible that you have incorrectly configured the protection of the directory or the list of files contained in that folder, that some .htaccess file is corrupted or that some plugin on the site runs with an error.
How to solve error 403 in WordPress?
Before outlining some methods to fix the 403 error, make sure your backup is up to date.
If you haven't set up a backup solution for your WordPress site, please do so immediately; This can save you a lot of headaches, especially with website blocking errors .
Now, follow the steps below.
1. Check the permissions of your files
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the 403 error is a consequence of the server rejecting a request due to lack of proper permissions . To verify if the permissions are correct, you must use an FTP administrator, in the management panel of your host.
In the WordPress installation folder there is a directory called public_html. Double click:
In each file there will be a number, as shown in the figure:
That value indicates which interactions are enabled for which group of users. For example, all WordPress folders should have a default setting of 755 per standard.
If the column with this data does not appear:
- right-click on the column heading to activate it;
- right-click on each file or folder and choose the "File permissions" option.
This numeric value can be modified manually, which automatically updates the permission capacity:
The value 755 (or 744) applies to folders and allows all users to read and run the files contained in that location. In addition, it limits the owner's permission to make changes.
For any user to insert and edit the files, the code must be 777— not indicated for security reasons .
Individual files are classified with the code 644 (or 640), which has the same specification as 755.
All folders must contain the value 755. You can set that file permission by checking the "apply to directories only" box, applicable only to directories. When you click OK, the FTP administrator will reset the permissions for all subdirectories in that folder.
It is necessary to repeat the process for the files, in this case, the permission of the file will be 644 and the box "apply to directories only" must also be checked. If the error does not go away, continue to the next solution.
[rock_performance lang = »en»]2. Inspect your .htaccess file
The .htaccess file may also be corrupted and cause the 403 error message. The good news is that this solution is fast via FTP. In the main WordPress directory, the .htaccess file can be found easily: it is usually the first individual file in the folder.
Right click the mouse and choose the "download" option. Then it will be included in the folder defined in the local file directory:
After you have a securely stored backup, delete the .htaccess file and try to access the site again. If the problem is not resolved, resume the backup and continue with the next step.
3. Deactivate or reactivate your plugins
To find out if the 403 error is caused by a faulty plugin, simply disable all of them at the same time and test the website for operation. This saves you from having to disable each one individually.
If the error persists, you will also have to use FTP: change the name of your plugin folder to see if the 403 error has been corrected. If the answer is still negative, you will have to rename each folder until you find the culprit.
The 403 error is a major annoyance for users , but that doesn't make the problem a WordPress villain.
With our tips, you can quickly fix it and resume your access, just follow the sequence: check the permissions of your folder and file, inspect the .htaccess file for faults or deactivate and reactivate your plugins.
Now that you know how to fix error 403, check out our WordPress ebook for corporate blogs and answer any questions about this tool: its main features, plugins, widgets and tags.