<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n
How to Fix 403 Forbidden Error on Your WordPress Website?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Fix](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fix-403-error.png\" "\\"\\"")
Fixes of 403 Forbidden Error in a WordPress Site<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nNo matter which platform your website is built on, most of the troubleshooting methods provided below can be easily applied to websites of all types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Check Missing Core Files and Theme Files<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check .htaccess file configuration<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Directory Browsing and 403 Error<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check file and folder permissions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check Plugins<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clear Browser Cache and Cookies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Deactivate Browser Extensions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check Firewall Settings<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Note<\/strong>: Before directly trying these troubleshooting methods, we highly recommend you back up your files and database.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor WordPress websites it can be easily done by accessing the WordPress Dashboard you can take the help of a backup plugin. We recommend using a backup plugin<\/a> that creates automatic backups at regular intervals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Check Missing Core Files and Theme Files<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
First, you should check all your WordPress Core Files and ensure they are in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also check if all these files are properly uploaded, especially for the index.php files at root, inside wp-admin, theme folder, and every plugin folder. (You can easily upload the core files manually using any File Transfer Tool)<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n![\"WPOven\"](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Managed-Hosting.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n2. Check .htaccess File Configuration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If your web server is Apache, you need to check if the .htaccess file causing the issue. This particular file is generally hidden in the public_html directory of your Apache-based web server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main purpose of the .htaccess file is to define the web responses to various queries, such as redirects, restrict access to various bots, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In some cases, there are differences in .htaccess<\/em> files for the root directory and subdirectories in WordPress like wp-admin and wp-includes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTo access this hidden file you can go to File Manager, and select the hidden checkbox in the options provided in the pop-up as shown in the image below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/error-403-6.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Check the .htaccess file configuration<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf a pop-up doesn\u2019t appear you can go to Settings under File Manager at Top Right as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/error-403-7.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Check the .htaccess file configuration<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce you have selected to show the hidden files you will be able to see the .htaccess file<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Check-.htaccess-file-configuration-Error-403.png\" "\\"\\"")
Check .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nYou can download it to your local machine or computer and edit using an editor i.e. Notepad, Dreamweaver, or any other similar editing tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also right-click on it and Edit it as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ht-access-edit.png\" "\\"\\"")
Check the .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThis will open up an editable file like this:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/error-403-10.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Check .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, if a .htaccess file is not available on your system, you can create a new one too. All you have to do is go into your public_html folder, or the website-specific default folder ( if you have hosted multiple websites on your cPanel) and click on Add New file:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Check](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/cpanel-add-file.png\" "\\"\\"")
Check .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\".htaccess](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/ht-access-create-new-file.png\" "\\"\\"")
.htaccess 403 forbidden<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf the .htaccess file is already available and you are facing a 403 forbidden error, delete it and try to access the website or the specific page with the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the website works fine, it means your .htaccess file was triggering the issue and it needs to be configured correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, if you do not wish to delete the .htaccess file, you can just remove all the content from it and save the empty file instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For WordPress users, you can even regenerate new .htaccess files directly from the WordPress Dashboard. Go to Settings > Permalinks > Click on the Save Changes button as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Permalinks](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Permalinks-under-Settings-Error-403.png\" "\\"\\"")
Permalinks under Settings Error 403<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nPlease note, that you don\u2019t have to change the settings here unless you want to change the permalink settings or URL structure.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n![\"WPOven](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/wpoven-dedicated-hosting-1024x137.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n3. Directory Browsing and 403 Error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Directory Browsing is something that you won’t find these days, it is generally used to display the directory content to the visitor in the absence of a default home page file (index.php or index.html)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The server will display all the files and subfolders of the main folder to the visitors which is certainly not a good idea for security reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is exactly how it appears:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Directory](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Directory-Browsing.png\" "\\"\\"")
Directory Browsing<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nFortunately, most of the servers by default disallow directory browsing to hide the folder contents. In such cases, if the default root file (index.html or index.php) is missing, the server will return a 403 Forbidden error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Disable Directory Browsing using the .htaccess file?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nOpen the editable .htaccess file, as described in the previous section. (Note:<\/strong> remember to back up the existing .htaccess file)<\/p>\n\n\n\nBy default, the WordPress .htaccess file looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase \/
RewriteRule ^index\\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} ! - f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} ! - d
RewriteRule . \/index.php [L]
#END WordPress <\/strong><\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\nJust add this line of the code after the last line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Options -Indexes<\/strong><\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\nUpdate or Upload the edited .htaccess file, and refresh the page to see if the problem is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Check File and Folder Permission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Whenever you install fresh WordPress or create a new file or folder in your cPanel, a default file permission setting is automatically applied to all the core files and folders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, you can still change the permission settings of each folder and a specific file as well if you like. Some hosting providers also provide tools to reset the permission settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also edit permission settings using any FTP tool (FileZilla for example). It will give you additional options as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Directory](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Directory-Browsing-and-403-Error-1.png\" "\\"\\"")
Directory Browsing and 403 Error<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n- Permission settings to be only applied to selected directories or files<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is to be applied in all subdirectories and files within the selected directory<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Also, it is to be applied only in all subdirectories within the selected directory<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Permissions settings are to be applied only in all files within the selected directory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Following are the default permission settings for WordPress Files:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- First of all change permission settings to 755 or 750 for all the directories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Change permissions settings to 644 or 640 for all the files (select the \u201cApply to files only\u201d option)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nNote<\/strong>: There is an exception to the above rule for the <\/em>wp-config.php file. The WP Config file is used to connect WP files to the Database. It includes the necessary database name, DB username, and password. The file permission for wp-config should either be 440 or 400.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nChanging the permission settings accordingly should resolve the 403 forbidden error issues.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nCaution<\/strong>: Only perform this step when you are sure about what you are doing. It is an expert job. Playing around with file permissions can compromise your website or server’s security. Incorrectly configured file permissions can leave a gate open for hackers or malware.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n5. Check Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If the error still doesn’t resolve, you need to check if there is a plugin that is causing the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To check if this is causing the issue, first deactivate and uninstall any of the recently installed plugins. If this helps, it means a faulty plugin was the main culprit and you must remove or replace it immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To figure out the faulty plugin, do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Activate the plugins one by one and check if the 403 error triggers again<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- When the error is visible after activating a particular plugin, congratulations, you have identified the plugin that is causing the problem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You may need to delete it entirely and replace it with another plugin with similar functionality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In case you are unable to access your WordPress dashboard, you can access your website files via the FTP client and deactivate all the plugins by simply changing the name of the plugins folder to something else. (However, we do not recommend you follow this method)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also change the name of individual plugin folders one by one If you follow this process of changing folder names, you will see several errors in your WordPress dashboard stating that \u201cPlugin file doesn\u2019t exist\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this moment, you should not panic, this error message will vanish once the folder name is changed back to what it was the original name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will have to activate them again from the WP Dashboard after changing them back to their original name.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nNote<\/strong>: Most of the time the issue is found with either one of the caching plugins<\/a> or the security plugins. So, keep an eye on these plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n“403 forbidden access to this resource on the server is denied!” Error in WordPress Multisite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have a WordPress Multisite<\/a> installation and getting a 403 error the chances are you have created a wildcard subdomain.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJust change it to remove the wildcard setting for a subdomain, and it should resolve the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You also need to check the subdomain redirects.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"subdomain](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/error-403-17.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>subdomain redirects<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n\nHow to Fix 403 Forbidden Error on Google Chrome?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nYour Chrome Brower can also sometimes respond weirdly and trigger a 403 Forbidden error. If this is the case, you need to follow the methods you need to follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Quick and easy Solutions you must try at first:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Refresh or Reload: <\/strong>Sometimes, the 403 forbidden error can trigger due to temporary glitches that can be easily fixed by simply refreshing or reloading the webpage. Just click on the refresh button on the Chrome browser and you are done. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Try accessing the page after some time: <\/strong>Sometimes due to network congestion, glitches, or temporary issues from the server side can take a longer time than usual to resolve. If accessing the website is not very critical, you can wait for a few hours or even a day and try accessing it again. However, if you can’t wait and accessing the website is the utmost priority you can try the below methods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Incorrect Typed URL:<\/strong> There is a popular saying that, “Hurry-hurry spoils the curry”. Generally, users in a hurry type incorrect or misspelled URLs in the browser address bar, and the outcome results in these types of errors. So, it is highly advised to review your typed URL before pressing the enter key and make sure the URL is 100% correct.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check on multiple devices or connections: <\/strong>You must also try to access the same website on multiple devices using the same network. If the error persists, move on to another internet connection and check if the error is due to the device or the internet connection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reset to default settings:<\/strong> If none of the above methods work, try to reset everything from the browser to your Wi-Fi router to their default settings. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
6. Clear Chrome Browser Cache and Cookies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can also try deleting the specific cookies of the Chrome browser. Follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Open Chrome > Click on More Settings > Advanced<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In this menu, find ‘Content settings’ Under “Privacy and Security” > Click on “Cookies”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under “All cookies and site data,” search for the website’s name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To the right of the site, click on the Remove button<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To clear all the cookies, you can just go to Google Chrome History, and delete the Cache completely. This similar process also works for other popular web browsers such as Mozilla, Edge, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go to History, and click on Clear Browsing Data as shown below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Clear](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Clear-Browsing-Data-chrome.png\" "\\"\\"")
Clear Browsing Data<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Error](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Clear-Browsing-Data-1024x633.png\" "\\"\\"")
Clear Browsing Data<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nYou can also select the time range to delete the browsing data for a specific period. Check “Cache images and files “followed by clicking on the “clear browsing data” button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Deactivate Chrome Browser Extensions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To increase the browser functionality, many browsers even support extensions that can be easily installed by the users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, sometimes these browser extensions can interfere with the network and trigger errors. That’s why it’s recommended to deactivate them during the troubleshooting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Check Firewall Settings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It is also possible that firewalls on your system are preventing the server from displaying the requested page. You can temporarily disable the firewall while troubleshooting the 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n![\"Eliminate](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Eliminate-Server-Error-Risks-Migrate-on-WPOven-Now..png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>WPOven<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nWhat does 403 Forbidden Error mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
403 forbidden error <\/strong>or 403 forbidden access to this resource on the server is denied!<\/strong> is an HTTP status code<\/a> meaning the server has received the request and understands it very well but could not provide any additional access. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThis means, that the webpage you are trying to visit or the resource to access the website is not allowed due to the lack of permissions or the absence of required authentication credentials from the server side.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"403](\"https:\/\/www.wpoven.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/403-forbidden-error-screenshot.png\" "\\"\\"")
403 Forbidden Error<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nLearn More About Similar Errors:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- 400 Bad Request<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 401 Unauthorized<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 404 Not Found<\/a>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 408 Request Timeout Error<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n
Different browsers show different messages for the 403 error :<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n- Forbidden: You don’t have permission to access \/ on this server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- HTTP Error 403: Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 forbidden requests forbidden by administrative rules<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Access Denied You don’t have permission to access<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 \u2013 Forbidden: Access is denied<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Error 403 \u2013 Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 forbidden nginx\u2013 You are not allowed to access this address 403 Forbidden \u2013 Nginx HTTP Error 403 \u2013 Forbidden \u2013 You do not have permission to access the document or program you requested<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden \u2013 Access to this resource on the server is denied<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403. That\u2019s an error. Your client does not have permission to get URL \/ from this server<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You are not authorized to view this page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
No matter which platform your website is built on, most of the troubleshooting methods provided below can be easily applied to websites of all types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Check Missing Core Files and Theme Files<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check .htaccess file configuration<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Directory Browsing and 403 Error<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check file and folder permissions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check Plugins<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clear Browser Cache and Cookies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Deactivate Browser Extensions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check Firewall Settings<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Note<\/strong>: Before directly trying these troubleshooting methods, we highly recommend you back up your files and database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For WordPress websites it can be easily done by accessing the WordPress Dashboard you can take the help of a backup plugin. We recommend using a backup plugin<\/a> that creates automatic backups at regular intervals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Check Missing Core Files and Theme Files<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
First, you should check all your WordPress Core Files and ensure they are in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also check if all these files are properly uploaded, especially for the index.php files at root, inside wp-admin, theme folder, and every plugin folder. (You can easily upload the core files manually using any File Transfer Tool)<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n2. Check .htaccess File Configuration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If your web server is Apache, you need to check if the .htaccess file causing the issue. This particular file is generally hidden in the public_html directory of your Apache-based web server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main purpose of the .htaccess file is to define the web responses to various queries, such as redirects, restrict access to various bots, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In some cases, there are differences in .htaccess<\/em> files for the root directory and subdirectories in WordPress like wp-admin and wp-includes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To access this hidden file you can go to File Manager, and select the hidden checkbox in the options provided in the pop-up as shown in the image below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/a>Check the .htaccess file configuration<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nIf a pop-up doesn\u2019t appear you can go to Settings under File Manager at Top Right as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/a>Check the .htaccess file configuration<\/em><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce you have selected to show the hidden files you will be able to see the .htaccess file<\/p>\n\n\n
\nCheck .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nYou can download it to your local machine or computer and edit using an editor i.e. Notepad, Dreamweaver, or any other similar editing tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also right-click on it and Edit it as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nCheck the .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nThis will open up an editable file like this:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/a>Check .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, if a .htaccess file is not available on your system, you can create a new one too. All you have to do is go into your public_html folder, or the website-specific default folder ( if you have hosted multiple websites on your cPanel) and click on Add New file:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nCheck .htaccess file configuration<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n.htaccess 403 forbidden<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nIf the .htaccess file is already available and you are facing a 403 forbidden error, delete it and try to access the website or the specific page with the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the website works fine, it means your .htaccess file was triggering the issue and it needs to be configured correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatively, if you do not wish to delete the .htaccess file, you can just remove all the content from it and save the empty file instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For WordPress users, you can even regenerate new .htaccess files directly from the WordPress Dashboard. Go to Settings > Permalinks > Click on the Save Changes button as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nPermalinks under Settings Error 403<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nPlease note, that you don\u2019t have to change the settings here unless you want to change the permalink settings or URL structure.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n3. Directory Browsing and 403 Error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Directory Browsing is something that you won’t find these days, it is generally used to display the directory content to the visitor in the absence of a default home page file (index.php or index.html)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The server will display all the files and subfolders of the main folder to the visitors which is certainly not a good idea for security reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is exactly how it appears:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nDirectory Browsing<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nFortunately, most of the servers by default disallow directory browsing to hide the folder contents. In such cases, if the default root file (index.html or index.php) is missing, the server will return a 403 Forbidden error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Disable Directory Browsing using the .htaccess file?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Open the editable .htaccess file, as described in the previous section. (Note:<\/strong> remember to back up the existing .htaccess file)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By default, the WordPress .htaccess file looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase \/
RewriteRule ^index\\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} ! - f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} ! - d
RewriteRule . \/index.php [L]
#END WordPress <\/strong><\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\nJust add this line of the code after the last line:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Options -Indexes<\/strong><\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\nUpdate or Upload the edited .htaccess file, and refresh the page to see if the problem is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Check File and Folder Permission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Whenever you install fresh WordPress or create a new file or folder in your cPanel, a default file permission setting is automatically applied to all the core files and folders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, you can still change the permission settings of each folder and a specific file as well if you like. Some hosting providers also provide tools to reset the permission settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also edit permission settings using any FTP tool (FileZilla for example). It will give you additional options as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n
\nDirectory Browsing and 403 Error<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Permission settings to be only applied to selected directories or files<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is to be applied in all subdirectories and files within the selected directory<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Also, it is to be applied only in all subdirectories within the selected directory<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Permissions settings are to be applied only in all files within the selected directory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Following are the default permission settings for WordPress Files:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- First of all change permission settings to 755 or 750 for all the directories<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Change permissions settings to 644 or 640 for all the files (select the \u201cApply to files only\u201d option)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nNote<\/strong>: There is an exception to the above rule for the <\/em>wp-config.php file. The WP Config file is used to connect WP files to the Database. It includes the necessary database name, DB username, and password. The file permission for wp-config should either be 440 or 400.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nChanging the permission settings accordingly should resolve the 403 forbidden error issues.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nCaution<\/strong>: Only perform this step when you are sure about what you are doing. It is an expert job. Playing around with file permissions can compromise your website or server’s security. Incorrectly configured file permissions can leave a gate open for hackers or malware.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n5. Check Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If the error still doesn’t resolve, you need to check if there is a plugin that is causing the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To check if this is causing the issue, first deactivate and uninstall any of the recently installed plugins. If this helps, it means a faulty plugin was the main culprit and you must remove or replace it immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To figure out the faulty plugin, do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Activate the plugins one by one and check if the 403 error triggers again<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- When the error is visible after activating a particular plugin, congratulations, you have identified the plugin that is causing the problem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You may need to delete it entirely and replace it with another plugin with similar functionality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In case you are unable to access your WordPress dashboard, you can access your website files via the FTP client and deactivate all the plugins by simply changing the name of the plugins folder to something else. (However, we do not recommend you follow this method)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also change the name of individual plugin folders one by one If you follow this process of changing folder names, you will see several errors in your WordPress dashboard stating that \u201cPlugin file doesn\u2019t exist\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this moment, you should not panic, this error message will vanish once the folder name is changed back to what it was the original name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will have to activate them again from the WP Dashboard after changing them back to their original name.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nNote<\/strong>: Most of the time the issue is found with either one of the caching plugins<\/a> or the security plugins. So, keep an eye on these plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n“403 forbidden access to this resource on the server is denied!” Error in WordPress Multisite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have a WordPress Multisite<\/a> installation and getting a 403 error the chances are you have created a wildcard subdomain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just change it to remove the wildcard setting for a subdomain, and it should resolve the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You also need to check the subdomain redirects.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/a>subdomain redirects<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n\nHow to Fix 403 Forbidden Error on Google Chrome?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nYour Chrome Brower can also sometimes respond weirdly and trigger a 403 Forbidden error. If this is the case, you need to follow the methods you need to follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Quick and easy Solutions you must try at first:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Refresh or Reload: <\/strong>Sometimes, the 403 forbidden error can trigger due to temporary glitches that can be easily fixed by simply refreshing or reloading the webpage. Just click on the refresh button on the Chrome browser and you are done. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Try accessing the page after some time: <\/strong>Sometimes due to network congestion, glitches, or temporary issues from the server side can take a longer time than usual to resolve. If accessing the website is not very critical, you can wait for a few hours or even a day and try accessing it again. However, if you can’t wait and accessing the website is the utmost priority you can try the below methods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Incorrect Typed URL:<\/strong> There is a popular saying that, “Hurry-hurry spoils the curry”. Generally, users in a hurry type incorrect or misspelled URLs in the browser address bar, and the outcome results in these types of errors. So, it is highly advised to review your typed URL before pressing the enter key and make sure the URL is 100% correct.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check on multiple devices or connections: <\/strong>You must also try to access the same website on multiple devices using the same network. If the error persists, move on to another internet connection and check if the error is due to the device or the internet connection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reset to default settings:<\/strong> If none of the above methods work, try to reset everything from the browser to your Wi-Fi router to their default settings. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
6. Clear Chrome Browser Cache and Cookies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can also try deleting the specific cookies of the Chrome browser. Follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Open Chrome > Click on More Settings > Advanced<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In this menu, find ‘Content settings’ Under “Privacy and Security” > Click on “Cookies”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under “All cookies and site data,” search for the website’s name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To the right of the site, click on the Remove button<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To clear all the cookies, you can just go to Google Chrome History, and delete the Cache completely. This similar process also works for other popular web browsers such as Mozilla, Edge, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go to History, and click on Clear Browsing Data as shown below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\nClear Browsing Data<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nClear Browsing Data<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nYou can also select the time range to delete the browsing data for a specific period. Check “Cache images and files “followed by clicking on the “clear browsing data” button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Deactivate Chrome Browser Extensions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To increase the browser functionality, many browsers even support extensions that can be easily installed by the users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, sometimes these browser extensions can interfere with the network and trigger errors. That’s why it’s recommended to deactivate them during the troubleshooting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Check Firewall Settings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It is also possible that firewalls on your system are preventing the server from displaying the requested page. You can temporarily disable the firewall while troubleshooting the 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\n<\/a>WPOven<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
<\/hr><\/div>\n\n\nWhat does 403 Forbidden Error mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
403 forbidden error <\/strong>or 403 forbidden access to this resource on the server is denied!<\/strong> is an HTTP status code<\/a> meaning the server has received the request and understands it very well but could not provide any additional access. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means, that the webpage you are trying to visit or the resource to access the website is not allowed due to the lack of permissions or the absence of required authentication credentials from the server side.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n403 Forbidden Error<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nLearn More About Similar Errors:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 400 Bad Request<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 401 Unauthorized<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 404 Not Found<\/a>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 408 Request Timeout Error<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\nDifferent browsers show different messages for the 403 error :<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Forbidden: You don’t have permission to access \/ on this server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- HTTP Error 403: Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 forbidden requests forbidden by administrative rules<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Access Denied You don’t have permission to access<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 \u2013 Forbidden: Access is denied<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Error 403 \u2013 Forbidden<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 forbidden nginx\u2013 You are not allowed to access this address 403 Forbidden \u2013 Nginx HTTP Error 403 \u2013 Forbidden \u2013 You do not have permission to access the document or program you requested<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403 Forbidden \u2013 Access to this resource on the server is denied<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 403. That\u2019s an error. Your client does not have permission to get URL \/ from this server<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You are not authorized to view this page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- 401 Unauthorized<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 400 Bad Request<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Try accessing the page after some time: <\/strong>Sometimes due to network congestion, glitches, or temporary issues from the server side can take a longer time than usual to resolve. If accessing the website is not very critical, you can wait for a few hours or even a day and try accessing it again. However, if you can’t wait and accessing the website is the utmost priority you can try the below methods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Refresh or Reload: <\/strong>Sometimes, the 403 forbidden error can trigger due to temporary glitches that can be easily fixed by simply refreshing or reloading the webpage. Just click on the refresh button on the Chrome browser and you are done. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check .htaccess file configuration<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n