Fixing 403 Forbidden Error on Your Website

403 Forbidden Error – Happens due to incorrect file permissions, security plugin restrictions, or server-side rules.

If your website displays a ‘403 Forbidden’ error, follow these steps to resolve it.

Step 1: Clear Your Browser Cache and Try Another Browser

Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.

Open the website in incognito mode or try a different browser.

Step 2: Check File and Folder Permissions

Access your website via FTP or File Manager.

Navigate to your website’s root directory (public_html).

Ensure correct permissions:

Folders: 755

Files: 644

If needed, right-click the folder/file > Permissions > Update settings.

Step 3: Rename or Delete .htaccess File

Locate the .htaccess file in the root directory.

Rename it to .htaccess_backup and try reloading the site.

If the site works, regenerate .htaccess by going to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks and clicking Save Changes.

Step 4: Disable Security Plugins

Access wp-content/plugins/ via FTP.

Rename security-related plugins (e.g., Wordfence, Sucuri) to disable them.

Try accessing the site again.

Step 5: Check IP Blocking or Firewall Rules

If using Cloudflare or a security service, log in and check firewall settings.

Ensure your IP is not blocked.

Step 6: Disable Hotlink Protection

Some hosts block external sites from directly linking to your files.

In cPanel, go to Hotlink Protection and disable it.

Step 7: Contact Your Hosting Provider

If the error persists, your host may have security restrictions in place.
Ask them to check for server-level blocks or mod_security rules causing the issue.

Conclusion

Following these steps should help resolve 403 Forbidden errors. If the issue remains, check with your hosting provider for further assistance.

This step by step guide is very simple and meant to point you in the right direction to resolve the error you are experiencing.

Disclaimer: This step by step guide has been created by |AI and published with no claim to copyright.
The guide contents may also be wrong so please check the information given.

It is my intention to go test and check the guides I publish are correct, I thought it was important to get them out there to potentially help people understand the issues they experience and show what’s involved with maintaining your website.

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