{"id":31217,"date":"2023-10-12T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=31217"},"modified":"2025-05-21T21:51:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T04:51:56","slug":"how-to-fix-403-forbidden-error-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-403-forbidden-error-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"403 Forbidden Error: What It Means &#038; 11 Ways To Fix It Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Trespassing is illegal. But, if you\u2019re encountering the 403 Forbidden error, you\u2019re probably not trying to break into some sort of a top-secret black site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 403 Forbidden error typically occurs when you\u2019re trying to log in to WordPress or visit a specific page, but can\u2019t. This can be incredibly frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, there are a few simple fixes for this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">common WordPress error<\/a>. Depending on your hosting plan, you may even be able to resolve the issue with help from your web host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we\u2019ll take a closer look at the 403 Forbidden error and its main causes. We\u2019ll then show you 11 ways to fix it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<h2>Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/h2><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"definition\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is The 403 Forbidden Error?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 403 Forbidden error means that your server thinks you do not have the required permission to access that particular page. This is usually caused by an issue with file permissions, but could be caused by another problem related to hosting or authentication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 403 Forbidden error typically appears when you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-keeps-logging-out-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trying to log in to your WordPress admin area<\/a> or when visiting a specific page on your site. You may also encounter it while installing WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s one of several <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.mozilla.org\/en-US\/docs\/Web\/HTTP\/Status\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HTTP status codes<\/a> used by servers to communicate with your browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The error is usually accompanied by one of the following messages (or similar variations):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cHTTP 403 Forbidden \u2013 Access to this resource on the server is denied.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHTTP Error 403 \u2013 Forbidden.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cForbidden \u2013 You don\u2019t have permission to access [directory name] on this server.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cYou are not authorized to view this page.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cIt appears you don\u2019t have permission to access this page.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c403. That\u2019s an error. Your client does not have permission to get URL [address] from this server.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of the \u201c403 Forbidden\u201d status, you might come across a simple notification that says \u201cAccess Denied.\u201d It is also possible that you will get the following message: \u201cAccess to [domain name] was denied. You don\u2019t have authorization to view this page.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"cause\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Causes The 403 Forbidden Error?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several possible causes of the 403 Forbidden error code but the most likely one is an incorrect file permission on your server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"glossary-term__above-title\"\n\t\thref=\"\"\n\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n\t>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n    <h3>File Permissions<\/h3>\n    <p>File permissions are rules that govern which user roles can carry out which interactions with specific files and directories within a filing system, network, or device.<\/p>\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/file-permissions\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Read More                    <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that one or more files the browser is trying to access are not accessible because of their permissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Permissions directives determine who can view and modify the files on your website and your web server. They protect your files from outside tampering. But, in some cases, if misconfigured, they can prevent your site from working correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, this error can also be triggered by a faulty plugin or a corrupt .htaccess file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"glossary-term__above-title\"\n\t\thref=\"\"\n\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n\t>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n    <h3>.htaccess<\/h3>\n    <p>\u2019.htaccess\u2019 is a configuration file used by the Apache web server software. The .htaccess file contains directives (instructions) that tell Apache how to behave for a particular website or directory.<\/p>\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/htaccess\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Read More                    <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, you should be able to resolve the issue on your own. However, you might also need to get in touch with your hosting provider to access or change some settings on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"fix\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">11 Ways To Fix The 403 Forbidden Error In WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let\u2019s go through a few ways you can fix the 403 Forbidden error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, we recommend that you make <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a backup of your site<\/a> just in case something goes wrong and you need to restore it to an earlier version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll explore some common causes and how to fix the problem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check the URL<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perform a Hard) Refresh<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clear Browser Cache<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disconnect from VPN<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check Index Page<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Change Your File Permissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deactivate Your Plugins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delete and Restore the .htaccess File<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deactivate Your CDN<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check Hotlink Protection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contact Your Web Host<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Check The URL And (Hard) Refresh<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we delve deeper, let&#8217;s make an assumption &#8211; you&#8217;re operating on a private Wi-Fi network. It&#8217;s important to note that public networks often have different firewall rules that may prevent you from accessing your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With our Wi-Fi network disclaimers out of the way, let\u2019s really begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, double-check the URL that you\u2019re typing into your web browser and make sure that it\u2019s pointing to the correct website and web page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, a small mistype in the web address can trigger an error, or a broken link on your website could have sent you to a page that doesn\u2019t exist, triggering the 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the URL looks correct and there are no problems with its structure, format, or spelling, then we\u2019ll move onto refreshing the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Perform A (Hard) Refresh<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, try refreshing the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most browsers like Google Chrome, you can do this by simply clicking on the address bar to highlight the address. Then press \u201cEnter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If refreshing doesn\u2019t help, then let\u2019s try a \u201cHard\u201d refresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a simple trick that clears your browser\u2019s cache for the specific page you\u2019re trying to access. This forces the browser to download the latest version of the page and might fix the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"glossary-term__above-title\"\n\t\thref=\"\"\n\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n\t>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n    <h3>Cache<\/h3>\n    <p>A cache is a temporary data storage layer that is designed to improve data access speeds by reducing the time needed to read and write data from a permanent data storage location.<\/p>\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/cache\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Read More                    <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>To perform a hard refresh in Google Chrome: Open the page and press <b>Cmd<\/b> + <b>Shift<\/b> + <b>R<\/b>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The page should refresh and you can see if this solved the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If not, then let\u2019s take it to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Clear Browser Cache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Website errors are either caused by server-side problems (issues with the website, server, or configuration) or client-side problems (issues with the browser or user\u2019s device, settings, etc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your browser cache is one client-side problem that can cause many unexpected issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily it\u2019s easy to fix. You just clear the cache to force your browser to fully fetch content from the pages you\u2019re trying to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/216456827-How-to-clear-your-browser-s-cache\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Follow these instructions to clear your browser\u2019s cache<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Nerd note<\/b>: If this doesn\u2019t work and you <i>really <\/i>want to be sure it\u2019s not a caching issue, you can try <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215680477-Flush-DNS-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flushing your DNS cache<\/a>, too. Just to be safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Disconnect From VPN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are great for masking your location and protecting your privacy online. Because they route your internet activity through somewhere other than your actual location, they also change your IP address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is good for privacy, but it can create access and permissions issues on certain websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using a VPN, try disabling it and then repeating the above steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Check Index Page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019re going to dig in a bit further and start diagnosing potential problems with your website files, permissions settings, and other problems that may give rise to the 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most websites, including WordPress sites, expect your homepage to have a specific file name by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless otherwise specified, the site will look for a file named something like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Index.php<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Index.html<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If the page is missing, you\u2019ll likely have issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we start adjusting file permissions, let\u2019s just make sure that your homepage file is intact and correctly named.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, you\u2019ll need to take one to two steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Connect to your site with a <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/115000675027-FTP-overview-and-credentials\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secure File Transfer Protocol (S\/FTP) client<\/a>, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FileZilla<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Access your site through the file manager in your hosting account<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a DreamHost account, <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360003490852\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this guide from our knowledge base<\/a> will walk you through accessing and utilizing the built-in file manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you access your files through S\/FTP or a file manager, you need to look for your \u201cindex\u201d file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside your root directory, you\u2019ll likely find a folder called something like \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/myexamplesite.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">myexamplesite.com<\/a>\u201d (If you\u2019re a DreamPress user, the folder will be called \u201c<b>{YOURSITE}.dream.press<\/b>\u201d.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the main folder that contains all of your website\u2019s files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Open it and look for a file called either \u201cindex.html\u201d or \u201cindex.php\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using WordPress, then you may need to take a few extra steps. Navigate to <b>wp-content<\/b> &gt; <b>themes<\/b> &gt; <b>{YOUR THEME}<\/b>. The index file for your specific site theme should live in this folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find an index.php or index.html file, then this is unlikely to be causing your 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can\u2019t find an index file, then this could be the issue that\u2019s generating the 403 error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by creating and uploading a blank \u201cindex.html\u201d or \u201cindex.php\u201d file into the relevant folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then go try your website again, performing a hard refresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You probably won\u2019t see your website, but if you see a blank screen rather than the 403 error, then it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ve found the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you\u2019ll probably want to try contacting your web host for help. Alternatively, roll back your website to a previous backup version before the problem occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using WordPress, you could consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/setup-and-install-wp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">installing WordPress<\/a> again. (This will wipe out your settings, themes, and plugins, but it shouldn\u2019t impact the content and files you\u2019ve added to your database.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Change Your File Permissions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every WordPress file on your site\u2019s server has its own access permissions. These settings control who can access and modify its contents. If these files have incorrect permissions, your server will stop you from accessing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we covered in the last section, you can access your website either through S\/FTP client or a file manager app. Once you do so, you\u2019ll need to find your \u201cpublic_html\u201d folder or whichever folder contains all of your website files in the directory browsing window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, right-click on it and choose File Attributes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"849\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes.jpg\" alt=\"Public File, File Attributes\" class=\"wp-image-42073 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-1024x543.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-768x408.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-1536x815.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-600x318.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-1200x637.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-730x387.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-1460x775.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-784x416.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-1568x832.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/public-file-attributes-877x465.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/849;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the popup window, locate the Numeric field and enter \u201c755\u201d or \u201c750\u201d in the value box. Then select the \u201cRecurse into subdirectories\u201d and \u201cApply to directories only\u201d options, and click on \u201cOK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1240\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only.jpg\" alt=\"File Attributes, Apply to directories only\" class=\"wp-image-42074 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-300x233.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-1024x794.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-768x595.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-1536x1190.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-600x465.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-1200x930.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-730x566.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-1460x1132.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-784x608.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-1568x1215.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-directories-only-877x680.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1240;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So far, you\u2019ve applied the correct folder permissions just for your directories. You\u2019ll now do the same thing for your files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To start, right-click on your public_html folder and select File Attributes. This time, you\u2019ll need to type \u201c644\u201d in the Numeric value field. Then choose Recurse into subdirectories, select Apply to files only, and click on OK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1287\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only.jpg\" alt=\"File Attributes, Apply to files only\" class=\"wp-image-42075 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-300x241.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-1024x824.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-768x618.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-1536x1236.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-600x483.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-1200x965.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-730x587.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-1460x1174.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-784x631.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-1568x1261.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/file-attributes-apply-to-files-only-877x705.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1287;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Nerd note:<\/b> Your wp-config.php file requires a different numeric value than the ones stated here. This unique value prevents other users on your servers from accessing the file. Therefore, you\u2019ll need to change its file permission manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In your root directory, find the wp-config.php file, right-click, and select File permissions. Next, set the numeric value to \u201c440\u201d, and click OK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"881\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440.jpg\" alt=\"File permissions, Numeric value\" class=\"wp-image-42076 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-768x423.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-1536x846.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-600x330.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-1200x661.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-730x402.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-1460x804.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-784x432.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-1568x863.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/change-file-attributes-440-877x483.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/881;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, every one of your WordPress files and folders should have the correct permissions. Once you\u2019ve completed the above steps, go back to your site and try to reproduce the 403 Forbidden error. If your site works fine, you don\u2019t need to do anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re still facing the same problem. There are still a few more fixes to try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Deactivate Your WordPress Plugins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As we mentioned earlier, the 403 Forbidden error can also be caused by a faulty plugin. To determine if this is the case, you\u2019ll need to deactivate your plugins and then reactivate them individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To start, connect to your site via FileZilla or the file manager in your hosting account. Then, open the wp-content folder in your site\u2019s root directory and locate the plugins folder. Right-click on the plugins folder and select Rename.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"920\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins.jpg\" alt=\"Rename plugins\" class=\"wp-image-42077 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-1024x589.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-768x442.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-1536x883.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-600x345.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-1200x690.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-730x420.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-1460x840.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-784x451.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-1568x902.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/rename-plugins-877x504.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/920;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, give the folder a new name, for example, \u201cplugins_test\u201d. This will automatically deactivate all of your plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can access your site after renaming the folder, then the 403 Forbidden error was caused by a glitchy plugin. Your next step is to find out which one it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, return to your site\u2019s root directory and rename the plugins folder back to \u201cplugins\u201d. Then, navigate to the Plugins page in your WordPress dashboard and activate the plugins one at a time. Keep doing this until you are able to reproduce the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve identified the faulty plugin, you can either remove it or contact its developer for support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Delete And Restore The .htaccess File<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A corrupt or misconfigured <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/216456227--htaccess-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">.htaccess file<\/a> can also trigger the 403 Forbidden error. This file is located in your site\u2019s root directory and enables WordPress to interact with your server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>.htaccess is a file used on Apache web servers. It contains rules and directives about your website. If it becomes corrupted or misconfigured, it can create problems like the 403 error (among other things).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you fix it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside your site\u2019s root directory, locate the .htaccess file, right-click on it, and choose Delete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1071\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess.jpg\" alt=\"Delete .htaccess\" class=\"wp-image-42078 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-1536x1028.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-600x402.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-1200x803.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-730x489.jpg.webp 730w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-1460x977.jpg.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-784x525.jpg.webp 784w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-1568x1050.jpg.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/2021\/07\/delete-htaccess-877x587.jpg.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1071;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, try accessing your site again. If the 403 Forbidden error has disappeared, then your .htaccess file may have been corrupted. This means you\u2019ll need to create a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, navigate to Settings in your WordPress dashboard and select Permalinks. Then click on the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page, and a new .htaccess file will be generated. You can look for the file in your site\u2019s directory to ensure that it has been restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Deactivate Your CDN<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still getting the 403 Forbidden error after completing the above steps, you may have a problem with your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/cdn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Content Delivery Network (CDN)<\/a>. This is a network of servers located in different parts of the world, with each server hosting a copy of your website. Many hosting plans come with a CDN to help boost your site\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"glossary-term\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"glossary-term__above-title\"\n\t\thref=\"\"\n\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n\t>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 640 512\"><path d=\"M320 32c-8.1 0-16.1 1.4-23.7 4.1L15.8 137.4C6.3 140.9 0 149.9 0 160s6.3 19.1 15.8 22.6l57.9 20.9C57.3 229.3 48 259.8 48 291.9v28.1c0 28.4-10.8 57.7-22.3 80.8c-6.5 13-13.9 25.8-22.5 37.6C0 442.7-.9 448.3 .9 453.4s6 8.9 11.2 10.2l64 16c4.2 1.1 8.7 .3 12.4-2s6.3-6.1 7.1-10.4c8.6-42.8 4.3-81.2-2.1-108.7C90.3 344.3 86 329.8 80 316.5V291.9c0-30.2 10.2-58.7 27.9-81.5c12.9-15.5 29.6-28 49.2-35.7l157-61.7c8.2-3.2 17.5 .8 20.7 9s-.8 17.5-9 20.7l-157 61.7c-12.4 4.9-23.3 12.4-32.2 21.6l159.6 57.6c7.6 2.7 15.6 4.1 23.7 4.1s16.1-1.4 23.7-4.1L624.2 182.6c9.5-3.4 15.8-12.5 15.8-22.6s-6.3-19.1-15.8-22.6L343.7 36.1C336.1 33.4 328.1 32 320 32zM128 408c0 35.3 86 72 192 72s192-36.7 192-72L496.7 262.6 354.5 314c-11.1 4-22.8 6-34.5 6s-23.5-2-34.5-6L143.3 262.6 128 408z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n    <h3>CDN<\/h3>\n    <p>CDN is an abbreviation for \u201cContent Delivery Network\u201d. It refers to a geographically-distributed network of web servers (and their data centers). The entities that make up a CDN collaborate to ensure speedy content delivery via the internet.<\/p>\n            <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/glossary\/hosting\/cdn\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            Read More                    <\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>To see if your CDN is the cause of the error, you\u2019ll need to temporarily disable it. You can do this by logging into your hosting account and locating your CDN settings. If you\u2019re unable to access your CDN, we recommend getting in touch with your hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Check Your Hotlink Protection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, you might want to check your site\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/216363197-How-do-I-prevent-image-hotlinking-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hotlink protection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hotlinking is when someone embeds media files on their site by linking them directly from another site. Some individuals may do this to use another site owner\u2019s bandwidth (rather than their own), which is effectively theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some hosts and CDN providers offer hotlink protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if this is not set up properly, it can trigger a 403 Forbidden error on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, you may want to contact your web host about this issue. While you may want to look into this yourself, it\u2019s best to get help from a technical expert to ensure that your hotlink protection is configured correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">11. Contact Your Web Host<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If all else fails, ask for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website hosting company\u2019s support<\/a> team should be able to provide additional steps and ideas for troubleshooting this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases, it could be triggered by a server configuration problem, changes to the DNS, or even malware or other website attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"resources\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional WordPress Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re new to WordPress, you\u2019re bound to run into some technical issues while setting up your site. To help you fix some of the most common WordPress errors, we\u2019ve put together several how-to guides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/common-wordpress-errors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix Common WordPress Errors<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/troubleshooting-wordpress-white-screen-death\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Troubleshoot the WordPress White Screen of Death<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-internal-server-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-syntax-errors-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix Syntax Errors in WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-not-sending-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the WordPress Not Sending Email Issue<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-database-connection-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-404-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix WordPress Error 404 Not Found<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-white-text-missing-buttons-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix White Text and Missing Buttons in the WordPress Visual Editor<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/dreamhost.com\/blog\/wordpress-sidebar-below-content-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the Sidebar Below Content Error in WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/what-to-do-when-locked-out-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What to Do When You\u2019re Locked Out of the WordPress Admin Area<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-memory-limit-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the WordPress Memory Exhausted Error By Increasing Your Site\u2019s PHP Memory Limit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-upload-failed-wordpress-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Fix the \u201cUpload: Failed to Write File to Disk\u201d Error in WordPress<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, if you\u2019re looking for more WordPress tips and hacks, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/category\/wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WordPress Tutorials<\/a>. This collection of guides will help you set up and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-hire-web-developer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">design your first WordPress site<\/a> like a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<h2>Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/h2><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trespassing is illegal. But, if you\u2019re encountering the 403 Forbidden error, you\u2019re probably not trying to break into some sort of a top-secret black site. The 403 Forbidden error typically occurs when you\u2019re trying to log in to WordPress or visit a specific page, but can\u2019t. This can be incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, there are a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1036,"featured_media":42071,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Can\u2019t access your website because of a 403 forbidden error? Learn how to fix the problem quickly.","toc_headlines":"[[\"definition\",\"What Is The 403 Forbidden Error?\"],[\"cause\",\"What Causes The 403 Forbidden Error?\"],[\"fix\",\"11 Ways To Fix The 403 Forbidden Error In WordPress\"],[\"resources\",\"Additional WordPress Resources\"]]","hide_toc":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13127,550,696],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-errors-troubleshooting","category-tutorials","category-wordpress"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Fix WordPress 403 Forbidden Error - DreamHost<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Can\u2019t access your website because of a 403 forbidden error? Learn how to fix the problem quickly.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-403-forbidden-error-wordpress\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Understanding 403 Forbidden Error: Quick Guide to Fix It\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Encountering a 403 forbidden error can be frustrating. Discover what it means and explore 11 effective solutions to resolve it quickly and get your website back on track.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www-dev.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-403-forbidden-error-wordpress\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DreamHost Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DreamHost\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-12T14:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-22T04:51:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/403-Forbidden-Error-Social-Image.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Luke Odom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Understanding 403 Forbidden Error: Quick Guide to Fix It\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Encountering a 403 forbidden error can be frustrating. 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