The error message 403 Forbidden is a common problem that WordPress users may encounter. This problem means that access to a particular page on your website is blocked to the visitor trying to reach it. Fortunately, you can usually solve this problem yourself. The following is a guide to resolve the 403 Forbidden error on your WordPress website.

Check the file permissions

A common cause of a 403 Forbidden error is a problem with the file permissions on your server. Files and folders on your WordPress site should be set up correctly:

• Files should generally have permissions 644.
• Folders should have permissions 755.

You can modify these permissions through an FTP client (such as FileZilla ) or through the file manager in your hosting control panel:

1. Log in to your FTP server or cPanel.
2. Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress site.
3. Right-click on a file or folder.
4. Choose “File Permissions” or “Change Permissions.
5. Set the appropriate values and confirm.

Check your .htaccess file

A corrupt or improperly configured .htaccess file can also lead to a 403 error. You can address this as follows:

1. Log in to your server via FTP or cPanel.
2. Find the .htaccess file in the root of your WordPress installation.
3. Back up the file by downloading it to your computer.
4. Delete the .htaccess file from the server.
5. Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes. WordPress will now generate a new .htaccess file.
6. Verify that the error is resolved.

Deactivate plug-ins and themes

Sometimes the error is caused by a specific plug-in or theme:

1. Deactivate all plug-ins through the WordPress dashboard. If you cannot log in, rename the plug-in folder via FTP or cPanel (for example, from ‘plugins’ to ‘plugins_off’).
2. Check if the problem still exists. When it’s fixed, activate your plug-ins one by one to find the culprit.
3. Do a similar test with your theme by switching back to a standard WordPress theme such as Twenty Twenty-One.

Contact your hosting provider

If none of the above steps work, the problem may be rooted deeper or have to do with server configurations you don’t have access to. In that case, it is wise to contact your hosting provider’s support. They can dig deeper into the server logs and perhaps identify the specific cause of the error.

Still have questions or can’t figure it out? Then please contact us.

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