{"id":12816,"date":"2021-08-31T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=12816"},"modified":"2026-02-02T12:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T12:16:14","slug":"what-is-403-forbidden-error-and-how-to-fix-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/in\/tutorials\/what-is-403-forbidden-error-and-how-to-fix-it","title":{"rendered":"How to fix the &#8220;403 Forbidden&#8221; error in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; is a standard HTTP status code indicating that the web server understands the request but refuses to authorize it. This could be due to permission issues, incorrect file permissions, or server configuration problems. <\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1006\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example.png\" alt=\"An example of 403 Forbidden error\" class=\"wp-image-100185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example.png 1006w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example-300x121.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example-150x61.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/403forbidden-example-768x310.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1006px) 100vw, 1006px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>Here are potential causes that can trigger this error:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Misconfigured file and folder permission settings<\/strong>. Prevents users from accessing sensitive files or certain parts of a website, often leading to a &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Corrupt .htaccess file<\/strong>. Misconfiguration and malware can break the <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>code.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Missing index page<\/strong>. The index.html or index.php file, which is the default homepage template, isn&rsquo;t available in the website&rsquo;s directory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incompatible WordPress plugin<\/strong>. A WordPress plugin might be conflicting with another plugin or was incorrectly configured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incorrect IP address<\/strong>. The <a href=\"\/in\/domain-name-search\">domain name<\/a> points to an inaccurate IP address whose website blocks your access.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Malware scan<\/strong>. Your website&rsquo;s security measures can limit access to specific resources to prevent malicious attacks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>New web page link<\/strong>. The webpage link was recently updated, making it different from the cached version.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Empty website directory<\/strong>. The URL is trying to access your website&rsquo;s directory instead of a file.<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.hostinger.com\/content\/tutorials\/pdf\/HTTP-Status-Codes-Cheat-Sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download comprehensive HTTP status codes cheat sheet<\/a><\/p><p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"protip\">\n                    <h2 class=\"featured-snippet title\">What Is the 403 Forbidden Error?<\/h2>\n                    <p>403 forbidden errors are often caused by incorrect settings for certain files or folders, restricting access. You can usually resolve this by adjusting these settings to allow proper permissions.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure tabindex=\"0\" class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Error code<\/strong><\/td><td>403 Forbidden Error<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error type<\/strong><\/td><td>Client-side error<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error variations<\/strong><\/td><td>Forbidden: You don&rsquo;t have permission to access [directory] on this server<br>HTTP Error 403 &ndash; Forbidden<br>Error 403 &ndash; Forbidden<br>403 Forbidden request forbidden by administrative rules<br>403 Forbidden<br>Access Denied &ndash; You don&rsquo;t have permission to access<br>Error 403<br>HTTP 403<br>Forbidden<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error causes<\/strong><\/td><td>Access misconfiguration<br>Corrupt .htaccess file<br>Missing index page<br>Broken WordPress plugin<br>Wrong IP address<br>Malware infection<br>New web page link<br>Empty website directory<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-fix-the-403-forbidden-error\">How to fix the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error<\/h2><p>If you discover pages returning a &ldquo;403 Forbidden error&rdquo; either by using a <a href=\"https:\/\/sitechecker.pro\/website-crawler\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website crawler<\/a> or by simply noticing it, there&rsquo;s no need to panic. Here are 12 effective ways to ensure that your website remains accessible and operates optimally. <\/p><p>These solutions will help you resolve and <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/prevent-website-downtime\">prevent potential downtime<\/a>, keeping your site running smoothly.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-clear-your-browser-cache-and-cookies\">1. Clear your browser cache and cookies<\/h3><p>The browser cache speeds up website loading on future visits. However, if the web page&rsquo;s link changes, it can cause a mismatch with the cached version and trigger the 403 HTTP status code. Browser cookies &ndash; small files that remember your preferences and details &ndash; are also a common culprit of the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error.<\/p><p>While cache is dedicated to improving website loading speed, cookies focus on personalizing your browsing experience. That&rsquo;s why a forbidden page error usually occurs on a frequently logged-in website.<\/p><p>Keep in mind, that this method will force the browser to re-request site files, requiring you to sign in again on most websites.<\/p><p>Here are the steps to clear cache and cookies on <strong>Google Chrome<\/strong>. The steps are similar in <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/clear-browser-cache\">Firefox and Safari<\/a>:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click on the <strong>three-dot icon<\/strong> in the top right corner and select <strong>Settings.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Locate <strong>Privacy and security<\/strong> &rarr; <strong>Clear browsing data.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"695\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata.png\" alt=\"Google Chrome's Privacy and security highlights Clear browsing data\" class=\"wp-image-100189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata.png 695w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-150x81.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 695px) 100vw, 695px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use the drop-down menu to choose the time range. We recommend choosing <strong>All time<\/strong> to remove all the old files. Then, select <strong>Cookies and other site data<\/strong> and <strong>Cached images and files.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Clear data<\/strong> to erase them.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-cleardata.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"499\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-cleardata.png\" alt=\"Google Chrome's Clear browsing data highlights the Clear data button\" class=\"wp-image-100190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-cleardata.png 499w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-cleardata-300x279.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/chrome-clearbrowsingdata-cleardata-150x139.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 499px) 100vw, 499px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>After completing these steps, try revisiting and logging into the problematic website to see if it fixes the error. This method also works for other errors, like the <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-fix-400-bad-request-error\">400 Bad Request<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-temporarily-disable-vpn\">2. Temporarily disable VPN<\/h3><p>A <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/what-is-vpn\">virtual private network (VPN)<\/a> can trigger a &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error on websites that block access from VPN servers due to security or regional restrictions.<\/p><p>To test this theory, temporarily disconnect your VPN and retry accessing the web page. If this resolves the error code, consider switching to a different VPN server or contact your VPN provider.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-temporarily-disable-cdn\">3. Temporarily disable CDN<\/h3><p>A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of servers that caches and delivers content from the closest web server to the user, reducing load times and bandwidth usage.<\/p><p>If your website uses a <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/what-is-cdn\">CDN<\/a>, it may cache a &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error due to issues like file permissions, IP blocking, and incorrect <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> rules. Temporarily bypassing CDN helps determine whether the source of the error is the original web server or the CDN itself.<\/p><p>We automatically enable our <strong>in-house CDN<\/strong> for our Business Web Hosting plan and above. Follow these steps to troubleshoot &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; by disabling Hostinger CDN temporarily:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Performance <\/strong>&rarr; <strong>CDN <\/strong>from hPanel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the <strong>CDN status <\/strong>section and click <strong>Disable<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"209\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1-1024x209.png\" alt=\"Hostinger CDN status in hPanel\" class=\"wp-image-100191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1-1024x209.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1-300x61.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1-150x31.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1-768x157.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-cdn-1.png 1033w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If this fixes the issue, keep the CDN disabled for now and contact our support team for troubleshooting assistance.<\/li>\n<\/ol><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-scan-for-malware\">4. Scan for malware<\/h3><p><strong>.htaccess<\/strong> is a web server configuration file that primarily works by altering the <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/what-is-apache\">Apache web server<\/a> settings. Located in your website&rsquo;s root directory <strong>public_html<\/strong>, it contains a set of rules for how your website should behave in certain situations, including who can access what resources or pages.<\/p><p>If your WordPress site is infected with malware, unwanted code can be injected into the <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file. Having the rules changed can cause the HTTP status code 403.<\/p><p>Hostinger users can leverage our <strong>built-in scanner<\/strong> to <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/wordpress-malware-removal\">remove malware in WordPress<\/a>. You don&rsquo;t need to purchase third-party integrations because the automated tool can scan your websites for malware for free.<\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s how to do it:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On hPanel, navigate to <strong>Security &rarr; Malware Scanner<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If no malware is found, this section will display your hosting plan&rsquo;s name and the time since the last scan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Otherwise, the malware scanner will summarize detected malicious files in the past 30 days and the actions taken to fix them.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"793\" height=\"975\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected.png\" alt=\"Hostinger Malware Scanner interface when it detects malware in the last 30 days\" class=\"wp-image-100192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected.png 793w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected-244x300.png 244w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected-122x150.png 122w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-malwarescanner-issuedetected-768x944.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 793px) 100vw, 793px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>For extra security, use a <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/wordpress-malware-scanner-plugins\">WordPress malware scanner plugin<\/a> to identify malicious software on your WordPress website. The top <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/wordpress-security-plugins\">WordPress security plugins<\/a>, such as <strong>Sucuri <\/strong>and <strong>Wordfence,<\/strong> offer this feature.<\/p><p>If the error persists after fixing the infected file, we recommend <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/locate-and-create-htaccess\">creating a new .htaccess file<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-restore-the-htaccess-file\">5. Restore the .htaccess file<\/h3><p>If your <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file is infected or misconfigured, replace it using an FTP client or file manager.<\/p><p>For Hostinger users, follow these steps to locate and create a new <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file. If you&rsquo;re using cPanel, the steps should be similar:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On hPanel, navigate to <strong>Files<\/strong> &rarr; <strong>File Manager<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the <strong>public_html<\/strong> directory and locate the <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file. Right-click on it and select <strong>Download<\/strong> to create a backup on your local computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"826\" height=\"430\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1.png\" alt=\"Hostinger File Manager highlights the Download button over .htaccess file\" class=\"wp-image-100195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1.png 826w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1-150x78.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-download-1-768x400.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Delete the current <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file from your hosting account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a new server configuration file by clicking <strong>New file<\/strong> and naming it <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> without any extensions.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-newfile.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"616\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-newfile.png\" alt=\"Hostinger File Manager's New file popup highlights the Create button\" class=\"wp-image-100196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-newfile.png 616w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-newfile-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-newfile-150x91.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Copy the following code to the new file, then <strong>Save <\/strong>it.<\/li>\n<\/ol><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"># Enable URL Rewriting\nRewriteEngine On\n# Rewrite rule to redirect requests to index.php\nRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f\nRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d\nRewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php?\/$1 [L]<\/pre><p>\n\n\n<div class=\"protip\">\n                    <h4 class=\"title\">Pro Tip<\/h4>\n                    <p>Check out our guide for tips on <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-use-hostinger-file-manager\">using File Manager at Hostinger<\/a> to manage website files. We also have a tutorial covering the <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/create-default-wordpress-htaccess-file\">server configuration file<\/a> in greater detail, including how to locate it in cPanel.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>Alternatively, follow these steps for WordPress websites:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Log in to your WordPress dashboard and select <strong>Settings &rarr; Permalinks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the <strong>Save Changes<\/strong> button at the bottom without making any modifications. It will generate a new <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file for your WordPress site.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"216\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks.png\" alt=\"WordPress Permalinks section highlights the Save Changes button\" class=\"wp-image-100197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks.png 900w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks-300x72.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks-150x36.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/wordpress-permalinks-768x184.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>Try to re-access the web address. If this method fixes the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error code, it indicates a corrupted <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-reset-file-and-directory-permissions\">6. Reset file and directory permissions<\/h3><p>Websites have unique file permissions that control how users can read, write, and execute data. If misconfigured, it can cause HTTP 403 forbidden errors.<\/p><p>With Hostinger, you can fix file permission issues in just one click. To access the built-in tool on hPanel, look up <strong>Fix File Ownership<\/strong> in the search bar.<\/p><p>Select the confirmation checkbox and click <strong>Execute<\/strong>. The tool will automatically assign default permissions to all website files and folders.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"930\" height=\"453\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation.png\" alt=\"The confirmation popup of Hostinger Fix File Ownership\" class=\"wp-image-100198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation.png 930w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation-300x146.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation-150x73.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-fixfileownership-confirmation-768x374.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>Alternatively, <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/ftp\/filezilla-ftp-configuration\">configure an FTP client like FileZilla<\/a> to reset file and folder permissions manually. Keep in mind that this method requires an understanding of FTP protocol and file permissions.<\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s how to reset file permissions using FileZilla:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make sure FileZilla is connected to your website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Right-click on the <strong>public_html<\/strong> directory and select <strong>File Attributes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes.png\" alt=\"FileZilla FTP highlights the File Attributes option\" class=\"wp-image-100199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes.png 566w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-150x87.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the <strong>Numeric value<\/strong> field, enter <strong>755<\/strong>. This value allows only the owner to read, write, and execute the file or directory, preventing others from modifying it.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-755.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"534\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-755.png\" alt=\"FileZilla FTP highlights the numeric value field in the Change file attributes popup, giving the directory file permissions 755\" class=\"wp-image-100200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-755.png 534w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-755-300x237.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-755-150x118.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select <strong>Apply to directories only<\/strong>, and click <strong>OK<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After changing directory permissions, repeat steps <strong>2 <\/strong>and <strong>3<\/strong>. This time, enter <strong>644<\/strong> in the <strong>Numeric value<\/strong> field and select <strong>Apply to files only<\/strong>. The 644 value allows the owner to read and write, while others can only read.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-644.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"534\" height=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-644.png\" alt=\"FileZilla FTP highlights the numeric value field in the Change file attributes popup, giving the directory file permissions 644\" class=\"wp-image-100201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-644.png 534w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-644-300x237.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/ftp-fileattributes-644-150x118.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>After applying the correct permissions, reaccess your website to check if the permission error persists.<\/p><p>\n\n\n<div class=\"protip\">\n                    <h4 class=\"title\">Are You on Linux?<\/h4>\n                    <p>Check out our article on <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/vps\/change-linux-permissions-and-owners\">how to change file permissions and owners in Linux<\/a>.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-disable-wordpress-plugins\">7. Disable WordPress plugins<\/h3><p>If the previous methods fail, check whether an incompatible or problematic WordPress plugin is causing the HTTP 403 error.<\/p><p>Hostinger users can disable their WordPress plugins straight from hPanel. Go to <strong>WordPress <\/strong>&rarr; <strong>Security <\/strong>and scroll down to the <strong>Installed plugins<\/strong> section. Then, click on the toggle to disable each plugin individually.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"465\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins-1024x465.png\" alt=\"WordPress installed plugins in hPanel\" class=\"wp-image-100202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins-1024x465.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins-150x68.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins-768x349.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-wordpress-installedplugins.png 1045w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>If you&rsquo;d rather disable the plugins manually, use a file manager or an FTP client. Here&rsquo;s how to do it via the hPanel file manager:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Navigate to the<strong> wp-content<\/strong> folder in <strong>public_html<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Locate the <strong>plugins<\/strong> folder and rename it to <strong>disabled-plugins<\/strong>. This will make the folder temporarily unrecognizable by the web server, deactivating all plugins simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1009\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins.png\" alt=\"Hostinger File Manager highlights the disabled-plugins directory\" class=\"wp-image-100204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins.png 1009w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins-300x105.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins-150x52.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-filemanager-disabledplugins-768x268.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1009px) 100vw, 1009px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Now, try accessing your website. If HTTP error &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; is gone, a problematic plugin was likely causing the issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Revert the folder&rsquo;s name to <strong>plugins<\/strong> to re-enable all plugins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to <strong>Plugins <\/strong>&rarr; <strong>Installed Plugins<\/strong> from your WordPress dashboard and <strong>Deactivate <\/strong>all plugins one by one. Whenever you deactivate<strong> <\/strong>a plugin, check if it resolves the error. This step will help identify the faulty plugin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once identified, update or remove the plugin to fix the issue.<\/li>\n<\/ol><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-verify-the-a-record\">8. Verify the A record<\/h3><p>The &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error can occur if your domain points to an incorrect IP address, denying you access even with valid credentials. To prevent this, ensure your domain points to your hosting provider&rsquo;s IP address.<\/p><p>Hostinger users can navigate to <strong>Plan Details<\/strong> on hPanel to find their website&rsquo;s IP address.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hpanel-website-ipaddress.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"387\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hpanel-website-ipaddress.png\" alt=\"Locating website IP address in hPanel\" class=\"wp-image-100205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-website-ipaddress.png 713w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-website-ipaddress-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-website-ipaddress-150x81.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>Follow these steps to <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-check-if-domain-a-record-is-pointed-correctly\">check if the domain A record is pointed correctly<\/a> via hPanel:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>From the hPanel dashboard, navigate to <strong>Advanced<\/strong> &rarr; <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-use-hostinger-dns-zone-editor\">DNS Zone Editor<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You will find a list of DNS records. Locate the A records by scanning the <strong>Type <\/strong>column.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Examine the IP addresses in the <strong>Content <\/strong>column.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress.png\" alt=\"Hostinger DNS Zone Editor highlights the A records\" class=\"wp-image-100207\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress.png 870w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress-300x102.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress-150x51.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-ipaddress-768x262.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the A records don&rsquo;t point to the correct IP address, click <strong>Edit<\/strong> to modify them. Once you&rsquo;re done, click <strong>Update<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p>Editing an existing A record may affect any services or subdomains currently using it. If changing the existing A records doesn&rsquo;t resolve the error or disrupt other operations, consider creating a new one.<\/p><p>On hPanel, you can create a new A record in the <strong>Manage DNS Records<\/strong> section. Select <strong>A<\/strong> as the <strong>Type<\/strong> and input the valid IP address in the <strong>Points to<\/strong> field. Then, click <strong>Add Record.<\/strong><\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"162\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord-1024x162.png\" alt=\"Adding a new DNS record in Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor\" class=\"wp-image-100208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord-1024x162.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord-300x47.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord-150x24.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord-768x121.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-dnzzoneeditor-addrecord.png 1410w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-update-nameservers\">9. Update nameservers<\/h3><p>If you&rsquo;ve migrated to a new hosting provider and forgot to update your nameservers, your domain might still point to the old host and lead to a 403 error status code.<\/p><p>To resolve this issue, you must <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-change-domain-nameservers\">update your domain&rsquo;s nameservers<\/a>.<\/p><p>If you have recently migrated to Hostinger, here&rsquo;s how to change your nameservers to Hostinger&rsquo;s:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>Domains <\/strong>and select <strong>Manage <\/strong>next to your domain.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-1024x425.png\" alt=\"A list of domains in hPanel, highlighting the button to manage them\" class=\"wp-image-100209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-1024x425.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-150x62.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-768x319.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains.png 1033w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click on the <strong>Change <\/strong>link in the Nameservers section.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1011\" height=\"344\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers.png\" alt=\"The Domain Information section in Hostinger Domains highlights the Change button next to Nameservers\" class=\"wp-image-100210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers.png 1011w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers-300x102.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers-150x51.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-domains-nameservers-768x261.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1011px) 100vw, 1011px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pick the <strong>Use Hostinger nameservers<\/strong> option and click <strong>Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers.png\" alt=\"Changing nameservers to Hostinger's default\" class=\"wp-image-100211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers.png 1021w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers-300x126.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers-150x63.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-changenameservers-768x322.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-upload-an-index-page\">10. Upload an Index page<\/h3><p>The following methods are more technically complex. If you&rsquo;re unsure of the steps, contact your hosting provider&rsquo;s support team for troubleshooting assistance.<\/p><p>Most web servers disallow directory browsing for security reasons. Instead of showing what&rsquo;s inside a folder on the page, they&rsquo;ll show a standard web page.<\/p><p>Moreover, attempts to access a directory without a standard web page, usually in <strong>index.html<\/strong> or <strong>index.php<\/strong> format, result in a &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error message.<\/p><p>First, check whether your website&rsquo;s homepage name is <strong>index.html<\/strong> or <strong>index.php<\/strong>. If not, rename it in the FTP client or file manager.<\/p><p>Another way to resolve this issue is to upload an index page to your <strong>public_html<\/strong> directory and create a redirect to your existing homepage. Here&rsquo;s how to do it:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Access the <strong>public_html<\/strong> directory using an FTP client or file manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a <strong>New File<\/strong> named <strong>index.html<\/strong> or <strong>index.php<\/strong> inside the root directory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file in the root directory. Insert the following code snippet to redirect <strong>index.php<\/strong> or <strong>index.html<\/strong> to your existing homepage. Be sure to replace <strong>homepage.html<\/strong> with the actual name of your page.<\/li>\n<\/ol><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">Redirect \/index.html \/homepage.html<\/pre><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Save the changes, then check your website&rsquo;s homepage to see if the problem is resolved.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p>Whichever method you choose, we strongly advise against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acunetix.com\/blog\/articles\/directory-listing-information-disclosure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">enabling directory browsing<\/a> to resolve the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error. This can expose your directory&rsquo;s content to the public, leading to security risks.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-11-edit-file-ownership\">11. Edit File Ownership<\/h3><p>Incorrect file ownership can trigger the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error, particularly in Linux-based computers or <a href=\"\/in\/vps-hosting\">VPS hosting<\/a>. If you&rsquo;re using a VPS with SSH access, you can modify file ownership by connecting your VPS to an <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/how-to-use-putty-ssh\">SSH client like PuTTY<\/a>.<\/p><p>After connecting to the SSH server, check the ownership using the following <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/ssh\/basic-ssh-commands\">SSH command<\/a>:<\/p><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">ls -l [file name]<\/pre><p>The result will resemble the following:<\/p><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">-rwxrw-rw- 1 [owner][group] 22 Sep 22 10:00 filename.txt<\/pre><p>Pay attention to the owner and group sections. The correct ownership should match your hosting account&rsquo;s username. Otherwise, utilize the <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/linux-chown-command\/\">Linux <strong>chown<\/strong> command<\/a> to adjust file ownership.<\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s the basic syntax for the <strong>chown<\/strong> command:<\/p><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">chown [owner][:group] [file name]<\/pre><p>For example, if your username is <strong>John,<\/strong> use the command below:<\/p><pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\">chown John filename.txt<\/pre><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-12-use-hostinger-ai-troubleshooter\">12. Use Hostinger AI Troubleshooter<\/h3><p>Although still in beta, Hostinger&rsquo;s built-in <strong>AI Troubleshooter <\/strong>provides a practical solution to troubleshooting. Hostinger users can use it to fix the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error with a few clicks.<\/p><p>Here&rsquo;s how to use Hostinger AI Troubleshooter:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On hPanel, navigate to <strong>WordPress &rarr; AI Troubleshooter (beta)<\/strong>. You can check the <strong>Help <\/strong>page to see if it detects the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error on your website.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter.png\" alt=\"Hostinger AI Troubleshooter detects an error on the website\" class=\"wp-image-100187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter-300x123.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter-150x61.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hpanel-ai-troubleshooter-768x314.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click on the <strong>Fix with AI assistant<\/strong> button to see its troubleshooting recommendations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>Fix my website<\/strong> if you approve its corrective action. Otherwise, choose <strong>Try another solution<\/strong> so the AI will come up with another solution.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"958\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow.png\" alt=\"The workflow of Hostinger AI Troubleshooter\" class=\"wp-image-100188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow.png 958w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow-150x74.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2023\/12\/hostinger-aitroubleshooter-workflow-768x377.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>\n\n<div class=\"protip\">\n                    <h4 class=\"title\">More Reasons to Use Hostinger<\/h4>\n                    <p>Besides AI Troubleshooter, all our <a href=\"\/in\/wordpress-hosting\">WordPress website hosting plans<\/a> come with an object cache feature, auto-updates, and vulnerabilities scanner for optimal website performance and user experience. Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to test our hosting services risk-free.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"\/in\/wordpress-hosting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-1024x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-111781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-1024x300.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-300x88.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-150x44.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-768x225.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner-1536x450.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/52\/2024\/06\/New-WP_in-text-banner.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-learn-how-to-fix-the-403-forbidden-error-with-hostinger-academy\">Learn how to fix the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error with Hostinger Academy<\/h3><p>Watch this video if you need help visualizing the troubleshooting steps.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"How to Fix 403 Forbidden Error\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wWtYqgOBe3Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure><p>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"youtube-shortcode\">\n    <div class=\"row\">\n      <div class=\"col-7 col-sm-8 d-flex align-items-center\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"channel-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/themes\/tutorialsthemeuplift\/public\/images\/youtube-channels\/hostinger-academy.jpg\" alt=\"youtube channel logo\">\n        <div class=\"d-flex flex-column justify-content-between\">\n          <span class=\"slogan d-none d-sm-block\">Subscribe For more educational videos!<\/span>\n          <span class=\"channel-name\">Hostinger Academy<\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"col-5 col-sm-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-end\">\n          <a class=\"subscribe-button\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCbNIC-svDbtUOH2qsLnPQPg?sub_confirmation=1\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-content\/themes\/tutorialsthemeuplift\/public\/images\/icons\/youtube.svg\" alt=\"subscribe\">\n            <span>Subscribe<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2><p>The &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error can disrupt your website&rsquo;s functionality and lead to a poor user experience. Multiple causes can trigger this HTTP error, including incorrect file permissions, a corrupted <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>file, faulty plugins, and IP blocking errors.<\/p><p>Let&rsquo;s recap the 12 most effective solutions:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clear the web browser cache and cookies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disable VPN temporarily<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disable CDN temporarily<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scan for malware<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restore the <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> file<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reset the site&rsquo;s file permissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Disable WordPress plugins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Verify the A record<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update nameservers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upload an index page<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Modify file ownership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Hostinger AI Troubleshooter<\/li>\n<\/ol><p>Focusing on &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error prevention is key. Conduct regular security audits, document access controls, and update web server software to avoid future errors.<\/p><p>\n\n\n<div class=\"protip\">\n                    <h4 class=\"title\">Suggested Reading<\/h4>\n                    <p>Check out our <a href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/tips-for-troubleshooting-website\">website troubleshooting guide<\/a> for best practices on diagnosing and fixing a broken website.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-403-forbidden-error-faqs\">403 Forbidden error FAQs<\/h2><div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1697766634919\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can incorrect file permissions cause a 403 error?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. The website can block access to the requested resource when file permissions are misconfigured. This causes an authentication failure that prevents users from viewing or accessing specific files or directories. To fix the &ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; error, it&rsquo;s crucial to check the file permissions, rectify any discrepancies, and ensure the server configuration aligns with access requirements.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1697766654728\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can server misconfigurations cause a 403 error?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Misconfigured web server settings and files like <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> can restrict access to certain resources, resulting in a 403 Forbidden error.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1697766664154\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is it possible to customize the 403 error Page?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Website administrators can <a href=\"https:\/\/support.hostinger.com\/en\/articles\/1583295-how-to-customize-your-website-s-error-pages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">create custom error pages<\/a> to display an informative message that aligns with the website&rsquo;s branding. This custom page also lets an administrator provide specific instructions to resolve the 403 error.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&ldquo;403 Forbidden&rdquo; is a standard HTTP status code indicating that the web server understands the request but refuses to authorize it. This could be due to permission issues, incorrect file permissions, or server configuration problems. Here are potential causes that can trigger this error: Error code 403 Forbidden Error Error type Client-side error Error variations [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"\/in\/tutorials\/what-is-403-forbidden-error-and-how-to-fix-it\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":411,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"hreflangs":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/411"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12816"}],"version-history":[{"count":83,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130864,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12816\/revisions\/130864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/in\/tutorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}