{"id":36848,"date":"2021-09-22T12:03:31","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T12:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"\/tutorials\/?p=36848"},"modified":"2024-10-25T08:40:43","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T08:40:43","slug":"how-to-fix-the-401-unauthorized-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/ph\/tutorials\/how-to-fix-the-401-unauthorized-error","title":{"rendered":"401 Error: 7 effective ways to troubleshoot and resolve it"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A &ldquo;401 Unauthorized&rdquo; error page typically occurs for a few reasons:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Incorrect authentication credentials<\/strong>. Entering the wrong username or password when trying to access a web page or resource is one of the most common reasons for this error.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incorrect URL<\/strong>. Ensure you are trying to access the correct URL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Session timeout<\/strong>. Your session might have expired, especially if you&rsquo;ve been logged in on a page for a long time. Log back in to solve the error.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Misconfigured permissions<\/strong>. The settings on the server might be incorrectly set up, denying access to users who should have it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Faulty authentication methods<\/strong>. The error can also arise if the server or the resource you&rsquo;re trying to access expects a different authentication method or protocol than what&rsquo;s being provided.<\/li>\n<\/ul><figure tabindex=\"0\" class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Error code<\/strong><\/td><td>HTTP 401 Unauthorized Error<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error type<\/strong><\/td><td>Often a client-side error, but can also be due to server-side configurations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error variations<\/strong><\/td><td>HTTP Error 401 Unauthorized<br>401 Unauthorized Error<br>Error 401 Unauthorized<br>Access Denied<br>401 Authorization Required<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Error causes<\/strong><\/td><td>Incorrect login credentials (username\/password)<br>Session expiration requiring reauthentication<br>Misconfigured server authentication settings<br>Access Control List (ACL) restrictions<br>Outdated or corrupted browser cache and cookies<br>IP address blocking due to security settings or restrictions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure><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 401 error code?<\/h2>\n                    <p>The 401 error is an <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/http-status-codes\">HTTP status code<\/a> indicating the request sent to the <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/what-is-a-web-server\">website&rsquo;s server<\/a> lacks valid authentication credentials. This means that the server understands the request but refuses to authorize it.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-fix-the-401-unauthorized-error\">How to fix the &ldquo;401 Unauthorized&rdquo; error<\/h2><p>In this section, we will go over the most common methods to solve 401 error messages.<\/p><p>\n\n\n<div><p class=\"important\"><strong>Important!<\/strong> Before you proceed with any of the methods, check whether the website is down for everyone or just you. This will help determine whether the issue is local or server-side.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-confirm-the-url-is-correct\">1. Confirm the URL is correct<\/h3><p>A wrong URL is a common culprit behind 401 HTTP status codes. Ensure the address is typed correctly in your browser&rsquo;s address bar, especially if it includes special characters or numbers.<\/p><p>Typos in hyperlinks from other sites can also lead to this error. If unsure, navigate from the website&rsquo;s homepage or use a search engine to find the correct web pages.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-clear-your-browser-s-cookies-and-cache\">2. Clear your browser&rsquo;s cookies and cache<\/h3><p>A corrupted or outdated browser cache and cookies may lead to a server authentication failure. It&rsquo;s also possible that the current cache and cookies are outdated and in need of manual refreshing.<\/p><p>To delete the cached data and browser cookies, go to your browser&rsquo;s settings and find the option to clear them. If you use Google Chrome, follow these steps:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the three-dotted menu icon on the top-right corner.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image8-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"641\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image8-2.png\" alt=\"Three dotted menu icon highlighted in Google Chrome\" class=\"wp-image-106578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image8-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image8-2-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image8-2-150x94.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image8-2-768x481.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select<strong> Clear Browsing Data<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image1-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image1-2.png\" alt=\"Clear Browsing Data highlighted in the expanded browser settings\" class=\"wp-image-106579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image1-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image1-2-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image1-2-150x94.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image1-2-768x480.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the <strong>Time range <\/strong>drop-down menu, select <strong>All time<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image3-3.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"641\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image3-3.png\" alt=\"Time range highlighted in the Clear browsing data pop-up\" class=\"wp-image-106580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image3-3.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image3-3-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image3-3-150x94.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image3-3-768x481.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check <strong>Cookies and other site data <\/strong>and <strong>Cached images and files<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image6-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1020\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image6-2-1024x1020.png\" alt=\"Cookies and cached images checkboxes selected and highlighted\" class=\"wp-image-106581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image6-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image6-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image6-2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image6-2-768x765.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select <strong>Clear data.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image7-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1020\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image7-2-1024x1020.png\" alt=\"Clear data button highlighted\" class=\"wp-image-106582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image7-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image7-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image7-2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image7-2-768x765.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>For a detailed guide on how to do this on other browsers, check out our tutorial on <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/clear-browser-cache\">how to clear browser cache<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-flush-dns-cache\">3. Flush DNS cache<\/h3><p>The data in the <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/what-is-dns\">domain name system (DNS)<\/a> cache lets your device match URLs to their IP addresses faster for shorter loading times. However, unlike the browser&rsquo;s cache and cookies, the DNS cache operates on the system level.<\/p><p>Although rare, a DNS error may result in the 401 HTTP status code. The cache may be outdated and contain incorrect URL and IP address details.<\/p><p>Flushing your DNS will clear the existing DNS records of your device. Thsi will force it to make a completely new request and re-authenticate the URLs.<\/p><p>Follow our guide on <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/how-to-flush-dns\">how to flush the DNS cache<\/a> if you&rsquo;re not sure how to do it.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-check-authentication-credentials\">4. Check authentication credentials<\/h3><p>The 401 page may appear when you&rsquo;re trying to gain access to restricted resources, such as a password-protected page, with invalid authentication credentials. As a consequence, you won&rsquo;t be able to open the page.<\/p><p>Double-check whether you&rsquo;re logged in with a valid user ID and password. If you&rsquo;re sure that you have entered valid authentication credentials, try changing the password.<\/p><p>If you&rsquo;re having trouble accessing a password-protected WordPress site, make sure you know <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/change-wordpress-password\/\">how to change your WordPress admin password<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-disable-password-protection\">5. Disable password protection<\/h3><p>If you&rsquo;re a website owner trying to solve the 401 error, it&rsquo;s worth temporarily disabling password protection for the problematic section of your website.<\/p><p>If you have enabled password protection using <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>and <strong>.htpasswd <\/strong>files, follow these steps to disable it:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to your web hosting account&rsquo;s <strong>File Manager<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the password-protected website directory.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p>Find the <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>file that you created when you first enabled password protection. Its content should look similar to this:<\/p><pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">AuthType Basic\nAuthName \"Your authorization required message.\"\nAuthUserFile \/path\/to\/.htpasswd\nrequire valid-user<\/pre><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Back up the content of the <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>file in case you want to re-enable password protection in the future.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Delete the <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>file from the directory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the secret location of the <strong>.htpasswd <\/strong>file, back it up, and delete it as well.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/hpanel-tutorial\">hPanel<\/a> has a user-friendly feature that lets Hostinger users manage <a href=\"https:\/\/support.hostinger.com\/en\/articles\/1583470-how-can-i-password-protect-my-website\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">password-protected website directories<\/a>.<\/p><p>For more information, follow this guide to learn <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/create-default-wordpress-htaccess-file\">how to locate and create a WordPress .htaccess file<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-check-the-www-authenticate-header\">6. Check the WWW-Authenticate header<\/h3><p><a href=\"https:\/\/datatracker.ietf.org\/doc\/html\/rfc7235#section-4.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to the IETF<\/a>, a server generating a &ldquo;401 Unauthorized&rdquo; response has to send a WWW-Authenticate header field containing at least one challenge applicable to the target resource.<\/p><p>This response header determines the authentication method the web browser should follow to access a specific page. Knowing what response the header sends and which authentication method is used will help determine the problem.<\/p><p>To check a WWW-Authenticate header for the cause of the 401 error, follow these steps:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Access the page that generates the 401 error code. If you&rsquo;re using Chrome, right-click it and select <strong>Inspect <\/strong>or press <strong>Ctrl+Shift+J<\/strong> to open the developer console.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the <strong>Network<\/strong> tab, then reload the page. Click on the entry with the 401 error status.<\/li>\n<\/ol><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"480\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error-1024x480.png\" alt=\"How to check a WWW-Authenticate header for the cause of the 401 error.\" class=\"wp-image-41429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error-300x141.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error-150x70.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error-768x360.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/inspect-401-error-1536x720.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open the <strong>Headers <\/strong>tab. Find the <strong>WWW-Authenticate<\/strong> entry under the <strong>Response Headers<\/strong> section. It will show the authentication method the server enforces to provide access to the content. <\/li>\n<\/ol><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image2-2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"480\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/03\/image2-2-1024x480.png\" alt=\"WWW-authenticate entry highlighted\" class=\"wp-image-106583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image2-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image2-2-300x141.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image2-2-150x70.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/03\/image2-2-768x360.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Refer to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iana.org\/assignments\/http-authschemes\/http-authschemes.xhtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HTTP Authentication Scheme Registry<\/a> to find out the page&rsquo;s authentication method. In this case, the page uses the basic authentication method, which means that it only requires standard login credentials.<\/li>\n<\/ol><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-disable-plugins-modules-and-themes\">7. Disable plugins, modules, and themes<\/h3><p>If you get the &ldquo;401 Unauthorized&rdquo; error as the website&rsquo;s administrator, you can try to identify its cause by disabling the plugins, modules, and themes you have installed on your website.<\/p><p>For example, if you have a WordPress site and can access its admin dashboard, consider changing your theme to the default and disabling all your plugins.<\/p><p>To <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/change-a-theme-in-wordpress\">change back to the default theme<\/a>, go to <strong>Appearance &rarr; Themes<\/strong> and <strong>Activate <\/strong>the default theme.<\/p><p>To disable all <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/what-is-wordpress-plugin\">WordPress plugins<\/a> at the same time, go to <strong>Plugins &rarr; Installed Plugins<\/strong>. Bulk-select all the plugins, choose <strong>Deactivate <\/strong>from the drop-down menu, and click <strong>Apply<\/strong>.<\/p><p>The process to change your design template and disable the modules should be similar to any other CMS dashboard.<\/p><p>If you don&rsquo;t have access to your WordPress admin dashboard, you can<a href=\"https:\/\/support.hostinger.com\/en\/articles\/4411258-how-to-disable-wordpress-plugins-without-access-to-the-admin-page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> disable your WordPress plugins<\/a> by opening the File Manager on your hosting account and renaming the <strong>Plugins<\/strong> folder. Hostinger users can manage their plugins straight from hPanel.<\/p><p>Similarly, you can<a href=\"https:\/\/support.hostinger.com\/en\/articles\/4469298-how-to-change-wordpress-theme-via-phpmyadmin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> change your WordPress theme<\/a> without opening the admin dashboard by making changes to files through File Manager and phpMyAdmin.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-401-error-variations\">401 Error Variations<\/h2><p>When encountering a 401 response, instead of reaching the intended web page, your browser will display an error message. These messages serve as indicators of the specific type of 401 error you&rsquo;re experiencing.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/401-error.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"231\" src=\"\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/401-error-1024x231.png\" alt=\"Example of 401 error.\" class=\"wp-image-41423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error-1024x231.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error-300x68.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error-150x34.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error-768x173.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error-1536x347.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/ph\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2021\/12\/401-error.png 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><p>Commonly seen messages include:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>HTTP Error 401<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>401 Authorization Required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>401 Unauthorized Error<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Access Denied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unauthorized<\/li>\n<\/ul><p>Each variation of the 401 error provides insights into why the authentication process failed, aiding in diagnosing and resolving access issues.<\/p><p>Below is a detailed list of various 401 error codes, along with their specific meanings:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>401.1<\/strong>. The login attempt has failed, usually due to incorrect authentication credentials being provided.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.2<\/strong>. The login attempt has been obstructed by server configuration issues, preventing successful authentication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.3<\/strong>. Access is denied due to the access control list (ACL) settings, which restrict resource access based on user permissions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.501<\/strong>. Too many requests have been generated by the client, or the client has reached the maximum request limit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.502<\/strong>. This error occurs when a particular client (same IP) sends multiple requests to a single server, reaching the dynamic IP Restriction Concurrent request rate limit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.503<\/strong>. The client&rsquo;s <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/what-is-ip-address\">IP address<\/a> is included in the server&rsquo;s deny list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>401.504<\/strong>. The client&rsquo;s hostname is included in the server&rsquo;s deny list.<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2><p>The HTTP error 401 occurs when the browser&rsquo;s request to the server lacks valid authentication credentials. While it&rsquo;s most commonly caused by a client-side issue that is easy to fix, it can also stem from a server error.<\/p><p>In this guide, we&rsquo;ve gone over the most common methods to solve the 401 error:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Confirm the URL is correct<\/strong>.<strong> <\/strong>Double-check the URL in case it&rsquo;s misspelled or outdated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Clear cache<\/strong>.<strong> <\/strong>Clear the browser&rsquo;s cache and cookies for a possible solution. If that fails, try flushing your DNS cache.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check authentication credentials<\/strong>. Make sure you&rsquo;ve entered a valid username and password. If the issue persists, try resetting the password.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disable password protection<\/strong>. If you experience this issue as the website administrator, try temporarily disabling the problematic section&rsquo;s password protection by deleting the <strong>.htaccess <\/strong>and .<strong>htpasswd <\/strong>files.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Troubleshoot the code<\/strong>.<strong> <\/strong>Check the WWW-Authenticate header and try disabling problematic plugins, modules, or themes.<\/li>\n<\/ol><p>We hope that the information in this article has helped you fix the 401 error. If you have any questions or tips, feel free to leave us a comment in the section below.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-401-error-message-faq\">401 Error Message FAQ<\/h2><p>Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the 401 error message below.<\/p><div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1664962261618\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Why do I get a 401 HTTP error?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A 401 error occurs when you try to access a page that requires valid authentication credentials, but your current ones aren&rsquo;t recognized or are missing. To resolve this, contact the page administrator to obtain the correct access details.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690193046386\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How does a 401 error affect my ability to access a website?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A 401 error temporarily blocks access to a specific page or resource until you provide valid login credentials. It doesn&rsquo;t affect your ability to access other parts of the website that don&rsquo;t require authentication.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1711569181955\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the difference between a 401 error and a 403 error?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">While a 401 error means unauthorized access due to invalid or missing credentials, a <a href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/what-is-403-forbidden-error-and-how-to-fix-it\">403 error<\/a> indicates you&rsquo;re forbidden from accessing the page, even with valid credentials, often due to permissions set by the website administrator.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A &ldquo;401 Unauthorized&rdquo; error page typically occurs for a few reasons: Error code HTTP 401 Unauthorized Error Error type Often a client-side error, but can also be due to server-side configurations Error variations HTTP Error 401 Unauthorized401 Unauthorized ErrorError 401 UnauthorizedAccess Denied401 Authorization Required Error causes Incorrect login credentials (username\/password)Session expiration requiring reauthenticationMisconfigured server authentication [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"\/ph\/tutorials\/how-to-fix-the-401-unauthorized-error\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":106576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"How to Fix 401 Error Quickly With 7 Effective Methods","rank_math_description":"The 401 Unauthorized error is triggered by unauthenticated requests made to a WordPress web server. 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