What is HTTP Error 403? - How do you fix it?

What is HTTP Error 500?

When attempting to access a web page and instead receiving an “http error” that begins with a 5, it means that the server that hosts the web site failed to do your bidding (namely load the page you were attempting to load) and does not know why it failed. It’s kind of a generic term that covers a wide variety of server mishaps.

How do you fix it?

Well, funny thing about this error… seeing as how it occurs on the server of the web site you are trying to access, you can’t personally fix it. You can, however, try a couple of things that sometimes magically work, usually by giving the server another chance to load your page request.

1. First reload. Try the refresh button and if that doesn’t work try reloading it from the URL bar or the search engine results if that’s how you found the page in the first place.
2. Leave and come back. In much the same way that heading to the restroom in a restaurant will make your food appear on the table, by leaving the web site and trying back later the server error may have resolved itself.
3. Try contacting the site’s web master and letting him or her know that you are receiving a server error from the site.


HTTP Error 403 Access Denied/Forbidden

What is HTTP Error 403?

This error appears when you attempt to access a web site or page without proper permission. In this case, the server recognizes that you are making a request, but is refusing your request. Most often it means the directory you are trying to browse has its browsing permissions turned off. Your access to it has been denied and/or forbidden.

How do you fix it?

As with HTTP Error 500, the issue will likely reside with the host server so your options are limited.  But as before, there are some things you can try to re-state your page request or even bypass whatever's blocking your access.

1. Double check that you typed the URL correctly.
2. Try adding a different extension on the end of the URL. Instead of .html try ones like: .php or .asp etc.
3. If you can get to the homepage of the site, try to find a search function or a site map that will direct you to the page you are attempting to access.
4. Do a Google search that starts with “site: (insert URL).” The search results will be all of the pages belonging to that domain. Just click on “More results from…” under the first few listings for the URL.

Clearing your Internet Cache

Even though these errors aren't the fault of you or your computer, they're no less frustrating.  In general, the problems that cause error 500 or 403 are caused by problems directly on the server or by something down the line, even your ISP.  Rarely though, something in your Internet cache can be triggering a bad reaction on given web pages.  The cache is what your Web Browser uses to hold copies of pages you've visited, including images, addresses and - yes - permissions.  It holds these pages so that, if you visit them again, you can open the page much faster.  If you can't access a certain page, it's always worth while to try clearing your Browser Cache and then trying again.

Cleaning out the Cache

To clear your cache, just open your browser and click CTRL+SHIFT+DELETE.  This key combination opens up a cleaning window in all three Browsers:  Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.  In this window, you'll have check boxes that correspond to different things your Browser saves.

Check what you want to remove and click the button that says Remove, Clean or Clear.  Deleting any of this information is safe - it doesn't affect items like your bookmarks or favorites.  It will, however, erase the ties to sites that normally recognize you and automatically fill in your Usernames and Passwords.  When you visit them again, you'll have to fill in the data from scratch, but when you do then it will be re-added to the cache.

This is why cleaning out your temporary Internet files is treated as a last resort.  It sometimes works, especially when it re-sets permissions for certain pages, but then everything's a blank slate.  On the plus side, cleaning out your temporary data can often help to protect your privacy and security, because it clears out any small tracking devices (like some malicious cookies) that could be used to profile your web activity.