Common Website Errors: What Do 403, 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504 Mean?
When visiting a website, you might see an error message instead of the page you expected. These are called HTTP status codes, and they indicate what went wrong.
Below is a quick explanation of the most common error codes:
403 Forbidden
Meaning:
The server understood your request but refuses to allow it.
Common causes:
-
IP is blocked
-
You don’t have permission to access the file/folder
-
Server permissions are misconfigured
What to do:
-
Double-check the URL
-
Contact the website owner or hosting provider for assistance
500 Internal Server Error
Meaning:
A generic server error. Something went wrong, but the server isn’t giving specific details.
Common causes:
-
Broken scripts (PHP, etc.)
-
.htaccess file issues
-
Server misconfigurations
What to do:
-
Reload the page
-
If you’re the site owner, check your error logs or ask support
501 Not Implemented
Meaning:
The server doesn’t support the request method or functionality.
Common causes:
-
Outdated server software
-
Unsupported browser or plugin request
What to do:
-
Contact your hosting provider
-
Site owners: Review server and plugin compatibility
502 Bad Gateway
Meaning:
A server acting as a gateway received an invalid response from another server.
Common causes:
-
Hosting server is down
-
Firewall/proxy issues
-
Timeouts or DNS errors
What to do:
-
Try again later
-
Site owners: Check upstream services or server health
503 Service Unavailable
Meaning:
The server is temporarily unable to handle requests, usually due to overload or maintenance.
Common causes:
-
Traffic spikes
-
Server maintenance
-
Resource limits exceeded
What to do:
-
Wait and try again
-
Site owners: Check server load or hosting plan limits
504 Gateway Timeout
Meaning:
A gateway or proxy server didn’t get a timely response from another server.
Common causes:
-
Slow backend processing
-
DNS issues
-
Timeout misconfigurations
What to do:
-
Refresh the page
-
Site owners: Check backend services, firewall rules, and timeouts
Need Help?
If you’re a visitor, try again later or contact the website’s support.
If you’re the site owner, check your logs or contact your hosting provider for further investigation.
