A "403 Forbidden" error means the server is refusing to show the page. Here's how to work out why.
Common Causes
No Home Page
If there's no index.html or index.php in the folder, visitors may see a 403. Make sure your home page file is directly inside public_html and named correctly. See How to Upload Your Website Files.
Wrong Permissions
Files should be 644 and folders 755. A folder set to 700 or a file set to 600 will be blocked. Fix them in File Manager by right-clicking and choosing Change Permissions.
Blocked by .htaccess
A rule in your .htaccess file might be blocking access. Try renaming .htaccess to .htaccess-old in File Manager and reloading the page.
Your IP Address Is Blocked
- Check IP Blocker in cPanel in case your own address was added by mistake. See How to Block an IP Address
- If you or someone in your office entered the wrong password many times, our firewall may have blocked your connection for a while. Try from your phone using mobile data. If it works there, contact us with your IP address (find it at whatismyip.com) and we'll unblock it
Password-Protected Folder
If the folder uses Directory Privacy and the login is cancelled, you'll see a 403. See How to Password-Protect a Folder.
Hotlink Protection
If images show a 403 on other websites, Hotlink Protection is working as intended. See How to Stop Other Sites Using Your Images.
