It might be annoying to see an error notice when web browsing. The most frequent HTTP status codes are 403 Forbidden and 401 Unauthorized. Despite their apparent similarities, they have diverse origins, solutions, and functions.

In this guide, we’ll break down these two error codes, explain why they occur, and provide actionable solutions to resolve them.

HTTP status codes are three-digit numbers that indicate the response of a web server to a client’s request. These codes help users and developers understand whether a request was successful or if there was an issue.

Common Categories of HTTP Response Codes

HTTP response codes are grouped into five main categories:

• 1xx (Informational): The request has been received and is being processed.
• 2xx (Success): The request was successful.
• 3xx (Redirection): Further action is needed to complete the request.
• 4xx (Client Errors): The request contains an error (e.g., incorrect credentials, lack of permission).
• 5xx (Server Errors): The server failed to fulfill the request.

The 401 and 403 errors fall under the 4xx category, meaning they are client-related errors.

What is a 401 Error?

A 401 Unauthorized error means that the server rejected the request because it requires authentication, but the client either failed to provide credentials or provided incorrect ones.

Causes of a 401 Error

• Missing authentication credentials
• Incorrect username or password
• Expired session or token
• IP restrictions on the server
• Incorrect API keys (for API requests)

How to Fix a 401 Error

• Check login credentials: Ensure you enter the correct username and password.
• Clear browser cookies and cache: Old session data may cause authentication failures.
• Refresh authentication tokens: If accessing an API, ensure your token is valid.
• Verify website permissions: Some websites require specific permissions to access certain content.

What is a 403 Error?

A 403 Forbidden error occurs when the server understands the request but refuses to authorize it. This usually happens due to permission restrictions on the server.

Causes of a 403 Error

• Insufficient user permissions
• Blocked IP address
• Directory listing disabled
• Security settings preventing access

How to Fix a 403 Error

• Check file permissions: Ensure the correct read/write permissions are set.
• Modify .htaccess file: If misconfigured, this file can block access.
• Disable security plugins: Some security settings might restrict access.
• Contact the website admin: If you suspect an IP block, reach out to the website administrator.

How To Monitor 401 And 403 HTTP Errors On Your Website

You need to actively monitor 401 vs. 403 errors in order to keep them under control. With the help of tools like Google Search Console and SE Ranking’s Website SEO Audit tool, this is rather simple to do. Log files can also be analyzed. Read more about this below.

Identifying 401 And 403 Error Codes With Google Search Console

By offering a comprehensive report on crawl errors, Google Search Console assists you in discovering problems associated with 401 and 403 HTTP response codes. These errors show when specific pages on your website are difficult for Googlebot to reach.

In the Google Search Console, choose the Pages tab under the Indexing report to identify problems with 401 and 403 status codes. To view the list of causes, scroll down to the section under “Why pages aren’t indexed.” You will notice Blocked due to unlawful request (401) or Blocked due to access restricted (403), depending on whether your website has blocked pages.

You may also see the Crawl metrics report by going to Settings. Scroll down to the By response section, and check for Unauthorized (401/407) and Other client error (4XX).

Identifying 401 And 403 Error Codes With The Website Audit Tool

The Website Audit tool from SE Ranking makes it easy to distinguish between unauthorized and prohibited status codes. Technical audits are useful for determining the general health of your website. Among many other things, it may identify redirect difficulties, page indexing issues, and HTTP failures.

To find 401 and 403 HTTP issues, use SE Ranking to start a website check. The tool is offered as a standalone solution as well as a project. After the study is finished, navigate to the Website Audit tool’s Issue report. 

Proceed to the HTTP Status Code section and check all the 4xx-related issues, including:

• 4XX pages in XML sitemap
• 4XX HTTP Status Codes
• Canonical URLs with a 4XX Status Code
• External links to 4XX, etc.

To get a description of the issue along with solutions, click on it.

Additionally, you can use filters to sort pages by 4xx status code and view all of the pages on your website that were discovered by SE Ranking using the Crawled Pages report. pick the error of interest, click on Filters, pick HTTP Status Code under Issues, and then apply filters.

Use the Crawl Comparison to examine how the issue with 4xx HTTP failures has evolved over time if you’ve performed many website inspections. 

Identifying 401 And 403 Error Codes With Log File Analysis

Web servers produce log files that include important facts about each request sent to the server, including the status codes that were returned.

The following procedures outline how to use log file analysis to monitor HTTP errors: 

• Obtaining access logs: Get your web server’s access logs. Every request sent to the server and the response codes received are documented in detail in these logs.
• Using the status code to filter: Filter log entries for HTTP status codes 403 and 401 using a script or log analysis tool.
• Analysis of timestamps: To find out when the mistakes happened and learn more about possible problems, go over the timestamps linked to each entry.
• Analysis of IP addresses and user agents: Examine the user agents and IP addresses connected to the queries that produced 403 or 401 failures. This aids in determining the origins of the access attempts and determining if they are coming from bots, actual users, or other security risks.
• URLs and referrers: To determine which pages or resources caused the 401 or 403 problems, examine the URLs and referrers in the log entries. This identifies where access problems are.
• User Authentication Insights (401): Look for information about user authentication failures in the log entries for 401 errors. Keep an eye out for trends like unsuccessful login attempts, inaccurate login information, or expired sessions. 
• Forbidden Access Insights (403): Examine the log entries for 403 errors to find out why access was blocked. Examine any configurations that could be limiting access to certain resources, such as directory permissions or access restrictions.

Key Differences Between 401 and 403 Errors

Access vs. Authentication Issues

• 401 Error: Indicates missing or incorrect authentication credentials.
• 403 Error: Indicates that authentication was successful, but access is restricted.

Server and Client Perspectives

• 401 Unauthorized: The server requests proper credentials.
• 403 Forbidden: The server rejects access even with credentials.

How 401 And 403 Status Codes Can Impact SEO

SEO problems such as 401 and 403 HTTP failures might lead to erroneous or incomplete indexing. They can also raise bounce rates and worsen user experience and engagement. Let’s examine these status codes’ effects on SEO outcomes in more detail.

Search engines can’t index pages

Search engines cannot crawl or index pages that produce these HTTP errors because they both signal access denial. If such pages weren’t intended for public access, that’s OK. However, they won’t show up in search results if that was your intention. This implies a decrease in the overall visibility of your website.

Crawl budget is wasted on restricted pages

Search engine bots use crawl resources to try to retrieve content that they can’t ultimately display in search results when pages return 401 or 403 HTTP status codes. Because it stops other crucial sites or fresh information from being crawled as often or completely, this affects the crawling process’s overall efficiency.

Users get frustrated and leave your pages quickly

The consumer experiences annoyance and a bad overall experience when they encounter these mistakes. Reduced time spent on the website, poorer engagement metrics, and increased bounce rates are all seen. 

Rankings may drop over time

Search engine ranking declines may stem from a combination of blocked indexing, squandered crawl money, and poor user experience. 

Troubleshooting and Preventing These Errors

Steps to Resolve a 401 Error

1. Double-check login credentials.
2. Clear browser cache and cookies.
3. Refresh authentication tokens.
4. Ensure correct API keys for API requests.

Steps to Resolve a 403 Error

1. Verify file and directory permissions.
2. Check server configuration files.
3. Contact the website administrator.

Best Practices for Preventing Authentication and Access Errors

• Make use of safe authentication techniques such as OAuth.
• Maintain and update user permissions on a regular basis.
• For security reasons, keep an eye on and record access requests.
• Update server configuration files to avoid unintentional limitations.

Conclusion

Although they have different causes, 401 Unauthorized and 403 Forbidden errors can both interfere with your surfing experience. A 403 error indicates that you are not permitted to access the resource, but a 401 error indicates that you require appropriate authentication.

You can rapidly fix the majority of problems and prevent more disruptions by being aware of these mistakes and following the troubleshooting methods.