The 503 Service Unavailable error is common to all operating systems and web browsers. It can even appear on mobile phones and console-based web browsers. The error occurs while browsing the web or using a web-based application and the website server is unable to load the content at the time. Find out what a 503 service unavailable error is and how to fix it
Try these simple solutions to fix this error message.
What is a 503 Service Unavailable Error and How to Fix It
How to fix service unavailable error code 503
When you see a status code like 503 Service Unavailable, your first instinct may be to wonder what you did wrong, but remember that this message only appears in response to a server-side error. While your options are often limited, you can still do a few things.
Refresh the page
The 503 Service Unavailable error message usually indicates a temporary problem. Sometimes all it takes to clear the error code is pressing F5 either CTRL + R to refresh the web page. Reload the site and see if you get access. However, it could also make the problem worse, especially on pages flooded with an unexpected influx of users.
Note: If you receive this error in the last step of the checkout process, repeatedly refreshing the page could result in multiple transactions and charges to your credit card.
Reboot your modem and router
In most cases, the web server is responsible for the error. However, if you see 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable, the problem could be within the DNS server settings within your router. An incorrect code or a glitch can cause the website to refuse to load.
Restart your modem and router and once they are back on, try the website or program again. Rebooting these two devices “flushes” their temporary code cache, which is usually the cause of the problem.
Come back later
Sometimes the best option is to wait, especially if a website suffers from a DDOS attack. It is short for Distributed Denial of Service and means that the website is overloaded with traffic. In most cases, DDOS attacks are malicious, but sometimes a small website can receive more traffic than normal (such as landing on the Reddit homepage) and experience a temporary outage as a result.
If the site is down because traffic has destroyed its available bandwidth, refreshing the page will only make the problem worse. Wait ten minutes and try again. If you are not sure if the website is down due to traffic, consider using a website like
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contact website
Contact the website or hosting provider if none of your troubleshooting attempts worked. The problem may be within WordPress or due to a faulty plugin that requires owner intervention.
If you’re not sure who to contact, go to .
- Enter the URL or domain name in the search bar and select Search.
- The next page will display the name, registration ID, domain status, nameservers, etc. If available, you can scroll down the page and see the owner, their contact information, etc. In many cases, this information is removed for privacy reasons.
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How to fix HTTP 503 error on your website
Since the HTTP 503 error is usually a server error, you are responsible for correcting it on your website. You may see a drop in traffic to your website as no one can access it.
Try one of these solutions.
Restart your server
Just as restarting your router works as an end user, restarting your server can restore access to your website for viewers. You can restart the server by accessing your web hosting administration page. It usually takes several minutes for a server to reboot.
Look for automatic maintenance
If you use a third party for web hosting (as most people do), automatic maintenance can sometimes cause 503 errors. This maintenance tends to take only a few minutes, but it can cause your page to crash. Keep an eye on maintenance schedules to know when your website might be down.
When WordPress updates, it throws an HTTP 503 error.
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Check your firewall configuration settings
If you have not properly configured your server’s firewall, you can misinterpret a series of related IP addresses as a DDOS attack. Again, determining exactly how to configure your firewall depends on several factors, including your management systems and service provider, so it’s impossible to provide a definitive step-by-step process here.
If you suspect your firewall is to blame, look at the server-side logs. If you can’t discern the information there, contact your hosting provider’s customer service for help. On-call customer service teams can help debug your site and determine if a faulty firewall is causing the problem or if it’s something else.
Website error codes have different meanings depending on their first digit. For example, any code beginning with 5 indicates a server-side error, while any code beginning with 4 (such as the infamous 403 forbidden error) indicates a client-side error. While there isn’t always much you can do to fix a server error, it’s good to know your options.
We hope we have helped you with this guide on What is a 503 Service Unavailable Error and how to fix it.
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