HTTP Status Codes – What Do 404, 500 and Other Errors Mean?

Every visit to a website triggers a request to the server. The server responds with a status code – a three-digit number that tells you whether everything worked or something went wrong. This overview explains the most common codes and what you can do about them.

Note: Detailed guides on troubleshooting can be found in the articles in the left navigation.

2xx – Success (everything is fine)

• 200 OK: Everything is fine. The page was loaded successfully. You never see this one directly – it's the invisible normal case.

3xx – Redirection

• 301 Moved Permanently: The page has moved permanently. Browsers and search engines remember the new address.
• 302 Found / 307 Temporary Redirect: The page is temporarily elsewhere. The browser stays at the old address.

4xx – Client Errors (the visitor or their request is the problem)

• 400 Bad Request: The server doesn't understand the request – often a broken link or malformed URL.
• 401 Unauthorized: You need a password or login, but haven't entered one or entered the wrong one.
• 403 Forbidden: Access denied. The file exists, but you're not allowed to see it. Often a problem with file permissions (chmod) or a missing index file.
• 404 Not Found: The classic. The requested page or file doesn't exist – deleted, moved or was never there.
• 429 Too Many Requests: You sent too many requests in a short time. The server slows you down. Often occurs with API rate limits.

5xx – Server Errors (the server is the problem)

• 500 Internal Server Error: General server error. Something went wrong, but the server doesn't know exactly what. Most common causes: errors in .htaccess, broken PHP script or exhausted resources.
• 502 Bad Gateway: The server forwarding your request (proxy/gateway) receives an invalid response from the actual server. Often when the target server is overloaded or crashed.
• 503 Service Unavailable: The server is temporarily unreachable – usually due to maintenance or overload. Normally disappears on its own after a few minutes.
• 504 Gateway Timeout: The upstream server waited too long for a response. The actual server doesn't respond in time. Common with very slow scripts or database queries.

Quick Check: Who's at fault?

Most common causes and solutions

404 Not Found:

• Check the link – any typos?
• Was the file moved or deleted?
• Save permalinks in WordPress (Settings > Permalinks > Save Changes)

500 Internal Server Error:

• Rename .htaccess and test if the error disappears
• Check PHP version – too old or too new can cause problems
• Check error log (error_log in webspace or via customer panel)

503 Service Unavailable:

• Wait – often resolved after 1-2 minutes
• Check resources: RAM or CPU at the limit?
• Too many simultaneous visitors?

Detailed guides on troubleshooting can be found in the articles in the left navigation.

Related guides

• Set up webspace
• Change nameservers – domain won't connect
• DNS not working / propagation
• Set up SSL correctly
• SPF, DKIM & DMARC (email)
• Email with your domain
• Make website faster
• Domain & DNS hub

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