Website owners searching how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs are usually dealing with a situation where pages exist, content is intact, and links appear normal, yet access is silently blocked. These errors often surface during audits and are easy to ignore until rankings or crawl activity begin to drop. A 403 error is not a visual issue for users alone. It is a technical barrier that directly affects how search engines interpret your website.
Understanding how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs requires more than removing an error flag. It involves diagnosing server behavior, permission logic, and access control mechanisms that influence crawlability. When handled correctly, these fixes restore trust, improve indexing, and stabilize long-term SEO performance.
What a 403 Error Means in Technical and SEO Terms?
A 403 error occurs when the server understands a request but refuses to provide access to the requested resource. The page is not missing, and the server is functioning normally. The refusal happens because access rules deny permission.
From an SEO standpoint, this is critical because search engines interpret repeated 403 responses as restricted content. Over time, crawlers may reduce visit frequency or drop affected URLs from the index. This is why learning how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs is essential for protecting organic visibility.
Why 403 Errors Appear in Ahrefs Site Audit Reports?
Ahrefs uses a crawler that simulates how search engines access websites. When this crawler encounters restricted access, it records the response exactly as the server returns it. Ahrefs does not create errors. It only reports them.
403 errors usually appear due to permission misconfigurations, authentication requirements, firewall rules, or incorrect rewrite logic. Identifying the reason behind the restriction is the first technical step in how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs effectively.
How Ahrefs Detects and Groups 403 Errors?
Ahrefs organizes crawl results by HTTP status codes. All client-side issues fall under the 4xx category. The 403 errors are separated so site owners can review access-related problems without confusion.
This grouping makes pattern detection easier. If multiple URLs under the same directory return 403 errors, the issue is likely structural. Pattern recognition reduces manual work and improves accuracy when applying fixes.
How to Fix 403 Errors Viewed From Ahrefs: Step-by-Step Process
Before fixing any issue, the site must be audited correctly. Ahrefs Site Audit provides a structured crawl that captures all accessible and restricted URLs. Follow these steps carefully:
- Log in to your Ahrefs account
- Select Site Audit from the main navigation
- Click New Project if no audit exists
- Enter your website URL and project name
- Choose manual setup or import Search Console data
- Skip optional steps if no external data is available
- Enable Run first crawl now
- Set a crawl frequency, such as weekly
- Start the crawl and allow it to complete
This setup ensures that all 403 responses are detected accurately, which is fundamental to how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs without missing critical URLs.
How to Locate 403 Errors After the Audit Is Complete?
Once the crawl finishes, Ahrefs organizes findings into clear sections. The 403 errors are visible under HTTP status reports. Use the following steps:
- Open your Site Audit project
- Navigate to HTTP status codes distribution
- Click Client Errors (4xx)
- Review the list of affected URLs
- Identify those returning a 403 status
This list becomes the working document for resolving access problems.
Exporting and Reviewing 403 Error Data Effectively
When many URLs are affected, exporting the data allows deeper analysis and smarter prioritization. Ahrefs provides export functionality for this purpose. Before reviewing the table, understand that grouping errors prevents repetitive fixes and reveals structural issues. Steps to export and review data:
- Open the 4xx error report
- Click the Export option
- Download the file as CSV
- Filter results to show only 403 errors
- Group URLs by directory or page type
| Data Point | Why It Matters? |
| URL path | Reveals affected site sections |
| Status code | Confirms access restriction |
| Crawl depth | Indicates page importance |
| Internal links | Shows SEO impact |
Common Technical Causes Behind 403 Errors
403 errors are rarely random. They usually stem from server-side configuration issues rather than content problems. Identifying the root cause avoids unnecessary changes. The most common causes include:
- Incorrect file or directory permissions
- Authentication or authorization rules
- Firewall or IP blocking restrictions
- Faulty rewrite or redirect configurations
- Incorrect file or folder ownership
Correct diagnosis is the most important step in how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs efficiently.
Fixing File Permission Issues Correctly
File permissions determine who can read or execute files and directories. If permissions are too restrictive, servers block access and return 403 errors. Before reviewing the table, note that permission changes should only apply to public resources.
Steps to fix permission issues:
- Access your hosting control panel or server
- Locate affected files and directories
- Review current permission settings
- Allow read access for public files
- Allow traversal for public directories
- Save changes and test access
Reviewing Authentication and Authorization Settings
Authentication protects private areas, but misconfigured rules can block public pages unintentionally. This often happens after site migrations or plugin updates. Steps to review authentication rules:
- Check password protection settings
- Review CMS access controls
- Inspect server authentication files
- Identify pages meant for public access
- Remove restrictions from public pages
- Retain protection for private sections
This step ensures how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs does not weaken security.
Checking Firewall and IP Blocking Rules
Security tools sometimes block legitimate crawlers, including search engines. This results in widespread 403 errors across multiple URLs.
Steps to review firewall rules:
- Access firewall or hosting security settings
- Review blocked IP lists
- Identify trusted crawler IP ranges
- Remove unnecessary restrictions
- Save changes and re-test URLs
If many pages return 403 errors simultaneously, firewall rules are often responsible.
Inspecting URL Rewrite and Redirect Logic
Rewrite rules control how URLs are processed. Incorrect rules can redirect requests into protected directories, triggering 403 responses. Steps to inspect rewrite rules:
- Review rewrite configuration files
- Identify rules affecting blocked URLs
- Check redirect destinations
- Ensure URLs do not point to restricted paths
- Update rules and test affected pages
This step is crucial for sites using complex routing systems.
Prioritizing Which 403 Errors to Fix First?
While fixing how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs, it is important to remember that not all errors impact SEO equally. Some pages play a much bigger role in traffic, crawl flow, and rankings. Addressing these first helps recover performance faster.
Start with high-traffic landing pages, as blocking them directly affects users and organic visibility. Next, focus on indexed blog posts that already rank or receive impressions. Category and navigation URLs should follow, since they help search engines discover and understand site structure. Pages with strong internal linking also deserve priority because they pass authority across the site.
By fixing these high-value pages first, how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs becomes easier to manage and delivers quicker SEO results, even on large websites.
Re-Crawling and Monitoring After Fixes
Verification confirms whether fixes worked. Re-running the Site Audit ensures access has been restored. Steps to confirm fixes:
- Restart the Site Audit crawl
- Allow the crawl to complete
- Compare new results with previous reports
- Confirm reduction or removal of 403 errors
Regular monitoring prevents issues from returning unnoticed.
Conclusion
Understanding how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs is essential for maintaining a technically sound and search-friendly website. These errors signal blocked access rather than missing content. By auditing correctly, exporting and analyzing data, identifying root causes, and applying structured fixes, you restore proper access and protect long-term SEO performance.
When handled consistently, how to fix 403 errors viewed from Ahrefs becomes part of routine technical maintenance rather than a ranking risk. Regular audits, careful server configuration, and ongoing monitoring ensure your site remains accessible, crawlable, and trusted by search engines.
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