Like any regular person who uses internet regularly, opening a lot of tabs and working with different websites is a normal day to day activity. However, sometimes our flow can be disrupted by an error message like “error 503 backend fetch failed”.
If you are trying to access a website and your browser keeps showing you an error message that says “error 503 backend fetch failed”, it might be because the server of the website you are trying to reach is not responding.
Although, it might be very frustrating to not be able to access the website you need, it might not be a problem for too long! Not to worry- there are a bunch of solutions for it.
Methods To Fix Error 503 Backend Fetch Failed
Method #1: Refresh, refresh, refresh!
Before you get into the more extensive methods to fix this problem- The first thing you need to do is try refreshing the web page you are trying to access. You can do that by using your f5 key or just clicking on the refresh button on the top left of your browser.
While you might be tempted to refresh again and again until it work, be careful, if you are purchasing something- refreshing the webpage can cause you to pay for the same thing more than once.
Method #2: Try A Different Browser
If you are accessing the website with your default browser and it keeps showing an error message, try using a different browser. Sometimes a browser can have its own issues or limitations that might be causing the error to show up. Either use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to check if any of those work alternatively.
Method #3: Reboot Your Router
Sometimes the issue is not with the website itself- but maybe with your own WiFi network might be causing trouble. Faulty or slow internet connection can be your biggest enemy while trying to access some websites.
If you are still having trouble accessing the web page you might need to reboot your router. There might be some trouble with DNS server and a simple reboot of your router could be the fix you need.
- First, close all tabs and shut down your PC.
- Restart your computer.
- Unplug all cables from your Wi-Fi device and shut it off.
- Wait a few minutes and plug it all back in and turn it back on.
Method #4: Patience is Key!
Sometimes the best solution to a problem is patience. Perhaps the website is showing you the error message because the servers have been overwhelmed with the amount of web traffic or maybe there has been a temporary issue.
Try waiting a couple of hours and opening the website again and it might work just fine. Some issues need a bit of time to be fixed. Either that or your best bet is that some people stop accessing the website so you can also visit it.
This is especially a common error that shows up for when there is a famous event booking or a sale time that leads to a lot of people accessing the same website at the same time.
Method #5: Disable or Enable Plugins
If you are a website owner and have the Varnish plug in installed or not installed, it might be the reason why the website is crashing.
For those unaware of what Varnish is, it is a plugin that increases the speed of your website’s response time and well, it is very useful- it can also be the cause behind your website not working. Try enabling or disabling it to see if that fixes the problem.
Besides Varnish, if there are any plugins installed- they might the reason behind you not being able to access your website. Try disabling them and try again.
Method #6: Try a PC Cleaner Tool
It is possible that your computer might be having trouble loading some website due to cache or junk accumulated over time. The best way to fix this is to download a PC Optimizer tool that would not only clean your PC up but also optimize it perfectly so it works in the best possible shape.
Method #7: Reset Web Browser
Open your browser on your computer and go to ‘Settings’. Look for the ‘Advanced’ settings.
Once you click on it, navigate the ‘Reset Settings’ option. You should be able to see the option to Restore Settings to Default Settings. Report your current settings and click on ‘Reset Settings’. Through this, your browser will be reset to its original settings. After this, try accessing the website again- you might be able to have fixed your issue.
Method #8: Disable Ad-Blocker
It could be your Ad Blocker that is simply causing the website to display the “error 503 backend fetch failed” message. It is possible that your Ad Blocker plugin might have flagged the website and now you are unable to reach it.
Disable your Ad Blocker and try accessing the website again.
Method #9: Notify Website Admin
Your last option might be to contact the host of the website directly and communicate your issue. This might lead them to address you directly and fix the problem in order for you to access the website as soon as possible.
What If It Is Your Own Website?
Now that we have addressed all the problems that you might have while accessing a certain website- you might want to know what to do if it is your own website that you cannot access. Do not worry!
- First, you need to login as the website host and check if there are any faults in the website directory.
- Deactivate plugins, switch theme or reinstall WordPress.
- Contact the Host Provider.
- Check for any bad coding in your website. Disable the code that is causing the issue to occur.
Conclusion: Now that you have your list of solutions, one of them is bound to work.
