WordPress 429 Too Many Requests Error + 13 Effective Ways

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Are you getting the irritating 429 Too Many Requests error on your WordPress site? Many searches frequently generate this problem and it might be difficult to diagnose. It might be a major headache for website owners too, but it does not have to be. In this blog post, we'll look at the basic causes of the 429 error in WordPress and then offer simple and practical solutions for fixing the problem. So stick with us to the finish to resolve the WordPress 429 too many requests error.

What Is the HTTP 429 Too Many Requests Error?

The error codes between the range of 400 to 499 indicate problems with the client side. This means an issue with the request submitted by the browser or application initiating the communication.

The 429 error code shows that the sent requests are being exceeded the server's capacity to handle them. Actually, in simple language, this means you've asked the website to do too much too quickly. In this situation, the website can`t handle all of these requests. Encountering 429 error in WordPress indicates the website or application server has blocked access temporarily because of many requests. You may ask why this happens. So, this mechanism or rate limiting will safeguard the server from overload and misuse.

Why Am I Getting a 429 error in WordPress? (Common causes)

As we mentioned before, sometimes a user, bot, or script makes too many requests in a very short time. This is the main reason for WordPress 429 too many requests error to prevent the risks of attacks known as DDOS attacks. If we want to mention the causes of ‘too many requests error’ in detail, we will point at:

Plugins and code issues: Your website may be performing slowly because of poorly developed plugins or custom code. This can cause your website to crash, displaying the 429 error.
Too many requests to other websites: If your website communicates with other websites too frequently, it may become banned and display the 429 error. This is because those websites can only handle a limited amount of requests.
Attackers are overloading your website: Bad people (hackers) may attempt to crash your website by sending too much traffic at once. This is known as a DDoS attack, and it can result in the 429 error as a safeguard.
Limitations on other websites: If your website uses products or services from other firms, they may limit how frequently you can use them. If you go over this limit, you'll see the 429 error.

Methods to Fix the WordPress 429 Error

We know that too many requests error can be bothering, but don't be frightened! There are various solutions you can use to troubleshoot this error. We are here to assist you through several solutions. Use the following methods to navigate to the technique that best fits your needs.

1- Clear Your Browser Cache

A common cause of ‘too many requests error’ is outdated information in your browser. All you need to do for fixing this issue is clearing your browser`s cache. This action causes your browser to refresh fresh material from the webpage. Do the following simple steps to clear your browser`s cache:

Go to your browser's options.
Locate the privacy or security settings.
Look for options to erase your cache, cookies, and browsing history.

Note: If you clear your browser`s cache, you may be logged out of websites. So, you`ll need to log in again.

2- Is a Plugin Causing the Problem? Find and deactivate it

The 429 error is frequently caused by a faulty plugin. Some plugins can overburden your website with requests, causing this error. If you think a plugin causes this problem, you should find and deactivate it. How to check your plugins:

Deactivate all plugins: Go to your WordPress dashboard, select "Plugins," and then "Installed Plugins." Select all plugins and then select "Deactivate" from the bulk actions option.

Test your website: Check your website to see whether the 429 error is gone. If this is the case, the problem was caused by a plugin.
Reactivate the plugins one by one: Turn on your plugins one by one, inspecting your website each time. This will help you locate the problematic plugin.
Fix the issue: Once you've identified the offender, you can either replace it with another plugin or contact the plugin's developer for

3- Is Your Theme Causing the Problem?

Some WordPress themes offer built-in capabilities that can function as plugins. These characteristics may be producing the 429 error. Let's try your theme. First, switch to the default theme. In your WordPress dashboard, select "Appearance" and then "Themes". Activate one of the default themes, such as Twenty Twenty-One. Check your webpage again. See if the 429 problem has been resolved. If this is the case, the issue was with your theme. If switching themes resolves the issue, you can hunt for a new theme or contact the developer of your existing theme for assistance.

4- Protect Your Login with a Custom URL

Do you think your website is under attack? So, in this situation, you should change your WordPress login URL as the hackers and bad guys often try to guess the standard login pages (like /wp-admin). To change the WordPress login URL, follow these steps:

Install a plugin: Use the WPS Hide Login plugin to create a custom login address.
Set a new login URL: Go to "Settings" -> "WPS Hide Login" and enter your desired login address.
Save changes: Click "Save Changes" to activate the new login URL.

Note: Keep your new login URL secret. Don’t tell anyone!

5- Check for Mixed Content Issues

A "WordPress 429 Too Many Requests Error" could be related to something called mixed content. This occurs when your website uses HTTPS (secure) yet loads some content, such as images or links, via HTTP (insecure). Your website's security plugin may identify mixed material as a potential danger. To secure your website, it may limit the number of requests. Too many individuals visiting pages with mixed content can cause the 429 error. To address this, check for and resolve any mixed content concerns on your website. Because of the browser`s security restrictions, you can`t directly check for mixed content issues. You should do it manually using the following steps:

Open your website in a Chrome browser.
Click the lock icon in the address bar.
If you see 'Secure' or 'Connection secure,' your website uses HTTPS correctly.
. If you see a warning about 'Not secure' content, you have mixed content issues.
To fix mixed content, ensure all resources (images, scripts, etc.) are loaded using HTTPS.
You can consult a developer or a WordPress security plugin for further assistance.

We have some suggestions for fixing mixed content:

Use your browser's developer tools to identify which resources are loading over HTTP.
Update the URLs of your images, scripts, and other resources to redirect HTTP to HTTPS.
If you have embedded content from other websites, make sure the embedded content is also using HTTPS.

6- Check Plugin API Usage

Some plugins require external services to function. These services have limits on how frequently you can request information. If a plugin requests too much, it may generate 429 error in WordPress. In this situation, look for clues. For more information about API usage and constraints, refer to the plugin's documentation or support pages. This can help you determine whether the plugin is causing the problem.

7- Install a WordPress Caching Plugin

You can face this error even after solving it. In this case, you may ask how can we prevent it from happening again. We suggest trying a WordPress caching plugin. These plugins preserve copies of your website's content, making it load faster for visitors. This minimizes the load on your server and may help prevent the 429 error.
Note: Always test your website after installing a new plugin to ensure that everything works properly.

8- Uncover the Problem with Debug Mode

To solve too many requests error, you can enable WordPress debug mode. This setting displays detailed information about your website's internal workings, including any problems that may be causing the issue. Here we tell you how to enable it, but before, consider the following note!

Note: Enabling debug mode may expose private and sensitive data about your website. That`s why we recommend conducting this on a staging site or briefly on your live site.

Access your wp-config.php file: This file is usually located at the root of your WordPress installation.
Open the file using a text editor.
Find the line that says define('WP_DEBUG', false);.
Change false to true so it looks like this: define('WP_DEBUG', true);.
Save the file.

Our suggestions:

Add define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false) to disable error messages on the front for improved security.
To record errors to a file, call define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true). This generates a debug.log file in the wp-content directory.
Once enabled, check your website for issues and look through the error logs for information on the 429 error.
Remember to turn off debug mode once you've completed troubleshooting.

9- Restore Your Website to a Previous State

Still don't know what's producing the WordPress 429 Too Many Requests Error? If you have a website backup from before the problem began, restoring it can be beneficial. This will restore your website's functionality and allow you to analyze the problem without disrupting your visitors' experience. Do not have a backup? It's a good idea to begin making frequent backups to protect your website from potential difficulties.

To restore your website to its prior condition, replace your current files and database with a saved backup copy. Here's how you do it simply:

Access the backup: Locate the backup files (database and website) that you want to restore.
Replace the database: Use a program like phpMyAdmin to replace your existing database with the backed-up version.
Replace the webpage files: Upload the backed-up website files to your server, replacing the old ones.

Note: This procedure might be complicated and hazardous. If you're unsure, use a backup plugin or consult an expert.

10- Check Your Hosting and Server Resources

Do you see this error in some services like Google Search Console? If yes, the problem could happen because of a lot of requests from some external sources. But what can you do in this situation? You can contact your hosting provider as they can allow more requests from external services by adjusting their settings. Also, check to see whether your website is utilizing too many resources. If your website is rapidly increasing, you may need to update your hosting package or consider switching to a different provider that can handle the extra traffic.

Note: A website that runs out of resources can slow down and even stop working altogether.

11- Optimize SSL for Better Performance

while SSL is necessary for website security, it may cause 429 error in WordPress because of the increased processing overhead it puts on your server. To successfully handle this, you can implement some strategies:

Leveraging Caching Mechanisms

Reducing server load is a good method for minimizing the risk of 429 errors. But how can we reduce server load? Actually, caching is a strong method for doing that. You should store static content such as photos, CSS files, and JavaScript in a cache. So, future requests for these assets can be provided directly from the cache, eliminating the need to regenerate them for each visitor. This greatly minimizes the number of requests to your server.

Enabling HTTP/2

Transitioning to HTTP/2, a more efficient protocol than HTTP/1.1, can significantly improve website performance and reduce the incidence of 429 errors. HTTP/2 includes features including header compression, multiplexing, and server push to improve data flow between the server and client. This reduced connection leads to fewer queries and faster overall website speed.

Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN is a network of servers spread across different geographical locations. A CDN distributes your website's content among many different servers, reducing the load on your core server and speeding up content delivery to users. In addition, many CDNs include SSL offloading, which transfers the SSL encryption procedure from your server to the CDN, reducing the processing strain on your server. This combined technique effectively reduces the chance of 429 mistakes, particularly during times of high traffic.

12- Check Your Server's Resources

The amount of CPU and memory that your server is using will affect your website`s performance. Yes, you`re right! The higher resource usage leads to the 429 error. If you want to check your server`s resources, follow these steps:

Log in to your cPanel.
Look for tools like "CPU Usage" or "Resource Monitor".
Check if your website is using a high percentage of available resources.

If your website consumes too many resources, consider increasing your hosting plan for extra power. Also, optimize your website to use fewer resources and reduce the use of plugins and hefty scripts.

Note: If you're unsure about optimizing your website, talk to a web professional or your hosting provider.

13- Check Your Website's Internal Links

When your website uses HTTPS (the secure version of HTTP), ensure that all links on your site also use HTTPS. Links that switch between HTTP and HTTPS (mixed content) might cause issues, such as the 429 error. First, check all pages and posts on your website open with "https://" instead of "http://". If you see any HTTP link, change it to HTTPS.

Note: You might need to use a plugin or tool to find all internal links on your website.

Conclusion

It is so bothering when facing ‘WordPress 429 Too Many Requests Error’! that`s why we should be familiar with the solutions to fix it quickly. In this blog post, we tried to mention the easiest methods for troubleshooting 429 error in WordPress. Also, we covered all the methods so you ensure it will be solved. Clearing your browser cache is a quick fix worth trying, as well as checking your server's resource usage can provide significant insights into potential performance problems. In more complicated cases, restoring your website to a previous backup or checking internal links for HTTPS problems can be beneficial. If you can`t solve this issue using these solutions, we recommend contacting your hosting provider. They will give you further assistance.

Category: WordPress