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Troubleshooting 429 Too Many Requests Error

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The 429 "Too Many Requests" error is an HTTP status code that signifies a user or system has sent more requests than allowed within a specified timeframe. This rate limiting can apply to both website users and automated systems, such as bots.

Rate limiting is essential for internet security, as DoS attacks can overwhelm a server with unlimited API requests. Rate limiting also aids in making your API scalable.

When you encounter a 429 error as a website user, it typically means you have made too many requests or actions in a short period. This situation can arise from:

  • Rapidly Refreshing a Webpage: Continuously reloading a webpage within a short time frame can trigger the rate limit, resulting in a 429 error.
  • Submitting Multiple Form Requests: Quickly filling out and submitting multiple forms can lead to exceeding the allowed number of requests.
  • High-Frequency Resource Access: Frequently accessing or requesting resources from the server in a short period can breach the rate limits.
  • Automated Scripts and Bots: Web crawlers, data scrapers, or other automated scripts that perform bulk operations or fetch large amounts of data rapidly can also trigger a 429 error. These tools often send a high number of requests within a short period, leading to rate limit breaches.

Bots and Automated Script, such as web crawlers, data scrapers, or other bots, can also trigger a 429 error if they exceed the allowed number of API requests within a short timeframe. This is especially relevant for scripts that perform bulk operations or fetch large amounts of data rapidly.

Important:

If you encounter the 429 Too Many Requests error when using crawling tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush, contact 10Web support team and we will change the Rate Limitation for the required tool.

Fixing 429 Too Many Requests error

Step 1: Wait and Retry

The first step in resolving the HTTP 429 error is to acknowledge that it often occurs due to sending too many requests in a short time. In such cases, the simplest solution is to wait for some time and then attempt the request again. This temporary pause allows the system to reset, and often, retrying the action after waiting will resolve the issue without further intervention. 

Step 2: Check for WordPress plugin and theme conflicts

To check if a specific plugin or theme is causing the problem, you can temporarily deactivate them.

Case 1: If you have access to WordPress Dashboard

  1. Head to the Plugins section of your WordPress Dashboard. 
  2. Choose all your plugins using the checkmark. 
  3. Choose Deactivate from the dropdown menu of Bulk Actions. 
  4. Click Apply. 
  5. If the issue is solved, enable your plugins back one by one to find the exact plugin causing the issue.

Case 2: If you don’t have access to WordPress Dashboard

  1. Use SFTP to connect to your website files.
  2. Double click on the web > wp-live folder to locate the plugins folder.
  3. Right-click on the folder and rename it.  
  4. Try to access your website. If the error is resolved, it indicates that one or more of your active plugins are either corrupted or outdated. 
  5. Rename the folder back to plugins and troubleshoot each plugin individually by checking their folders.

Step 3: Restore backup

If you are still facing the issue, restoring your website from a previous backup might be the solution. 10Web offers automated backups that can be restored through your 10Web Dashboard. To restore a backup: 

  1. Go to 10Web Dashboard menu and navigate to the Backups section.
  2. Select the backup you wish to restore from the list.
  3. Navigate to the Restore button.
  4. Confirm the restoration in the same environment it was created. 

Note:

Always ensure you’re restoring from a recent backup to avoid losing valuable data.

Step 4: Contact customer care

If the previous steps didn’t resolve the issue, you can contact customer care via our 24/7 live chat. Our team is available around the clock to assist you with persistent HTTP 429 errors. We can review your usage patterns and, if necessary, adjust your rate limit to better suit your needs, ensuring your activities are supported without disruption.

Conclusion

The HTTP 429 error is a client-side issue triggered when the server receives an overwhelming number of requests. If not addressed promptly, this error can hinder the functionality of third-party APIs and block search engines from properly crawling your website. Therefore, it’s essential to resolve the 429 Too Many Requests error swiftly to maintain optimal website performance and functionality.

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