How to Fix the Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue in Google Search Console

Seeing the Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue error in Google Search Console? This common SEO problem prevents Google from crawling your pages. This can hurt your rankings. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to find and fix these errors to improve your site’s visibility.

Watch our step-by-step video tutorial:

 

What is a Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue?

A Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue in Google Search Console means Googlebot can’t crawl your pages. This occurs because of client-side errors that aren’t 404 or 410 errors. These errors block Google from crawling and indexing your content.

The 4xx family of status codes point to client errors, not server errors. With these errors, the problem stems from the request itself. When Googlebot tries to access your pages and gets a 4xx response, it marks those pages as blocked.

This impacts your SEO because pages Google can’t crawl won’t appear in the SERPs. Even high-quality content becomes invisible.

Common Causes of Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues

Every SEO professional encounters these errors. Understanding the specific error code helps you fix the problem faster.

403 Forbidden Error

This error appears when a server refuses to respond to Googlebot. Your server might restrict access to certain pages or block crawlers.

A 403 error often happens because of:

• Security plugins that block bots
• Server configurations that limit access
• Content protection measures
• IP address restrictions

For example, some WordPress security plugins can be the cause. They can block unusual access patterns, which can include Googlebot.

401 Unauthorized Error

This error shows up when a page needs login details to access. Googlebot cannot enter passwords, so it cannot crawl protected content.

Common causes include:

• Member-only content areas
• Password-protected pages
• Login-required resources
• Authentication barriers

If you have a membership site or content behind a paywall, this can impact you.

422 Unprocessable Entity

This error means the server understands the request but cannot process it. The server recognizes what Googlebot wants but cannot fulfill the request.

This happens when:

• Form submissions lack required fields
• Request syntax is correct but semantically wrong
• Server can’t follow the contained instructions
• API endpoints receive incomplete data

This error is less common but still creates crawling issues.

429 Too Many Requests

This error happens when Googlebot makes too many requests in a short time. Shared hosting platforms often set these limits to manage server load.

Rate limiting occurs due to:

• Budget hosting with strict resource limits
• DDoS protection measures
• Server-side request throttling
• Traffic management systems

Large sites on small hosting plans frequently face this issue during crawl attempts.

Other 4xx Status Codes

Besides these main types, you might encounter:

• 405 Method Not Allowed (when the HTTP method is wrong)
• 407 Proxy Authentication Required
• 408 Request Timeout
• 413 Payload Too Large
• 414 URI Too Long
• 415 Unsupported Media Type

Each indicates a different client-side problem blocking Googlebot.

How to Find Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues in Google Search Console

Finding affected URLs takes a few simple steps:

Open your Google Search Console dashboard

Click “Pages” under the “Indexing” section in the left menu.

Scroll down to find the “Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue” section.

Click on this section to see all affected URLs.

Step-by-Step Fix for Blocked Due to 4xx Issues

Fixing these issues requires a systematic approach. Follow these steps to restore proper crawling access.

Identify the Specific Error

Check each URL with browser tools or SEO crawlers like ScreamingFrog. Make a list of URLs and their status codes.

You can use these methods:

• Visit each URL in Chrome Developer Tools (Network tab)
• Run a site crawl with technical SEO software
• Use online HTTP status code checkers
• Check server logs for Googlebot access attempts

Create a spreadsheet that maps each URL to its specific error code for easier tracking.

Fixed Based on Error Type

Different error codes need different solutions. Here’s how to address each type:

For 401 Errors and 403 Errors:

• Check server permissions in your .htaccess file
• Review robots.txt to ensure you’re not blocking Googlebot
• Disable security plugins temporarily to test if they cause the issue
• Check if your CDN blocks bot access
• Ensure your web application firewall allows search engines
• Verify IP whitelisting doesn’t exclude Google’s IP ranges

Many hosting control panels have security settings that might block crawlers. Look for bot protection features and make exceptions for Googlebot.

For 422 Errors:

• Check for form validation issues
• Review API requirements for affected endpoints
• Fix any data formatting problems
• Update server-side validation rules

These errors often need developer input to resolve.

For 429 Errors:

• Adjust rate-limiting settings in your server configuration
• Analyze server logs to see how often Googlebot visits
• Upgrade hosting if you consistently hit resource limits
• Put in place crawl rate settings in Google Search Console
• Optimize your site structure to reduce unnecessary crawling
• Add more server resources during peak crawl times

For WordPress sites, try caching plugins. This can help reduce server load and prevent rate limiting.

Test Your Fixes

Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to check if Googlebot can now access your pages.

Submit URLs for Re-Indexing

Once fixed, submit URLs for re-indexing. Remember that Google limits this to 10 URLs per day. For more URLs, make sure they’re in your sitemap.

Focus on high-value pages for manual submission:

• Important landing pages
• Product pages with high conversion rates
• New content that needs immediate indexing
• Pages with significant backlinks

For bulk reindexing, these methods help:

• Update your XML sitemap with fresh timestamps
• Create a new sitemap section for fixed URLs
• Use the sitemap index file to highlight changes
• Add internal links to fixed pages from high-crawl areas

Track Results

Keep an eye on your Page Indexing Report to see if the number of blocked pages decreases.

Set up a monitoring system:

• Create a weekly schedule to check GSC reports
• Set up email alerts for new crawl errors
• Track fixed URLs to ensure they stay accessible
• Track server logs for recurring patterns

Log and document all fixes for future reference. This creates an error resolution playbook for your site.

Why Fixing Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues Matters

Fixing these issues helps Google crawl and index your site. This impacts your search rankings and visibility. When Google can access all your content, it can rank your pages for relevant searches.

The SEO benefits include:

• More pages in Google’s index
• Better crawl budget usage
• More accurate site representation in search
• Improved ranking potential
• Higher organic traffic
• Better user experience metrics

Sites with clean crawl paths often outperform competitors with similar content. Technical SEO forms the foundation of organic success.

Prevent Future Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues

After fixing current issues, put in place these preventive measures:

• Set up regular crawl monitoring
• Test security configurations before deployment
• Create a pre-launch SEO checklist
• Implement proper staging environments
• Document server configurations that work
• Train team members on basic technical SEO

Proactive monitoring catches new issues before they impact your rankings.

Take Action on Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues

Fixing Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issues is vital. It will help improve your site’s visibility in search results. The process takes time but delivers lasting SEO benefits.

Here is the process:

1. Find affected URLs
2. Determine the specific error codes
3. Apply the right fixes
4. Test your solutions
5. Submit fixed pages for reindexing

Better crawling means better indexing, which leads to improved search performance. Take time to fix these issues to help your site reach its full potential in search results.

Want to use Google Search Console data to improve your SEO? Try SEOTesting with our 14-day free trial – no credit card needed. Our platform helps you identify quick wins and track progress after implementing technical fixes like these.