HTTP code guidance for Jetpack sites

This guide explains the HTTP status codes (also called error codes) you may see when Jetpack cannot connect to WordPress.com, and how to resolve each one.

Jetpack connects to WordPress.com through your site’s xmlrpc.php file. When that request fails, your host or WordPress.com returns a numeric status code that points to the cause. These codes can appear in connection errors, in the Jetpack Debug tool (jptools.wordpress.com/debug), or in your server logs.

For more troubleshooting errors that may occur in Jetpack connections, please refer to this dedicated support page.

400 Bad RequestMD

A 400 Bad Request means the connection request was invalid or improperly formatted, usually because of misconfigured settings or corrupted data. Common causes and fixes:

• Incorrectly formatted site URLs, such as missing slashes or invalid characters. Confirm your URLs are correct in WP Admin under Settings → General.
• An outdated browser cache or cookies. Clear your site’s cache, then try to connect again.
• DNS cache issues. Most DNS problems originate with domain or hosting misconfiguration, so contact your host’s support team.
• Incorrect HTTP headers. Ask your host’s support team to check their logs to confirm whether this is the cause.
• Plugin or theme conflicts that cause Jetpack to send requests WordPress.com cannot read. Rule out plugins and themes as the source of the problem.
• Upload or request size limits, or PHP and server misconfigurations that disrupt request processing. Contact your host’s support team to rule this out.
• Entries in the .htaccess file or other server configuration. Contact your host’s support team to rule this out.

401 UnauthorizedMD

A 401 Unauthorized means authentication credentials are missing or incorrect, so the server rejects the connection attempt. Common causes and fixes:

• Expired login sessions or authentication tokens. If it has been a while since you logged in, log out of WordPress.com (or your site’s WP Admin) and log back in.
• Site security blocking the connection. Allowlist Jetpack’s IP addresses in your security plugins or server-side security.
• Outdated authentication data stored in your browser cache or cookies. Clear your site’s cache, then try to connect again.

403 ForbiddenMD

A 403 Forbidden means your host’s server refuses the connection because of insufficient permissions or security rules, or because a security plugin is blocking Jetpack. Common causes and fixes:

• Jetpack cannot reach your xmlrpc.php file. Make sure Jetpack can communicate with xmlrpc.php.
• WordPress core files or directories lack the correct read, write, and execute permissions. Contact your host’s support team to diagnose and update permissions.

404 Not FoundMD

A 404 Not Found means the resource or endpoint needed to establish the connection cannot be located, usually your site’s xmlrpc.php file. Common causes and fixes:

• WordPress is installed in a subdirectory and the URLs are incorrect. Confirm your URLs in WP Admin under Settings → General so Jetpack can find xmlrpc.php.
• A security plugin or server configuration is blocking access. Ensure xmlrpc.php is not blocked.

408 Request TimeoutMD

A 408 Request Timeout means the server could not complete the request in time, usually because of slow network or server performance, or a security implementation. This error is relatively rare and more common on some hosts than others. Contact your host’s support team and ask whether they have implemented any security, such as DDoS protection, that would cause Jetpack’s connection requests to fail.

429 Too Many RequestsMD

A 429 Too Many Requests means security has rate-limited connection attempts to prevent server overload or abuse. Common causes and fixes:

• Misconfigured or overly aggressive security settings, firewalls, or custom rules in your hosting environment. Contact your host’s support team to diagnose and resolve.
• A Cloudflare configuration. Set up Cloudflare to work well with Jetpack.

500 Internal Server ErrorMD

A 500 Internal Server Error means an error on your host’s server prevented the Jetpack connection request. It often appears like this:

Error details:string(60) -32301: transport error – HTTP status code was not 200 (500)

Common causes and fixes:

• Temporary server downtime or maintenance by your host. Other server-side causes include unsupported PHP versions and excessive resource use.
• Conflicts with other plugins or your theme.
• To troubleshoot, check the PHP error log for your site. Find the timestamp for when you experienced the error and look for related entries. Contact your host’s support team if you are not sure how to do this.

502 Bad GatewayMD

A 502 Bad Gateway means a gateway or proxy server received an invalid response, or no response, from an upstream server, disrupting the connection. Contact your host’s support team to investigate.

503 Service UnavailableMD

A 503 Service Unavailable means the server, gateway, or upstream provider is temporarily overloaded or down for maintenance. This is usually temporary. Wait and try again, or contact your host’s support team if it persists.

504 Gateway TimeoutMD

A 504 Gateway Timeout means the server did not receive a timely response from an upstream server when attempting the connection. Contact your host’s support team to investigate.