{"id":53662,"date":"2022-06-30T16:41:45","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T13:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/?p=53662"},"modified":"2023-09-18T16:59:17","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T13:59:17","slug":"fix-sorry-you-are-not-allowed-to-access-this-page-error","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/fix-sorry-you-are-not-allowed-to-access-this-page-error\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix \u201cSorry You Are Not Allowed to Access This Page\u201d Error"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Encountering the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error on your WordPress website? \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry you are not allowed to access this page<\/strong>\u201d is a common WordPress error<\/a> that appears when you are trying to access a restricted page in your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The restricted page could be a post, setting, menu, or even the main dashboard page in some instances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not having access to the dashboard is alarming, but there\u2019s no need to panic. With a little effort, you can remove the error and get back to managing your website in no time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All you need to do is try out the solutions we have listed below<\/a> in this article. \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t

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\n\t\t \t\tHow to fix the 'Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page' error on #WordPress \ud83d\udc1b<\/a>\n\t\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t \t
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What is the \u201cSorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error? And why does it occur? \ud83e\uddd0<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"sorry<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As the name suggests, the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error appears on a WordPress site when you are trying to access a page that you don\u2019t have permission to see (or that WordPress doesn’t think you should be allowed to see, possibly because of a misconfiguration<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, this is intended behavior because WordPress intentionally limits what users with different roles<\/a> can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 For example, if your WordPress account has the Author role, you wouldn’t be able to access the interfaces to install plugins or themes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is intentional behavior, in which case the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d message isn’t really an error. You might need to contact the site administrator<\/a> to ask them to upgrade your account if you think you should be able to access these areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this problem can become an error if you’re seeing this message when trying to access dashboard areas that you should<\/em> have access to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 For example, if you’re seeing this message as the site Administrator, that’s a pretty good sign that something has gone wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The error sometimes appears after you have updated a plugin, theme, or WordPress core. That\u2019s because the data stored in the plugin, theme, or WordPress core does not correspond with the data stored in the database of your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it this way<\/strong>: You may be assigned as an admin in the database, but the software you just updated looks upon you as a subscriber and prevents you from accessing its settings page. That\u2019s when you see the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error on your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other possible causes include running outdated PHP versions, file permissions problems, incorrect credentials in your wp-config.php file, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter why the error appeared, you can remove it from your site by taking the steps in the next section. \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n

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How to fix the \u201cSorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error \ud83d\udd27<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fixing the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error is time-consuming because a number of reasons could have led to the error. You might need to try many solutions before you find the root of the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, make sure you have a backup of your entire website<\/a>. Executing some of the solutions in this tutorial could lead to further damage. If that happens, a backup will act as your safety net. You can quickly restore your website and continue trying the solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

IMPORTANT: <\/strong>Speaking of backups, if you take daily backups, then try restoring the latest backup<\/a> of your site. It will often remove the error and you can get back to managing your website in no time. The only drawback here is that you stand to lose any work you did on your website between taking the last backup and the appearance of the error. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Refresh website<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Try different browser & clear cache<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Set proper user roles<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Disable plugins & themes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Ensure database prefix is correct<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Fix file permissions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Upgrade to the latest PHP version<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Regenerate .htaccess file<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
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    1. Refresh website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The error might have been caused by a temporary issue that took care of itself. Refreshing the website could allow you to access the page. But make sure to wait for 2-3 minutes before you refresh the page.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    2. Try different browser & clear cache <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You can also try opening the URL on a different browser like Safari, Firefox, Opera Mini, Microsoft Edge, etc. If the site successfully opens in a different browser, then your current browser is showing you a cached version of the website. In that case, to remove the error from your site all you need to do is clear the cache. Here\u2019s a guide<\/a> that\u2019ll help you do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    3. Set proper user roles <\/h3>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"WordPress<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    The error could be occurring because your user roles have been inadvertently changed. Since the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error blocks you from accessing the dashboard, you can ask other admins to set your user roles properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you or someone else still has access to the dashboard, you can change a user’s role by editing their profile in the Users<\/strong> area of your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Change<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    Alternatively, you can create a new admin user<\/a> via phpMyAdmin and gain access to the site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The phpMyAdmin<\/a> is the database of your website. It stores a ton of information, including your user roles. You can access phpMyAdmin to check if your user roles have been changed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    4. Disable plugins & themes <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If the error occurred after you added or updated a theme or a plugin to your WordPress website, then perhaps the theme or the plugin is the culprit. Try disabling the software. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you can’t access the Plugins<\/strong> and Themes<\/strong> list in your dashboard to disable the extension from the dashboard, you can also manually disable plugins and themes using FTP or cPanel File Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Open your hosting account and go to cPanel \u2192 File Manager \u2192 public_html<\/strong> \u2192 wp-content<\/strong>. You should see a themes <\/strong>and plugins <\/strong>folder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to disable a theme, then go to the themes folder, select the theme<\/strong>, right-click, and then select Rename<\/strong>. Rename the theme into something else. Then check your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the same way, disable the plugin you had installed or updated before the error appeared on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also try disabling all your plugins at once<\/a> and checking if the error is gone. If that fixes it, you can reactivate your plugins one by one until you find the problematic plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    5. Ensure database prefix is correct <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Migration from a different hosting server or a local server can also lead to the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Migration causes discrepancies in your wp-config.php <\/strong>file. The most common discrepancy is the change of database prefix<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To fix it, you need to access the wp-config.php file, check the prefix and then match it with the prefix listed on your database<\/a>. We will show you how to do that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Check wp-config<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Open your hosting account and go to cPanel \u2192 File Manager \u2192 public_html<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your host doesn’t offer cPanel<\/a>, you can also follow similar steps using FTP<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You should find the wp-config.php<\/strong> file in the public_html folder. To open the file, right-click <\/strong>on the file and select View<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"view
    Locating and viewing wp-config file<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    Next, you will see your database prefix looking something like this: $table_prefix = ‘wpcg_’;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This means that the config file believes that the prefix of our database is wpcg_. Now we need to access our database and check if the prefix there matches with the one in the config file. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"database
    Locating database prefix in wp-config file<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    NOTE: <\/strong>The default database prefix on a WordPress website is \u2018wp_\u2019 We had to change the prefix on our demo site due to security reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 2: Check database<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Open your hosting account and launch phpMyAdmin, which you can do from cPanel if your host offers it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the left side of the phpMyAdmin page, you should find a database option that you can expand<\/strong>. Expanding the database will reveal the prefix. <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"database
    Checking database prefix in phpMyAdmin <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    If it matches with the prefix in the config file then your database prefix is not causing the error. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If it doesn\u2019t match, then you need to edit the wp-config.php file and change the database prefix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    All you need to do is open the wp-config.php file by right-clicking on the file and selecting Edit<\/strong>. Then, scroll down to the database prefix and change it. Don\u2019t forget to hit the Save <\/strong>button before you exit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Check your website to see if the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error is gone. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    6. Fix file permissions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In some cases, website users come across the error when the file permissions of the site have been tampered with. We suggest fixing the file permission immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For a detailed look, you can read our full guide to WordPress file permissions<\/a>. Here’s the quick version…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You will need to install an FTP client like FileZilla and then connect your website with the client. This guide<\/a> will help you do just that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    After the connection has been established, you should see a public_html <\/strong>folder on FileZilla. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the public_html folder, you will find these folders: wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes<\/strong>. Select all three folders, right-click<\/strong> and click on the Change Permission <\/strong>option. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"selecting
    Changing file permission of core WordPress files<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    Set the permission as 755<\/strong>. And select the Recurse into subdirectories<\/strong> and Apply to directories only<\/strong> option. Hit the OK<\/strong> button to save your settings. <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"changing
    Changing WordPress file permission <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    Next, select all the files <\/strong>and set the file permission to 644<\/strong>, then select the Recurse into subdirectories <\/strong>and the Apply to files only <\/strong>option. Save your settings and close FileZilla. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then check if the error is gone from your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    IMPORTANT: <\/strong>If changed file permission was the cause of the error, then it\u2019s possible that your website is hacked and the file permissions were tampered with by hackers. Scan your website immediately with the help of a WordPress security plugin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"selecting
    Selecting all files in FileZilla<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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    7. Upgrade to the latest PHP version <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    An outdated PHP version can also be a reason why you are seeing the error on your WordPress site. The process of updating PHP differs from hosting to hosting. We have a guide on how to update PHP<\/a> on your WordPress site. Take a look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your website is hosted with a hosting provider, we didn\u2019t cover in the article, then reach out to your provider and seek help. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    8. Regenerate .htaccess file <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Still seeing the error? Then perhaps your .htaccess file<\/a> is corrupt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here’s how <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Go to your hosting account and open cPanel \u2192 File Manager \u2192 public_html<\/strong> \u2192 .htaccess<\/strong>. Right-click on the file and select Edit<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, replace the content of the file with the following text:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    # BEGIN WordPress\n<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>\nRewriteEngine On\nRewriteBase \/\nRewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L] RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f\nRewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d\nRewriteRule . \/index.php [L] <\/IfModule>\n# END WordPress<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Save <\/strong>the file and check if the error has been removed from the site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
    That\u2019s it! \ud83e\udd29 We hope by now you were able to fix the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page<\/strong>\u201d error on your WordPress website. If not, then reach out to your hosting provider and seek help. <\/p>\n\n\n
    Go to top<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    Fix the “Sorry you are not allowed to access this page” error for good \ud83c\udfc1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    Fixing the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page<\/strong>\u201d error is not difficult but time-consuming work. It can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause behind the error, which is why you need to try every solution to find the right one. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    \n\t\t    \t\tHow to fix the 'Sorry, you are not allowed to access this page' error on #WordPress \ud83d\udc1b<\/a>\n\t\t    \t<\/div>\n\t\t    \t
    \n\t\t    \tClick To Tweet \n\t\t    \t\t<\/span>\n\t\t    \t<\/a>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    To avoid issues, make sure to take a backup of your website before carrying out any of the solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n
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    To learn more about fixing these types of errors, you can read our full guide to WordPress troubleshooting<\/a>. We also have a post that shows you how to fix 20+ common WordPress errors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    If you have any questions about the \u201csorry you are not allowed to access this page\u201d error, leave a comment below.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n