How to Fix a 501 Not Implemented Error on Your WordPress Site

Last modified: November 30, 2020

FAQ

The 501 ‘Not Implemented’ error states that the server does not support the functionality that has been requested by the user. There are numerous ways that this error can display, but all of them will label the error as 501.

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The Big Problem with 501 Errors

The big problem with 501 errors is that they can have a negative impact on your website’s SEO. Especially if they aren’t fixed right away. If your site is down for less than 10 minutes, you’ll probably be fine, but if it is down for any extended period of time, like six hours, then you can find that Google will have crawled your website, found the error and marked your down for it.

However, there are some solutions that you can try to fix the ‘501 Not Implemented’ error. Here are some of those solutions.

Reloading the Page

One of the first things to do is to see if the problem is only temporary. Wait about five minutes and then try to reload the page you’re on. You can do this from the same computer, or you could try doing this from another device. The latter option might be a good option because the 501 error is cacheable, so you might get the error message appear even if it has been corrected on the server.

Another option is to paste your website’s URL into downforeveryoneorjustme.com. This is a service that tells you whether or not your website is down or whether it’s something on your device.

Clear the Browser Cache

Another problem, as mentioned in the previous point, is that your browser cache might have saved the 501 error. Therefore, you need to clear your browser cache. Be sure that you’re removing all the cache for your website from the history. This will mean it will take longer for your website to load for the first few times, but it can clear the error.

Disable Proxy Settings

This is very rare, but there are times when a 501 error has occurred if you’re utilizing a proxy service. Or there could be one set for your website without you even knowing about it. Therefore, ensure that you disable the proxy service on your computer.

Reach out to your Host

Almost all 501 errors are caused by an issue on the web server. Therefore, it is usually a problem you can’t fix yourself. Therefore, it is best to contact your website’s host and speak to them. They might have a small error that they can fix and then your website can be back up and running.

Some of the common server errors that can be found include:

A bad update to the server that is causing it not to respond as it should to the requests.
A misconfiguration in NGINX that would need to be fixed by a qualified engineer.
The server is overwhelmed.
You’ve missed a payment and the hosting team have placed your site on a 501 error.
A staging site has stopped.

Final Word: How to Fix a ‘501 Not Implemented’ Error on Your WordPress Site

Fixing a ‘501 Not Implemented’ error is one of the hardest problems you’re going to have. But action needs to be taken fast. That is because a site with this error for too long will suffer from SEO penalties by Google and other search engines. So, use the information above and keep your ranking high.

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