Technologies

404 and 503 decoded: Here’s what those pesky internet error fails really mean

You can’t load a webpage you want, but those error codes are trying to tell you something. We’ll help you figure out what to do next.

It was Feb. 16 and I had two alarms set on my phone for Beyoncé’s Formation tour tickets. As they were bound to sell out in minutes, I was on the website, ready to refresh the page as soon as the clock struck 10 a.m. But when the critical moment came, the page only showed an ominous message: «503? Service requested is unavailable?» I refreshed the page frantically. What if I couldn’t get the tickets? Who knew when Beyoncé would tour again? But I got the same error over and over again.

I picked up my phone hoping to have more luck there, but I got the same message. Finally, after what felt like a bazillion refreshes and clicks, I was able to get through. There they were — the tickets I had been waiting months for. Whew! The purchase confirmation screen appeared and the nightmare ended. But I kept asking myself where that message came from. Was it something I did, or was the website just borked?

Those random-seeming website error numbers like 404, 503 and 301 you sometimes see after typing a URL can throw you off your groove or worse, ruin an urgent task (like buying Beyoncé tickets). Sometimes, like if you mistyped the URL, a simple text change can put you back in business. Other times, there may be a bigger issue — the server is down or there’s an internet outage.

To help you understand what to do the next time you see one of these online uh-ohs, I’ll break down the basics of those strange codes — even the ones that you might not be able to crack on your own. And if you’re fascinated by all of the code-lingo, you can always dig in deeper with a coding course for beginners.

404s and other common website errors: What they mean

Some website error codes are your fault (oops), but others are because of problems with the server that only the website’s administrator can fix. Chances are, you’ll see them with every refresh — it might help keep your annoyance at bay to understand why (but I doubt it).

404: One of the most common errors you’ll see, it means the page cannot be found. Nowadays, some sites will design its error code pages with cute puppies, links to other pages or a funny illustration to lighten your no doubt frustrated mood. Double-check the URL for typos and try again. If you’re typing the correct URL and you still have no luck, the page has been moved or deleted.

301: You may have heard of a «301 redirect,» but probably have never seen this code displayed on a site. Think of it as a smooth transition from one old URL to a new one, sort of like forwarding your mail. You should still see the webpage you wanted when this happens, but it likely has a different URL than the one you entered. It’s a permanent move, and even if you use the old URL, you’ll still be automatically routed to the new one. Bookmark the new URL for future reference.

400: This one is best known as a «bad request» for the user. On Google Chrome, you’ll get the message, «This page isn’t working at the moment» along with some guidance about contacting the website administrator. Usually, it’s caused by an error on your end. There may be a typo in the URL, the server may not understand your request, or the file you’re trying to upload is too big. Try clearing your cache and checking the URL for typos. If you have no luck, take Google’s advice.

410: This is the «Gone» status. You may see a message like, «This page does not exist,» or «Page deleted or gone.» There’s no problem on your end — you’ve got the right page, but the website administrator may have deleted it for good.

451: This code blocks you from seeing a URL for various legal reasons. According to a developer resource page from Mozilla (the maker of the Firefox browser), a person or organization may have made a legal demand to remove the content or the page may be blocked because of government censorship. You should see the legal reason on the page with the status code, but it’s not always guaranteed. If you’re determined to see the content, you may be able to get there with a few tech-savvy tactics — like a VPN or proxy server that acts as a tool to bypass the server’s restrictions.

503: You’ll likely see the message, «503 Service unavailable,» when a website’s server is down, so you won’t be able to access the site until it’s fixed. Reason being, the site’s server could be down for maintenance, too many people may be causing the site to overload, the site could have a bug or someone looking to cause trouble has taken the site offline. You won’t be able to access the site until it’s fixed so it’s best to try again later to see if the server issue is resolved.

200: This code you won’t see because it means that everything is OK. The site, its server and your browser are all working fine, so there’s no need to alert you there’s not a problem. The only place you’ll likely see it is in the code (or back end). In fact, most codes that start with a 2 are a good sign that the communication channel between your browser and the company’s server is working.

How can I fix website codes with images and videos?

It can be frustrating if you’re trying to play a video, upload or download media, but see error codes instead. More often than not it’s a user error, and it’s up to you to fix the problem. Sometimes you’ll see a small icon that looks like a picture in place of the video or image you’d hope to see. In that case, you’ll know something’s wrong.

If you get status code 415, it’s a red flag that the server doesn’t recognize the file type you’re using. Popular photo- and video-sharing sites will list the file types they support, typically on the Support page (here’s the list for YouTube). If yours isn’t listed, try converting the file to one of the approved formats before uploading it again.

Front end developer Allan Hernandez says that most common supported types are .mp3 and .mp4 for videos and .jpeg, .png, .svg and .web for images. If you’re uploading a video or image using one of the correct file formats, he says, it should be easy and error-free.

Another common problem occurs when you try to upload files that are too big for the server, also known as status code 413. In this case, it’s best to reduce the file size before uploading again.

Here are a few other common error codes you may come across with media and what they mean.

404: The media file has been moved or deleted.
403: The server cannot access your image or video — possibly because the firewall is blocking it.
429: You may have sent too many requests without giving the server time to process them. So, if you’ve clicked «upload» a bazillion times, you may get this code.

Are any errors my fault that I can fix?

Yes, there are two types of code errors: client and server. Most client errors start with a 4. You’ll need to fix something on your end before continuing. For example, the 403 code may mean the page is forbidden, or the web administrator restricts access to that page. You’ll need to go to another page or site.

Usually, if there’s an error, you’ll need to do one of these things.

1. Restart your computer, modem or router.

2. Check the URL for typos.

3. Visit a different URL.

Sometimes, other actions may be required, such as you need to pay to see gated content or, if you’ve clicked a button constantly, you just need to wait patiently because the request isn’t processing fast enough.

If an error starts with a 5, it’s the server’s problem and there may not be much you can do. Try contacting the website’s support to let them know you’re getting a server error.

Technologies

TikTok Deal Will Keep It Online in the US, but Your Experience of the App Might Change

TikTok has secured its future by agreeing to split the US app from the global business. But the deal will spark changes to the app’s algorithm.

TikTok has dodged a ban and secured its long-term future in the US by announcing a deal on Friday that will see a joint venture take over US operations of the popular social video app. The deal marks the conclusion of a protracted battle over the app’s continued presence in the US, which dates back to President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

TikTok in the US will now be run by TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which was established by a White House executive order issued in September 2025. At its helm will be CEO Adam Presser, previously the head of operations, who led TikTok’s efforts to ensure that the data of the app’s US users was kept secure. Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok’s international operations, will serve on the joint venture’s board of directors.

«TikTok USDS Joint Venture’s mandate is to secure US user data, apps and the algorithm through comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity measures,» the company said in a statement. «It will safeguard the US content ecosystem through robust trust and safety policies and content moderation while ensuring continuous accountability through transparency reporting and third-party certifications.»

The venture has three managing investors — Silver Lake, Oracle and MGX — which each hold a 15% stake. Oracle also will be responsible for protection of US user data and of the freshly retrained algorithm, which will be specific to the US version of the app.

Presidents Trump and Joe Biden raised concerns over a potential national security threat posed by TikTok, because of its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, which will retain a 19.9% stake in the new joint venture. During both of his presidential terms, Trump has attempted to ban TikTok, but also delayed the ban’s implementation.

The deal announced on Friday arrived moments before the deadline set by the White House for TikTok to comply with its September executive order. In a post on his social site Truth Social, Trump said he was «so happy to have helped in saving TikTok.»

«I only hope that long into the future I will be remembered by those who use and love TikTok,» said Trump. He also thanked China’s President Xi Jinping for working with the US and approving the deal. «He could have gone the other way, but didn’t, and is appreciated for his decision,» he said.

How TikTok might change for you

TikTok has more than 200 million users in the US, and if you’re one of them, the deal announced on Friday will allow you to continue using the app without the ongoing fear of it being banned.

It also won’t see you cut off from creators in China, or the rest of the world. People in the US will still be able to watch videos from Europe, such as last year’s viral «nothing beats a Jet2 holiday» trend. TikTok users outside of the US will still be able to follow their favorite American creators.

In the TikTok newsroom post, the company addressed interoperability, saying that the deal would «provide US users with a global TikTok experience, ensuring US creators can be discovered and businesses can operate on a global scale.»

Where the experience might change is in the content that is recommended to you. Under the terms of the deal, TikTok’s algorithm will be retrained, tested and updated based on US user data. This will have a knock-on impact on what you see on the platform, according to Kelsey Chickering, principal analyst at Forrester.

«TikTok’s power lies in its content graph — an algorithm that learns from thousands of user signals to deliver hyper‑relevant, highly addictive videos,» said Chickering. «With a US joint venture retraining that algorithm on domestic data, the experience will change — maybe for the better, maybe not. One thing’s certain: TikTok in America won’t be the same.»

In spite of the interoperability that will see US TikTok users connected to those across the globe, it does seem likely that the focus on US data will lead to a shift away from the global nature of the content that the algorithm currently serves up to you.

«TikTok’s US algorithm will now be trained on US data, which means what trends — and what dominates feeds — will feel distinctly American,» said Chickering. «Global content will still appear, but its ranking will change.»

Exactly how this will look may differ from person to person, and will likely take some time to come into effect as the joint venture begins the retraining process. TikTok didn’t immediately respond to questions regarding how long it expects retraining the algorithm to take, when US TikTok users should expect to be impacted by changes and whether it will issue public updates about this process.

One potential pitfall the company might want to avoid, Chickering said, is moderating the US version of TikTok in a way that tilts too far toward any one particular political viewpoint, or fails to curb misinformation. Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter (now X) — and his subsequent algorithmic changes that alienated users and advertisers — is a cautionary tale in this regard. With Instagram Reels already vying to replace TikTok, the company will likely want to avoid making changes that could spark a mass exodus of people.

«For now, it’s speculation,» said Chickering. «It remains to be seen how new leadership will wield this power and whether moderation policies will evolve.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hope you’re familiar with a certain blond actor (8-Across)! Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Attach, as one plant to another
Answer: GRAFT

6A clue: Email button with a backward-facing arrow
Answer: REPLY

7A clue: Make very excited
Answer: AMPUP

8A clue: Two-time Best Actor nominee Nick
Answer: NOLTE

9A clue: Total dork
Answer: DWEEB

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Word that can precede piano, total or staircase
Answer: GRAND

2D clue: Cut again, as a lawn
Answer: REMOW

3D clue: Company whose logo has a bite taken out of it
Answer: APPLE

4D clue: Champagne glass
Answer: FLUTE

5D clue: Laid-back kind of personality
Answer: TYPEB

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Technologies

‘Is Microsoft Down?’ Outlook and Teams Go Dark in Widespread Outage

It’s not just you: Numerous Microsoft services weren’t working most of Thursday, and the outage is continuing.

Thursday has been a tough work day for many — or maybe, a great one, depending on how eager you are to access work-related programs. Microsoft services, including Outlook, Teams and Microsoft 365 are experiencing a significant outage that’s still going on as of early evening, Pacific time. Microsoft hasn’t announced an expected time when everything will be back up and running.

You can follow the official Microsoft 365 Status account on the social-media platform X, which has been regularly posting updates about the outage.

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The first post there, from 11:37 a.m. PT, said that the company was «investigating a potential issue impacting multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Purview. Further information can be found in the admin center under MO1221364.»

The admin center is the dashboard for IT admins managing Microsoft 365 services.

You can also monitor Microsoft’s Service Health Status page. That page is noting that «users may be seeing degraded service functionality or be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services.»

A representative for Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.