7 Stepwise Guides to Fix Error 503 Backend Fetch Failed

Fix error 503 backend fetch failed: The internet is a quite remarkable creation. Today, we have access to information all across the world at our fingertips. Two hundred years ago, this would have been considered a God-tier achievement.

Yes, there are minor flaws, but we can not deny the fact that the internet has improved the quality of our lives, both personal and professional. Surfing the web is as addictive an experience as any.

However, errors are for sure a mood spoiler. Similar to difficult-to-fix errors like DF-DFERH-01, we will be talking about one such popular annoying error called error 503 backend fetch failed. Chill out as we will be showing you all the possible fixes for it.

What is error 503 backend fetch failed?

You will find these errors pop up on website pages. The message displayed is “Error 503 backend fetch failed“. It is not a problem on your part and it indicates that the server of the website is not responding. The HTTP(HyperText Transfer Protocol) message has been a major turn-off for many users.

This error occurs irrespective of your web browser and browsing platform including mobile phones, Windows 10 PCs, Linux, etc. If your device has internet access then, there is a good chance you will see this message. Such errors are commonly referred to as the “Internal server error”.

The status code of this error is 500. These types of HTTP status codes include those where the request for a web page or other resource is actually understood by the website’s server but is unable to execute it for some reason. This message can be customized, and hence you will see this message differently depending on the sites.

Types of error 503

• 503 Service Unavailable
• HTTP Server Error 503
• Service Unavailable – DNS Failure
• 503 Error
• Error 503 Service Unavailable

Causes of error 503

There are multiple reasons for this error to occur such as follows:

1. Due to insufficient memory of a server, you may see this 503 backend error.
2. If there are simultaneously multiple requests to the server then its capacity i.e., Overload of requests queued could also cause this issue.
3. Occasionally, the expired SSL certificate on the IIS server can cause this error as the IIS server stops the activity of the application pool. If you are able to locate the error with the load balancer regarding the SSL expiration, then instead of handling the HTTP traffic over to one of the IIS servers, it can result in this error. This will not allow IIS to serve the request.
4. If the application pool that should be serving you crashes, then this error can be displayed.
5. Misconfiguration in SSL using plugins can be a possible cause.

Generally, this error pops up due to the server being too busy or if any maintenance work is being performed on it. Thus, you are requesting content that is stored in the cache and it gets delivered slowly or not at all.

How to Fix Error 503 backend fetch failed

If the 503 Service Unavailable error message pops up during an online transaction, Don’t attempt several tries as you may be end up getting multiple order placed. You would not want to trap your fund for a week until it gets refunded, would you?

Fix 503 backend fetch failed for front-end users

Solution 1: Reload the webpage

1. Retry the URL from the address bar again by clicking on the reload/refresh button or you can also press the Shortcut key F5. Trying the page again might resolve this issue.
2. Hard reload can also be done effectively using Ctrl+Shift+R, Shift+F5, or holding down Shift before you hit the reload button.

Solution 2: Reboot/reset your device

1. Try restarting the routers and PC. If you receive the message “Service Unavailable – DNS Failure”, then rebooting the network system can get the job done.
2. DNS configuration settings on your router and PC have a chance of causing such problems. You can try changing your public DNS.
3. Then, a simple reboot will get the job done.

Solution 3: Optimize memory usage

Since error 503 happens due to a lack of memory, closing programs that require large chunks of memory is a good idea. They can increase computer speed and decrease the load. As a result, to increase the available PC resources for the downloaded site information, you can close other websites and apps that are not required.

Solution 4: Try opening after a while

The foremost solution to fix error 503 backend fetch failed is to try opening the site after a while. Sometimes overburden of the website can cause such issues.

If the owner is using shared hosting for his/her domain and receiving decent traffic, it is obvious that the server is unable to handle the traffic. Checking again later when the traffic has decreased might solve the issue.

Solution 5: Inform the site owner

This might sound cliche but you should contact the website developers because they might not be aware of the issue. Or, if you’re a site administrator, explore our solution for the same.

Fix 503 backend fetch failed for back-end users

Solution 6: Plugin configuration

1. The absence of certain plugins or modules can cause issues as well. You should examine if the Varnish plugin is installed. The varnish is capable of increasing the speed of the website and is utilized by hosting firms. If the plugin is used, then you need to give the hosting firm a call.
2. If you are using Cloudflare SSL, it may be happening because of incorrect configuration. Make sure you install the “Really Simple SSL” plugin to avoid this mess.
3. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in search and type “ipconfig /flushdns” and hit enter. Restart your OS and check if it’s still there.

Solution 7: Delete maintenance.flag file

1. You need to sign into a host of the website. (Magento Error 503: Service Temporarily Unavailable).
2. With the help of an FTP client called FileZilla, you can easily obtain access to the host website server.
3. Move to the root directory of the website and search for the file “maintenance.flag”. Delete this file when you find it.
4. Now visit the site again and see if the problem persists.

This file switches the Website into maintenance mode. Upon removing it, error 503 backend fetch failed will be solved.

Wrapping up,

In this article, we have provided you with all the information regarding the 503 backend error and its causes. The step-by-step solutions will guide you in fixing the issue. If you have any queries with regard to the content of the article,  do write to us.