Fix a 403 Forbidden response from an RSS feed in Feedzy

A 403 Forbidden response usually means the source has blocked Feedzy's server request.

Before continuing, make sure the feed URL is valid XML. If needed, check How to find an RSS Feed URL to use with Feedzy RSS Feeds and How to check whether the RSS feed is valid or not in Feedzy.

1) Set a browser-like User Agent

Most feed-level 403 errors are resolved by changing the User Agent first. Follow How to change user agent in Feedzy, then retest.

If your logs show 429 Too Many Requests before the 403 started, use Fix a 429 Too Many Requests response from an RSS feed in Feedzy before trying a proxy.

2) If 403 continues, test with a proxy

If the feed still returns 403, the source may be blocking your server IP or region instead of only the header fingerprint.

Navigate to Feedzy > Settings > Proxy and enter your proxy server credentials (Host, Port, and optionally Username and Password). For full setup, see How to use proxy settings in Feedzy.

⚠️ Important: The source provider decides whether automated access is allowed. If their terms do not permit programmatic retrieval, use an authorized source instead of bypassing the restriction.

3) Confirm this is a feed-level 403

User Agent and proxy settings affect only the request to fetch the feed itself.

If posts import but featured images fail with Forbidden, that is an image-level issue. Use Use external images / Use external image URL in the import wizard (Step 3 > Advanced), and review Feedzy troubleshooting guide.