Fixing the 429 Too Many Requests Error in WordPress
The 429 too many requests error in WordPress can be very frustrating. This is more so because pinpointing the root cause of the error is not easy. The most common cause of the error is when bots, users or scripts try to make many requests to the server. The error pops up as a measure to prevent DDOS attacks on your website. It is good to note that is this feature is not well configured; it can keep search engines and APIs from running properly.
It is common for the 429 too many requests error in WordPress to be caused by a script on your website making many requests to another service or website using API. In this case, the API will respond with the 429 error code. The good news is that there are several methods you can use to fix this error.
Locate and deactivate the misbehaving plugin
A bad plugin on your website is the main suspect for the 429 errors. Plugins on your website might be making subsequent requests to your site. The request may be rejected by the server thus causing the 429 error code.
If you suspect a plugin is the root cause of the problem, you first need to deactivate all the plugins on your website. You will be able to do this from the WordPress admin area. Select all plugins and deactivate them. There are also guides you can use on how to deactivate plugins using FTP.
Once the plugins have been deactivated, check if your site sends the 429 too many requests error. If you can’t find the error, the problem is with one of your plugins. Turn on the plugins one by one while testing for errors. Remove the problematic plugin and replace it with an alternative one. You can also reach out to the plugin author to let him know about the error.
Switch to the default theme
Custom themes usually have built-in plugins which may trigger the 429 error. If you are sure the problem is not being caused by plugins you have installed, you should consider reverting to the default WordPress theme. If that action resolves the 429 error issue, it is obvious the installed theme was the problem. Report the problem to the developer or install an alternative theme.
Contact your hosting service provider
The 429 too many requests error in WordPress may be caused by third-party services that have access to your site. If the error is being seen in the Google Search console or third-party service, you should ask your WordPress hosting provider to block the services that access your site.