A 403 – Unauthorized error appears when a user does not have permission to access a specific guideline, project, or library.
A 404 – Not found error appears when the content no longer exists or is no longer accessible.
This article explains why these errors occur, how to fix them, and how to customize your error pages, including how to enable direct access requests from the 403 page.
Why you might see a 403 error
You’re not invited to the guideline, project, or library
A 403 error means you don’t have access to the content you’re trying to view. Every user must be explicitly invited to a guideline, project, or library to access it.
On Enterprise plans, targets may restrict visibility. If targets are set on a document, users who don't meet the criteria will receive a 403 error.
403 errors after setting up SSO
After SSO is configured, users from your identity provider can log in for the first time. Their user account is created automatically, but no permissions are granted by default. This means a new SSO user who lands on a guideline immediately after logging in may see: 403 – Access denied
To fix this, the user (or their group / smart group) must be invited to the landing guideline or any other documents they need to access.
[New] Request access directly from the 403 page
Account admins can now customize the 403 error page to guide users when access is denied and provide a direct way to request access.
Instead of being blocked or unsure what to do next, users can:
Submit an Access Request directly from the 403 page
See a contact email address for the responsible admin
Navigate back using helpful links
This helps users regain access faster and reduces confusion.
How access requests work
When a user clicks the Access Request link, they can submit a request for the restricted resource.
Admins receive the request and can review and grant access as needed.
A user cannot submit multiple requests for the same resource.
How to fix a 403 error
Try the following:
Check with the person who sent you the link to confirm that you’ve been invited to the guideline, project, or library.
If not, ask your account admin to review your access and invite you where needed.
If you’re a guideline, project, or library owner or editor:
Open the relevant guideline, project, or library.
Click the team icon in the left power bar.
Check if the user is invited directly or via a group.
On Enterprise plans: verify that no targets are restricting visibility for this user.
If you’re an account admin:
You can verify a user's permissions across the platform:
Go to User management.
Search for the user.
Under the suitcase icon, review all permissions (individual and group-based).
Check whether the relevant guideline or project appears in their permissions list.
If access requests are enabled, review incoming requests and grant permissions where appropriate.
If you’re unsure who the owner or account admin is, contact Frontify Support with:
The user’s email
The link they are trying to access
Why you might see a 404 error
A 404 – Page not found error appears when the content you’re trying to access doesn’t exist or is no longer reachable. This can happen when:
A page, document, or guideline has been deleted.
A guideline still appears on the dashboard, but its internal content was removed.
A guideline was shared via a public link, but public sharing has since been disabled.
If you see a 404 unexpectedly, check with the content owner or your account admin to confirm whether the content still exists or if sharing settings have changed.
Customizing your 403 and 404 error pages
Account admins can personalize the appearance and messaging of both 404 – Not found and 403 – Unauthorized pages to better reflect your brand and guide users when something goes wrong.
You can find this feature under:
Account settings → Customize error page
What you can customize
Content section
Title: Add a custom headline and color (toggle on to display).
Subline: Add a descriptive message and color (toggle on to display).
Access Request link (403 only): Add a link to an access request form so users can directly request permission.
Contact email (403 only): Display an email address users can contact for access-related questions.
Last 4 links user has visited: Optionally display recent links to help users navigate back.
Design section
Key visual: Upload an image to display above the title. Adjust spacing using max. height (in px).
Button: Add a call to action (e.g., “Take me home”). Customize font color, background, hover state, and corner radius.
Page background: Upload an image or apply a brand color using the picker.
Use the preview button to test your design before saving.
Need help?
If you've checked permissions and still can’t determine why a 403 is appearing, reach out to the Frontify Support team. They can help verify ownership, permissions, and configuration details.