408 Request Timeout
The server timed out waiting for the request to complete.
What it means
HTTP 408 Request Timeout means the server gave up waiting for the client to finish sending the request. The connection was opened but the full request did not arrive within the server's timeout window.
When it happens
It happens with slow or unstable network connections, clients that open a connection but send data too slowly, or aggressive server-side idle timeouts.
How to fix it
- Retry the request; 408 is often transient.
- Check the client's network stability and connection speed.
- Increase the server's request timeout if legitimate slow uploads are being cut off.
- Investigate any proxy or load balancer that may be closing idle connections early.
SEO impact
Negative if frequent. Repeated timeouts when crawlers request pages signal poor reliability and can reduce crawl rate and indexing. Keep server response times low and stable.
Find out which of your URLs return 408
Paste a list of URLs and Sitewell checks the status code of every one at once — free and without signup.
Related codes
The server could not understand the request due to malformed syntax.
401 UnauthorizedAuthentication is required and has failed or not been provided.
402 Payment RequiredA largely reserved code intended for payment-gated access to a resource.
403 ForbiddenThe server understood the request but refuses to authorize it.
404 Not FoundThe server could not find the requested resource.
405 Method Not AllowedThe HTTP method used is not supported for the requested resource.
Related guides
A plain-English primer on HTTP status codes for SEOs: what the 2xx, 3xx, 4xx, and 5xx families mean, which ones affect rankings, and the codes worth knowing.
How to find and fix broken linksA practical walkthrough for finding broken links on your site, working out why each one breaks, and fixing them so visitors and crawlers stop hitting dead ends.