304 Status Code: Meaning and Ways to Resolve it

Are you worried about the 304 status code? No need, we will help you understand the HTTP 304 error and also how to fix it.

A poor server page can lead to an error. You might have noticed some numbers pop up sometimes when you open a webpage, something like Error codes 301, 404, 409, and so on.

To remove these doubts, we have brought a series of these Errors or I should say, HTTP status codes.

304 Status Code

The 3XX status code represents redirection, thus, the HTTP 304 Status code comes under the same category. There are a lot more status codes that fall under the 3xx category with each one having different indications.

  1. 300 – Multiple Choice
  2. 301- Moved Permanently
  3. 302- Found
  4. 303- See other 
  5. 304- Not Modified
  6. 305- Use proxy 
  7. 306- Switch Proxy
  8. 307- Temporary Redirect
  9. 308- Permanent Redirect

Now, let us study the  ‘304- NOT MODIFIED’ status code in brief.

It indicates that the requested resources have not been modified since the last time you visited the page. In this case, the server redirected the user to see the cached version of the resource. It may be an issue from either the server side or the client side.

You can’t always consider 304 codes as errors, they can help improve user experience since the information is already cached, and they can help Google Bots crawl other web pages.

In this guide, we have explained 304 code errors, their causes, and ways to resolve them.

Also: Have you experienced 409 Error before?


Why Does HTTP 304 Occur

The HTTP 304 error is a client (visitor) error, meaning, the error is at the end of a visitor. Here are the possible reasons why. 

  • Malware and Viruses 

304 errors can be caused by malware. It could be the case that the user’s PC is malware infected and it is causing the error. 

  • Browser History and Cache 

Sometimes our browser history is responsible for 304 not modified messages. As the cache can become full, leaving no space for new resources. 

  • Corrupted files in the browser

Corrupted files can be generated on our browser that can stop the browser from saving or updating information as it should.

  • Issues with third-party application

Browser versions, plugins, or any faulty third-party applications can also be a cause for 304 errors.


For Website Owners: Check .htaccess file 

It could be that the issue is in your server configuration files, so it is recommended to check your .htaccess files. Follow the steps below to do so.

Step 1- Open your cPanel 

Step 2- Go to the file manager

Step 3- Search public_html, which is the root directory of your website

Step 4- Locate the .htaccess file. You may have to enable show hidden files in the file manager to see it.

Step 5- Select the .htaccess file and click on Rename.

Step 6- Rename it as .htaccess_disabled

Step 7- Save the changes

Check if the website is functioning properly.

More Solutions: How To Resolve ‘304 – Not Modified Code’

If you are a website owner, start with an application backup: Always create a backup before making any changes to the website’s cPanel. As a website administrator, having a backup is crucial in case of any data loss.

Suppose the method didn’t work and your data got erased, you will be able to restore it later.

Many hosting providers provide daily backups at little to no cost such as Hostinger, Hostarmada, Fastcomet, and Bluehost.

Browser Cache May Be The Culprit, Refresh It Once

We recommend starting with this method, clearing the browser cache can also free up space, but more importantly, the cache can become full, leaving no space for new resources

If you are using Google Chrome

Step 1- First, click the 3 dots at the top right corner of your browser.

Step 2- Go to More Tools > Clear Browsing Data

chrome-moretools -304 status code

Step 3- Select the time range

clear browser data in chrome

Step 4- Click on clear data 

When you are done, refresh the website and try accessing it again.

If you are using Microsoft Edge

Step 1- Click on the three dots in the top right corner of your screen.

Step 2- Go to settings

Step 3- Now search for Clear browsing data

Step 4- Select the data you want to clear, such as (Cached images and files).

Step 5- Click ‘Clear Now’.

Reload the page 

refresh icon of any Google page

Sometimes reloading a webpage fixes any issue

Pres F5 to Refresh the page. If 304 errors are temporary then it will solve the issue.

Disable your Browser extension 

We will show you how to do that for Google Chrome:

Step 1- Go to the three dots at the top right corner

Step 2- Then Go to settings 

Step 3- On the left-hand side you will find Extensions

extensions on chrome

Step 4- Check out all the extensions one by one by turning them on and off

switch extension off

Step 5- Check your site if it is not working or not.

For Mircosoft Edge-

Step 1: On Microsoft Edge click on 3-dots

3 dot on edge

Step 2- Go to Extensions

Step 3- Select manage extensions

manage extensions on edge

Step 4- Then click on Extensions and disable it

turn off ext on edge-304 status code

Now reload your tab and check the website you want to visit. Hope the error got fixed. 

If this method works then switch your extensions one by one.

For Mozilla Firefox- 

Step 1- Go to Open Menu

Step 2-Select Add- ons

Step 3- Add ons manager tab will appear, then select Plugins

Step 4- For disabling plugins select Never Activate, for activating plugins you can select Always Activate

Step 5- Refresh your tab

Malware scan

Firstly make sure that you’re using the latest version of Google Chrome. 

To inspect and update –

Step 1– Ever notice three dots on your Google Chrome, click there.

Step 2- You will see a help option, go there and search About Google Chrome

settings-help

Step 3- Update Google Chrome and Relaunch

chrome setting

Step 4- Go to chrome://settings/cleanup

Step 5- Press the find button 

Step 6- The browser will check for any harmful software. You delete or disable them permanently.

Check to see if the error got fixed or not.

Incorrect DNS Address 

One major cause of the 304 status code is an incorrect DNS address. To fix this, we need to make some changes to the ‘network and connections’ in Windows settings.

Step 1- Open the control panel on your system and go to the network and Internet 

Step 2- Then go to Network and Sharing Center  

network and internet in system

Step 3- Click on adapter settings 

Step 4- Select wifi and go to its properties 

properties

Step 5- Then select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) 

Step 6- Click on Properties

internet protocol version checking

Step 7- Add preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS Server 

8.8.4.4 in Alternate and 8.8.8.8 in Preference.

Now refresh the tab and check if the error got fixed or not.

Reset your TCP/IP settings

Step 1- Search the command prompt on your system

304 status code -reset tcp/ip settings

Step 2- Write the command netsh winsock reset

Step 3- Prese Enter

Restart your system and check to see if this issue is gone or not.

Resetting DNS- 

It could be possible that a faulty cache is causing these 304 errors. So try to reset the DNS. It also helps in loading pages faster.

Also, clearing your DNS regularly helps you to promote the security of your system.

Step 1- Go to Chrome browser

Step 2-Type in the search bar

 chrome:/net-internals/#dns

Step 3- A section will appear Clear Host Cache

Step 4- Click on it 

Flush DNS from your system- 

Follow these steps to flush DNS from your system-

Step1- Go to your system, search the command prompt

Step 2- The command prompt will open

Step 3- Type this command to clear DNS 

ipconfig /flushdns 

Step 4- Press the Enter key

A confirmation message will appear. Then restart your system and try to access the website again.

If you are a Mac user, then you can follow these steps to clear DNS in your system

Step 1- Go to the terminal

Step 2- Select the terminal and run this command (if you have this version – Mac OS X Yosemite v10.10 and v10.10.3)

Sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache

Step 3- Press Enter 

Step 4- Refresh and restart your device 


How Does The 304 Status Code Affect SEO

SEO issues can negatively affect our website’s ranking on the search engines, so it is important to fix them.

Some common SEO issues are-

  • Incorrect Index page
  • Broken links
  • Missing XML sitemaps
  • Slow loading speed 
  • An issue in robots.txt files
  • No HTTP security

304 Redirection Code tells Google that the resources on this particular page are the same as the last time it was crawled. 

Thus, Google will skip them thinking they have already been crawled.

Related 500 Status Code: Fixing Internal Server Error


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important status codes for Seo?

These codes are most important for SEO-
200 status code
301 status code 
302 status code
404 status code
410 status code
500 status code
503 status code

How to avoid HTTP code 304 

You can prevent 304 status codes by:
Scanning for Viruses – Install a good virus scanner for your browser
Clear your browser history– Clear your browser history from time to time so that these errors don’t occur.

Status code 304 vs 200

Both of these codes come under the HTTP status code. These codes tell that the request is successful. 200 Status code means successful which means that the user’s request is successful and everything is correct while 304 Status code defines Not Modified which means that the server is as same as the last time when you visit it.


304 Error

Conclusion

In this guide, we have explained HTTP status code 304, its causes, and preventions.

We have a separate guide on other codes such as 401 errors, 409 errors, and 500 errors if you or any of your friends are facing these issues then it can be helpful for you.

Comment down and let us know which method works for you. 

HTTP Status codes are request and response codes. There are 5 categories of HTTP Status codes -1XX, 2XX, 3XX, 4XX, and 5XX. This article covered status codes under the 3XX category.

About Author: Vishesh Gupta

blogger and creator of website cheapandbesthosting.com, Web Hosting Reviewer, SEO and Digital marketing expert
Blogger and Creator of cheapandbesthosting.com

Seasoned Professional with 15 years of experience in Sales and Marketing. Entrepreneur, Consultant and Blogger helping people earn through jobs and blogging. Experienced Hosting Reviewer who likes to collect detailed info about existing players and share it with my audience. Previously worked with leading Banks and Telecom Companies.

I completed my Masters in Management with specialization in Finance and Marketing.

Visit our Hosting Review and Blogging Guide for more interesting articles.

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