HTTP error 407: what it means and how to avoid it

Why the HTTP 407 Error Appears

First of all, we are going to explain what it is and why this error appears. This is a problem that arises when we try to visit a web page in the browser. It throws us an error message with the HTTP 407 Proxy Authentication Required code. It appears in the Windows operating system, in its different versions.

There are different reasons why this error message appears. One of the main ones is that there has been a problem at the file level. For example, a file is missing or damaged. This can lead to bugs of this type that block navigation.

Another common cause is related to malware. But beyond viruses or Trojans that are in Windows, it usually occurs due to malware that directly affects the browser. For example, if we have installed a malicious extension and it is creating conflict. This is something that could affect any version and program that we have, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Edge ...

In addition, it is possible that the browser itself has a software problem. It can happen if we have installed the program and it has given some error during the process or we have updated it but for some reason, it has not finished correctly. This would cause failures of this type as well.

On the other hand, we must mention the possibility that there are other programs that create some type of conflict and give rise to the HTTP 407 error. For example, an antivirus, firewall, or even a VPN application that we have installed.

Steps to fix HTTP error 407

So what can we do to fix the HTTP 407 error code when browsing? We have seen that the causes can be varied, so we are also going to find different solutions to make it work correctly depending on the cause.

Check that there are no corrupted files

One of the main causes is that there are corrupted files on the system. This leads to problems of this kind. Therefore, what we are going to do is check that there is no file in bad condition and, in that case, correct it so that it works normally.

To do this we have to go to Start, look for Command Prompt and run it with administrator permissions. Later we have to execute the command SFC / scannow . What this feature that comes integrated with Windows does is analyze the system files and verify that there are none corrupted.

Check for malware

There are many types of malicious software that can affect our computers and cause them to malfunction. They can enter if we have downloaded a document or file on a dangerous page, for example. This can also directly affect browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

What we are going to do is verify that there is no malware. For this, we can use an antivirus such as Windows Defender, Avast, Bitdefender, or any other. We do a complete analysis and, in case we detect a threat, we remove it. It is possible that the HTTP 407 error was caused by an interfering threat.

See if the browser is updated correctly

We must also check that the browser is installed and updated correctly. If we have installed a new version and for whatever reason, the process did not finish well, this type of error may appear. It is something that can happen regardless of the browser we use.

In the case of Google Chrome, for example, we have to go to the menu at the top right, click on Help and Google Chrome Information. It will automatically show us what version we have installed and whether or not there is a pending update. In this case, the process would start automatically. If it does not work this way we will have to install it manually.

We must always make sure that we are using the latest version available. This will not only prevent problems such as HTTP error 407 but also optimize performance and prevent it from malfunctioning.

Check for incorrectly installed or configured extensions

The browser can also be affected by an add-on that is incorrectly installed or configured and that is damaging the performance. That leads to crashes like the 407 error when browsing. Therefore, we must check if there are any extensions that may be causing this problem and fix it.

Especially if we have installed an add-on recently, we must see that everything is correctly installed. We can paralyze those extensions that we have installed recently or even all and see if this way the problem is solved. We must do this regardless of which browser we are using since most of them have the possibility of adding software of this type.

Avoid conflicts with other programs

Another issue to take into account is that there may be a conflict with other applications that we have installed. For example, if we have added an antivirus or firewall. We must always see that they are properly configured, that they work correctly, and that there is no problem of any kind.

The same with VPN applications, which are used to encrypt connections. Sometimes there can be problems with this type of software and it prevents us from browsing or gives rise to errors such as the HTTP 407 error. You have to make sure that they are correctly installed, configured, and also updated.

In short, if the HTTP 407 error appears when browsing, this may be due to different reasons, as we have seen. In addition, there is not only a step that we must take to solve it, but we have different options and depending on what problem it is, we can solve it with one or the other. However, it is a mistake that the normal thing is that it is fixed without major difficulties and we can surf the net normally.