Short answer: HTTP 403 means the source’s server understood the request and refused it — usually an anti-bot check, rate limiting, or a regional block, not a Mihon bug. Open the source in WebView and complete any check there, slow down bulk updates, and confirm whether the site itself is up. A 403 that shows a Cloudflare page instead is covered by the Cloudflare guide.
Work through it in order
- Open in WebView: from the source’s page in Mihon, choose Open in WebView and complete any verification. Passing once usually leaves cookies that let the app through afterwards.
- Check the site in a browser: if the source is down or region-blocked in a normal browser too, no app setting will fix it — wait, or migrate affected titles to another source.
- Stop hammering: 403s during a global library update or mass download often mean rate limiting. Wait an hour, then update in smaller batches (library update diagnosis).
- Try a different network: some IPs (shared VPN exits, campus networks) are blocklisted by sources. Testing on mobile data vs Wi-Fi tells you if your IP is the problem. A reputable VPN can help when your own IP is flagged — but a flagged VPN exit makes it worse; see VPN notes.
- Update the extension: sites change their checks; extension updates under Browse → Extensions frequently restore access.
About DNS
Search data shows readers also hit this error alongside DNS problems: if a source fails on your home network but works on mobile data, your ISP’s DNS or a DNS-level filter may be interfering. Mihon’s advanced settings include DNS-over-HTTPS options, and switching the device DNS to a public resolver is a reasonable test — if the error vanishes, it was the network path, not the source.
What 403 is not
- Not a sign your account is banned — 403 happens before accounts are involved, at the door.
- Not fixable by reinstalling Mihon or clearing your whole library. Do not nuke your setup for a server-side refusal.
- Not a reason to install “403 bypass” extensions from forums; none exist legitimately.
Related: all troubleshooting guides · no extensions found