How to fix the 504 Gateway Timeout error (Windows)

A website is composed of many elements that work together in order to show you the content you need. If one of the crucial elements isn't loaded, an error will appear on the screen. In order to fix the 504 Gateway timeout error, reload the website via the browser's refresh button.

You may also close the website's tab and open the website in a new tab.

The router and modem is the bridge between the ISP and your devices. It's the main distributor of the Internet signal. The 504 Getaway Timeout error can be caused by an issue with the router and/or modem. The router and/or the modem may have got stuck in a loop, failing to connect your devices to the Internet. Or, maybe there was a downtime, and the router failed to connect to the Internet properly.

Restarting the router, and the modem, if you use one, can help you fix this issue. Unplug them from the power cord and then plug them back in after a couple of minutes.

Another way to fix this error is to restart the web browser. This solution is effective if one of the web browser's processes responsible for displaying websites is stuck. Restarting the web browser will restart all the processes that were running in the background. You can restart it by closing the web browser and reopening it after a minute or two.

If you are not sure how to fully close your web browser, feel free to check the how to close (quit) programs/applications guide.

You can turn off your computer and then turn it back on, to fix error 504. By restarting your computer, you will restart its network module, too, and all the other tasks running on the operating system (some of which may have been stuck, and became unresponsive) as in most cases it is exactly what may be causing this issue.

If you use a desktop computer, you can just unplug it from the power cord and plug it in after a couple of minutes, whereas if you use a laptop remove its battery, if it is removable, and reinsert it after a few minutes. If it isn't removable, press and hold the power button for as long as it takes for the laptop to shut down completely (make sure that the fans stop spinning, too).

The Internet Service provider (ISP) or the operator (if you use mobile data) itself can be the reason behind this error message, since they allow for a connection between two servers to be established. There are cases when people can't access websites just because those websites are blocked by the ISP or the operator itself, for various reasons (legal, maliciousness, etc.), or maybe there is a technical obstacle in the network of the provider.

To be absolutely sure, contact the support team, share the URL address of the website you can't visit, and they will instruct you on the next steps you need to take.

Every time we visit a website, data is written to our device, as well as cookies (some require our consent first). The purpose of the cache and cookies is to make our user experience smoother every subsequent time we visit the same website. Unfortunately, over time cookies and cached data can become corrupt for various reasons (the website developers, our web browser, a third-party program, and more). It is possible that corrupt cookies or cached data is the reason behind the 504 Bad Gateway error message.

In order to fix this error message, you need to clear the cache files, the cookies and other unnecessary data deposited to your computer, related to websites. Once you do this, new cached data and cookies will be written to your device the next time you open the website.

If you feel unsure how to clear the browser's cache (and cookies), feel free to check the how to clear the browser cache guide and how to delete browser cookies guide and find the easiest ways to do that.

Your computer's network driver needs to be up-to-date, i.e. aware of the latest "trends" and bug fixes, so that your computer can connect to the Internet properly. Outdated network driver can be the reason for timeouts, since the server failed to recognize the request sent from your computer, or its response wasn't recognized by our computer, resulting in a gateway timeout. If this is the case, all you need to do is update the network driver.

You can update drivers in one of the ways below:

1. Through Windows Device Manager, by right-clicking the printer driver, and selecting Update Driver Software... 
   
   

   
   
   

2. By downloading and installing the latest version of the drivers from your computer manufacturer's website (you will need to enter your computer's model number there - click here to learn how to find the model number);
3. By installing a program which will keep your drivers up-to-date all the time.
   
   

Maybe there is an issue with the website you are trying to visit itself. Maybe the server they are hosted to is under a heavy load, a maintenance is in progress, the website is visited by too many visitors, and more. To test this, visit other websites that you are absolutely sure they will run properly, such as Facebook, Google, Yahoo and other websites that are up 99.99% of the time. Alternatively, you can go to a website status checker like downforeveryoneorjustme where you can paste the website's URL address and wait for the response.

If the website was indeed the reason behind this error, you can contact the website's owners and let them know of this issue.

It is possible that a computer virus has infected your computer and damaged vital files, among which files that can disrupt your Internet access. Scan your computer for malicious software, and if viruses are detected, removing them from your computer should fix the issue.

An antivirus alone isn't enough for your computer to be protected. You need to be more careful what websites you visit, the emails you open, and in general where you share your data. The tips to protect your computer include:

• Don't open emails from unknown senders, especially if they are in the junk folder;
• Read the sender's name, and email (there are many emails from senders that impersonate Netflix, Amazon, and other companies, with the goal to steal your data, and credit card details);
• Scan files with an online scanner, in addition to your antivirus, before you open them. You can use virustotal.com.
  
  

Discover more useful tips on removing viruses and protecting your computer from future threats, from the virus removal and protection guide.

A browser extension can also be the reason behind error 504 Gateway Timeout error. Browser extensions that don't work properly can cause many issues in your web browser. In this case, firstly you would need to disable extensions one by one, reloading the web browser and website every time you disable a browser extension, until you identify the bad one. Once you have identified the browser extension bad browser extension, you can either try fixing the extension or completely remove it from your browser.

For example, to disable web browser extensions in Google Chrome, feel free to follow the steps below:

1. Click on the three-dot icon, select More tools and click on Extensions;
2. Click on the activate/deactivate toggle in the extension box.
   
   

   

If you want to remove an extension, then:

1. Click on the three-dot icon, select More tools and click on Extensions;
2. Click on the activate/deactivate toggle in the extension box;
3. Click on the Remove button.
   
   

   
   
   

If you use another web browser, feel free to check the how to enable/disable browser extensions guide, to disable extensions, and the how to remove browser extensions guide, to remove extensions.

The DNS settings, aside from our IP address, are the part of the digital ID needed for you to be able to connect to the Internet. They can be managed automatically, by your ISP, or manually, by you inputting the DNS settings, and making sure they remain correct. If your DNS settings are set to be managed automatically (this is configured on each device), then the ISP can fix the issue. If they are set to be obtained manually, then you will need to change them.

Maybe the server didn't reply to you because you were missing a crucial part of the digital ID - correct DNS settings. It is possible that wrong DNS settings or settings that are not configured properly are responsible for this error message. If this is the case, what you need to do is to change the DNS settings.

To learn how to check out and/or change the DNS settings, check out the how to change the DNS settings solutions.

The proxy settings allow you to instantly transport yourself in any region the proxy provider supports, making you invisible. There are times when the proxy settings break down, mostly when the provider decided to shut them down. Maybe it's the proxy settings you set that result in error 504.

To fix this issue, you may need to change, or remove the proxy settings. You can find more detailed instructions on your proxy provider's website.

Sometimes, all you need to do is to wait until the issue has been resolved. Usually, 30 minutes or an hour is more than enough for issues to be resolved.