How do I fix the "403 restricted error" with the "openresty" message when trying to visit a friends' site on a custom domain linked through Webflow?

TL;DR

Ensure correct DNS records are set (A records for root domain and CNAME for subdomain) pointing to Webflow.
Add both root and www domains in Webflow's project settings, set www as default, enable SSL, publish the site, and allow time for DNS to propagate.

You're seeing a 403 restricted error with an OpenResty message because the domain is pointed correctly at Webflow, but Webflow is rejecting the request—likely due to a misconfiguration in domain settings.

1. Verify DNS Settings

Confirm the domain is using Webflow’s correct DNS records.
For root domains (e.g., yourdomain.com), the A records should be:
(a) 75.2.70.75
(b) 99.83.190.102
For subdomains (e.g., www.yourdomain.com), the CNAME record should point to:
proxy-ssl.webflow.com

You can check this using tools like https://dnschecker.org

2. Check Domain Is Added in Webflow

Your friend must ensure the custom domain is added to their Webflow project:
Go to Project Settings → Hosting → Custom Domains
Add both the root domain (yourdomain.com) and www version (www.yourdomain.com).
Set the www version as the default domain.

3. Publish the Site to the Domain

After DNS is correctly set and domains are added in Webflow, your friend needs to:
Click "Publish" in the project
Choose to publish to the newly added custom domain(s)

If this step is skipped, the domain points to Webflow's servers but nothing is assigned to it—resulting in a 403 error.

4. Check SSL Settings

Ensure that Enable SSL is turned on in Hosting Settings
Click "Save Changes" if anything is modified, and re-publish the site

5. Allow DNS Propagation Time

Changes can take a while—usually up to 24–48 hours, but often quicker
Clear browser cache or use incognito mode to check status updates

Summary

A 403 OpenResty error usually means the domain is pointing to Webflow but hasn’t been properly configured or published in Webflow’s project settings. Ensure that the correct DNS records are set, the domain is added in Webflow, and the site is published to it with SSL enabled.

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