Elementor Toolbar Missing? How I Fixed the “403 Forbidden” Error in the Editor
If your Elementor editor is missing toolbar functions, panels, or widgets, and everything seems up to date, the problem might not be Elementor itself – it could be your server or .htaccess file blocking key JavaScript files.
I recently ran into this issue, and after some detective work, I found the cause and a simple fix.
What Happened
When I opened the Elementor editor, many important controls in the Elementor toolbar were gone. The editor looked “half-loaded,” and I couldn’t access essential design options.
Since WordPress, Elementor, and Elementor Pro were all on the latest version, I suspected a deeper issue.
Finding the Cause
I opened the browser console (DevTools) and saw multiple errors like:
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'QueryClient')In the Network tab, several JavaScript files showed a 403 Forbidden status, including:
/wp-content/plugins/elementor/assets/js/packages/query/query.min.jsWithout this file, Elementor can’t load its interface properly.
The Real Problem
The culprit turned out to be my .htaccess file.
Even though I had removed the All In One WP Security plugin months ago, it had left behind a redirect rule:
Redirectmatch 403 \/query\/This rule blocks any URL containing “/query/” – which also blocked Elementor’s query.min.js file.
How I Fixed It
- Backup: I downloaded my
.htaccessfile for safety. - Cleaned It Up: I removed all leftover security plugin rules that were too broad, especially the
Redirectmatch 403 \/query\/line. - Replaced with a Clean Version: I used a minimal
.htaccesswith only the standard WordPress rewrites and light security headers. - Resaved Permalinks in WordPress to ensure the rewrite rules were fresh.
- Cleared Cache and reloaded Elementor – the toolbar was back to normal.
My Advice for Others
- If you face missing toolbar buttons in Elementor or a broken UI: check the browser console and Network tab for 403 Forbidden or missing
.jsfiles. - Review your
.htaccessfor leftover plugin rules that might block legitimate files. - Remember that security plugins can leave behind rules even after they are uninstalled.
- Always keep a backup before editing
.htaccess.
Conclusion
The issue wasn’t Elementor’s fault – it was an over-aggressive security rule blocking a core file.
By cleaning up .htaccess, I restored the full Elementor editor experience and made my site more maintainable in the future.
If you ever see the “403 Forbidden Elementor” problem, check your .htaccess before spending hours on unnecessary plugin reinstalls or theme changes.
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Die Lösung auf Deutsch!!
In meinem Fall war nicht Elementor selbst das Problem, sondern eine alte .htaccess-Regel, die vom Plugin All In One WP Security zurückgeblieben war – obwohl das Plugin längst deinstalliert war. Diese Regel blockierte wichtige JavaScript-Dateien von Elementor und verursachte einen „403 Forbidden“-Fehler. Nachdem ich die Regel entfernt und die .htaccess bereinigt hatte, war die Toolbar im Elementor-Editor sofort wieder vollständig.
