How to display a custom 401 error page

Your web host's server displays a "401 Authorization Required" error whenever a user can't login to a password protected directory on your website.

Like most of the default errors that servers display, the 401 error doesn't look very friendly. Fortunately, you can replace it with a page of your own. Your custom page could tell users how they can register for a username and password, or how to look up the password they already have.

Here's how to display your own 401 error page:
  1. Create the page you would like to use when a 401 error occurs and save it as 401.html.
  2. Open Windows Notepad, and type in the line below: 
    ErrorDocument 401 /401.html
  3. Save the file as .htaccess.
  4. Upload 401.html and .htaccess into the folder on your server where your website's home page is located.

Now whenever users can't login to a password protected directory, they'll see 401.html instead of the default 401 error page the server normally displays.