How to Fix SharePoint ERR_INVALID_RESPONSE by Restoring the Homepage
Question details
The user needs to restore access to a SharePoint site that fails to load from the admin center due to a missing or corrupted homepage.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to access a previously working SharePoint site from the SharePoint admin center.
- Observed behavior
- The site cannot be opened and displays an ERR_INVALID_RESPONSE error instead of loading the homepage.
Ensure you have Site Administrator or Owner permissions for the affected SharePoint site and have your organization's exact tenant URL and site name ready.
Restore Access by Reassigning the Site Homepage
Bypass the broken homepage by directly accessing the backend Site Pages library via URL, then designate an existing or new page as the homepage.
Even when the main URL fails with an ERR_INVALID_RESPONSE, the site's backend libraries often remain intact. By manually constructing a direct link to the Site Contents, you can bypass the error and fix the homepage configuration.
Copy this URL template: https://tenant.sharepoint.com/sites/SiteName/_layouts/15/viewlsts.aspx?view=14. Replace 'tenant' with your organization's tenant name and 'SiteName' with the specific name of your broken site.
Paste the customized URL into your web browser and press Enter. Once the Site Contents page loads, locate and click on the 'Site Pages' library.
Browse the list of available pages. If the original homepage is still there but unassigned, select it. If it was deleted, select any other valid page or click 'New' > 'Site Page' to create a blank one.
Click the three-dot menu (ellipsis) next to your chosen page and select 'Make homepage'. Return to the main site URL to verify that access has been restored.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my SharePoint site display ERR_INVALID_RESPONSE?
This error typically occurs when the designated homepage of the SharePoint site has been accidentally deleted, corrupted, or had its permissions drastically changed, preventing the server from returning a valid starting page to the browser.
Can I recover a deleted SharePoint homepage?
Yes. If the homepage was deleted recently, you can recover it by navigating directly to the Site Recycle Bin using the URL format: https://[tenant].sharepoint.com/sites/[SiteName]/_layouts/15/RecycleBin.aspx, and restoring the deleted Site Page.
What if I don't have another page in my Site Pages library to use?
If your Site Pages library is empty, you can simply click 'New' > 'Site Page' from within the library, create a basic blank page, publish it, and then use the ellipsis menu to select 'Make homepage'.
