Technical errors – all audiences
How to resolve common errors and issues affecting all audiences when accessing ATO online services.
On this page
A system error has occurred
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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ATO online services outage or error
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’; Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Restart your computer.
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Browser crashes, closes or page hangs
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Server has timed out or internet connection issues
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Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Restart your computer and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Check if there is an issue with your network settings by logging in from a mobile or laptop connected over cellular 4G/5G (not to an office or corporate Wi-Fi).
If you are using a business security solution, such as VPN, contact your internal IT support.
If none of the above have worked, and you are using Chrome, contact your internal IT support to create a new Chrome profile.
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Site under maintenance / Under construction
Unexpected error / Process error / Internal error
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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ATO online services outage or software issue
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Check our system maintenance page for outage notifications.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
If you are using Firefox, make sure you enable 'Remember history'. To do this:
- select the menu button (3 horizontal lines near top right) and select ‘Settings’
- select the ‘Privacy and Security’ panel and go to the 'History' section
- select the drop down and change to 'Remember history'
- close and re-open Firefox.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
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Error: Function unavailable / Unknown Error
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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ATO online services outage or error
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’; Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Restart your computer.
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Cert Validation Failed (A911.03 / A919.05 / A927.30 / A927.31 / A927.32 / A927.34)
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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ATO online services outage or software issue
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Check our system maintenance page for outage notifications.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
If you are using Firefox, make sure you enable 'Remembering history'. To do this:
- select the menu button and select ‘Settings’
- select the ‘Privacy and Security’ panel and go to the 'History' section
- select the drop down and change to 'Remember history'
- close and re-open Firefox.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
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Error: A918.26
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Server is not connecting
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’ or Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
If you are a:
- Business user, phone the ABR on 13 92 26 to verify your ABN
- Tax agent, phone the Tax Agent line on 13 72 86 FKC 33 to verify your TAN or RAN.
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(ATO Online) A system error (A927.06/ Unknown error/ unexpected error / Session error etc)
Error: Session timeout (A927.42 / A927.39)
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Session timed out
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Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
If you are using a third-party software to generate reports, try generating reports directly through ATO online services.
Restart your computer and try again.
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Error opening file for writing / autorun.inf
Possible causes and solutions
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Firewalls
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Start the installation again and select ‘Ignore’ when the error appears.
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This connection is untrusted / Your connection is not secure
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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A Firefox error or the ATO’s Security Certificate has expired / is not yet valid
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- Select ‘I understand the risks’ and/or 'Advanced'.
- Select ‘Add Exception’.
- Pause and select ‘Confirm Security Exception’ (this setting only applies to the Government Authentication Service).
- If you are unable to select ‘Confirm Security Exception’ then clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
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Access denied / Existing or new session detected
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Multiple sessions running or bad connection
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Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Try using a different device.
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Session Expired
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Session has timed out
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Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Make sure the date, time, and time zone are set to Australia.
- Windows: select date/time in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Mac: select date/time in the top right corner of your screen.
Restart your computer.
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404 File or directory not found
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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The resource has been removed, changed name or is temporarily unavailable
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Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect to the internet, contact your internet service provider.
Refresh the web page (Windows: 'Ctrl + F5' or MAC: 'Command + R').
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
If your computer is connected to a business network, contact your internal IT support.
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HTTP 403 Forbidden
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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The URL requested is denied due to security configuration
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Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect, contact your internet service provider.
If your computer is connected to a business network, speak with your internal IT support to check if the website is blocked.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Check if there is a firewall.
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Unable or failed to print
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Adobe reader is incorrectly set, has known issues with printing or is using an incorrect print process
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- Make sure the printer is turned on and run a test by printing from another software program such as Word.
- Make sure the correct printer is selected in print settings.
- Print using the Microsoft XPS writer by
- changing the printer to 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer' in print settings, this should prompt to 'Save' the document on PC
- opening the saved XPS file separately and printing from the XPS document viewer instead – the XPS document must be opened with Internet Explorer or XPS viewer – if Internet Explorer is not the default browser and you are using a computer mouse, you can right click on the XPS document, left click 'Open with' and select XPS viewer or Internet Explorer.
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Online services system requirements check tool returns compatibility issues
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Device is not compatible
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- Make sure your browser meets the minimum requirements. If you are using a mobile device, the browser will need to be updated to meet minimum requirements via the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (android).
- Enable JavaScript:
- Accept Cookies:
- Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect to the internet, contact your internet service provider or use another network (if applicable).
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Enable JavaScript
How to enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Chrome
To enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Chrome:
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, select the 3 vertical dots.
- Select 'Settings'.
- At the bottom, select 'Advanced.'
- Under 'Privacy and security', select 'Content settings'.
- Select JavaScript.
- Turn on 'Allowed (recommended)'.
How to enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Firefox
To enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Firefox:
- Select the 3 horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Select 'Help'.
- Select 'Troubleshooting Information'.
- Select 'Refresh Firefox' in the top right corner.
How to enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Internet Explorer
To enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Internet Explorer:
- Select the cog in the top right corner.
- Select 'Internet Options'.
- Select the 'Security' tab.
- Select 'Custom level'.
- Scroll down to Scripting. Under 'Active Scripting', set it to 'Enable'.
How to enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Edge
JavaScript cannot be disabled in Edge.
How to enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Safari
To enable JavaScript – desktop browsers using Safari:
- Select 'Safari' along the top menu bar.
- Select 'Preferences'.
- Select 'Security'.
- Select the 'Enable JavaScript' checkbox to enable it and try again.
How to enable JavaScript – mobile browsers using Safari for iOS
How to enable JavaScript – mobile browsers using Safari for iOS:
- Navigate to the 'Settings' app.
- On the left-hand bar, select 'Safari'.
- Scroll to the bottom and select 'Advanced'.
- Enable 'Javascript'.
How to enable JavaScript – mobile browsers using Chrome for Android
How to enable JavaScript – mobile browsers using Chrome for Android:
- Open Chrome.
- Select the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner.
- Select 'Settings'.
- Select 'Content Settings'.
- Enable 'Enable Javascript'.
Accept cookies
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Chrome
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Chrome:
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, select the 3 vertical dots.
- Select 'Settings'
- At the bottom, select 'Advanced'.
- Under ‘Privacy and security’, select 'Content settings'.
- Select 'Cookies'.
- Turn on ‘Allow sites to save and read cookie data’.
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Firefox
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Firefox:
- At the top right, select the 3 horizontal lines.
- Select 'Settings' or 'Options'.
- Select 'Privacy & Security'.
- In the drop-down menu in the History section choose 'Remember history'.
NOTE: If this is set to 'Use Custom Settings', an additional menu will expand, and you can select 'Accept cookies from websites'.
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Internet Explorer
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Internet Explorer:
- Select the gear in the top right corner.
- Select 'Internet Options'.
- Select the 'Privacy' tab.
- Select 'Advanced'.
- Set 'First-party Cookies' to 'Allow', set 'Third-party cookies' to 'Block'.
- Check the box for 'Always allow session cookies'.
How to accept cookies – desktop browsers using Edge
How to accept cookies – desktop browsers using Edge:
- Select the 3 horizontal dots in the top right corner.
- Select 'Settings'.
- Select 'View advanced settings'.
- Under the Cookies section, select to either 'Don't block cookies'. (default) or 'Block only third-party cookies'.
- Restart Edge and try again.
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Safari
How to accept Cookies – desktop browsers using Safari:
- Select 'Safari' along the top menu bar.
- Select 'Preferences'.
- Select 'Privacy'.
- Uncheck the box that says 'Block all cookies' under Cookies and website data.
How to accept Cookies – mobile browsers using Safari for iOS
How to accept Cookies – mobile browsers using Safari for iOS:
- Navigate to the 'Settings' app.
- On the left-hand bar, select 'Safari'.
- Ensure 'Block All Cookies’ is disabled.
How to accept Cookies – mobile browsers using Chrome for Android
How to accept Cookies – mobile browsers using Chrome for Android:
- Open Chrome.
- Select the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner.
- Select 'Settings'.
- Select 'Content Settings'.
- Enable 'Accept Cookies'.
Server not found
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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ATO online services outage or error
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’; Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
If you are using Internet Explorer add trusted zones for ato.gov.au, (as well as abr.gov.au External Linkand business.gov.auExternal Link if you are a business user), then close all browsers and try again.
Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect, contact your internet service provider.
Restart your computer.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
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System has timed out
Your connection is not private
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Your browser cannot verify if a website is safe to visit
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Select ‘Advanced’ to proceed.
Select ‘Proceed to [website] (unsafe)’ link at the bottom of the message if it appears.
If issue persists, clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
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myGovID login timeout
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Session has expired
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Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser, close the browser and try to login again.
If you are using Firefox, login with another supported browser such as Chrome, and then attempt to login with Firefox again.
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Error downloading PDF files
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Restricted browser settings or firewalls
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If you use a computer mouse, right click on the PDF download link.
Select the 'Save link as' or 'Save target as'.
Choose a location on your PC where you will download to, give the file a name and click the Save button.
When the download completes you will be able to open the PDF file with a suitable PDF viewer.
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ATO Online URL check and Network Test
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Software or network settings may be blocking a page from loading
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Perform the ATO online URL check:
- Select this link https://atoonlinecdnstream.azureedge.net/cdntest.txt or copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser and press ‘Enter’.
- If you cannot access this page, add the URL 'atoonlinecdnstream.azureedge.net' to the whitelist within your proxy or firewall.
- If the URL check returns the message 'ATO CDN Working' then go back to ATO online services and try to reload the screen that was not working.
Perform a network test:
- Disconnect your device from the current network and connect it to an alternative internet source such as another network or mobile hotspot.
- Try to reload the screen within ATO online services which was not loading. If the screen loads properly and you were previously connected to a business network, contact your internal IT support.
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MC005
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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An old session is used when attempting to authenticate
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’ or Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Close all sessions of the browser and open a new browser window.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
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ATOBE.PKG can't be opened
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Restricted browser settings or server issues
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- Check if the error message has an ‘Open’ button.
- If there is no ‘open’ button and you have a computer mouse, right click on ‘ATOBEinstaller.pkg’ and click ‘Open’. You should now see an ‘Open’ button on the error message.
- After clicking ‘Open’, the program should install successfully.
Note: This error only occurs in Mac operating systems.
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Security certificate not valid
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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The ATO’s Security Certificate has expired or is not yet valid
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Select ‘Continue to this website’ if the prompt shows up on the page.
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Publisher could not be verified
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Running an executable file on Windows XP or higher a security warning will be displayed
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Confirm that you wish to run the program. If so, select ‘Run’ on the security warning pop up message.
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Firefox or Chrome is running
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Firefox or Chrome is running and needs to be closed
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Firefox:
- Close all active Firefox browser windows and re-open Firefox again.
- Open the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
- Restart your computer and try again.
Chrome:
- Close all active Chrome browser windows and re-open Chrome again.
- Open the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
- Select the ‘Processes’ tab
- Select any chrome.exe*32 processes and select ‘End task’
- Once the list is clear of all Chrome processes, close the Windows Task Manager and try the browser again.
3. Restart your computer and try again.
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This publisher has been blocked
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Windows blocks the installation of the ATOBE extension software
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- Close the ‘Windows protected your PC’ warning box if it is still open.
- Locate the file you downloaded. If you cannot find the file, go back to the ATO Browser ExtensionExternal Link page and download the ‘Windows’ extension again. Make sure you save this file to your downloads folder or desktop.
- If you use a computer mouse, right click on the file, then select ‘Properties’.
- Select the ‘General’ tab, check the ‘Unblock’ box at the bottom, then select OK.
- If prompted, select ‘Continue’, and select ‘Yes’ (you are the administrator) or enter password of administrator.
- When you have completed the above steps, if you use a computer mouse double click on the downloaded file (atobeInstaller.exe) to attempt the installation again.
- If the above steps fail, or if the 'Unblock' option does not appear, clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
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Buttons missing within ATO Online Services
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Device may not be compatible
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Check your device is compatible using the ATO online services system requirements check.
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
If you are using Internet Explorer, select the cog icon and select 'Settings'. Make sure that no ato.gov.au page is under the compatibility view list. If it is, select it, then select remove. If the error persists, unselect 'Use Microsoft compatibility lists'.
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Slow download or download dropping out
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Slow download speed
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Windows:
Mac:
- Try to download the file again later.
- Try an alternative supported web browser such as Chrome or Firefox.
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Page or website blocked
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Browser settings or Firewalls
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Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’; Mac: ‘Command + R’).
Try an alternative supported web browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Add ato.gov.au as a trusted site in Internet Explorer.
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Connection to server was reset
Mozapps error: the add-on downloaded from this site could not be installed because it appears to be corrupt
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Occurs when trying to install ATOBE add-on to Firefox from file instead of running ATOBEinstaller.exe
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- Download and reinstallExternal Link the ATOBE software.
- Run the ATOBE installer from your computer. If the error persists, use an alternative supported web browser such as Chrome or Edge.
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Display issues (Graphics)
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Various
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- Ensure the browser meets supported requirementsExternal Link for the ABR system.
- Make sure that your screen resolution is set to a minimum of 1024 x 768.
- Refresh the web page (Windows: ‘Ctrl + F5’ or MAC: ‘Command + R’).
- Close and reopen your web browser.
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Browser blocking download
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Your computer security setting blocked the file
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- If you use a computer mouse, right click on the link and select ‘Save as’ or ‘Save target as’.
- Select ‘Desktop’ and select ‘Save’.
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This site can’t be found or reached / Website or service temporarily unavailable / Problem accessing the site /
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Unable to locate the requested URL
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Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect, contact your internet service provider.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Check our system maintenance page for outage notifications.
If your computer is connected to a business network, contact your internal IT support.
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Application server error / Connection timed out
Possible cause and solution
Possible cause
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What you can do
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Unable to locate the requested URL
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Check your computer is connected to the internet. If you are unable to connect, contact your internet service provider.
Clear the cache and cookies in your web browser and try again.
Check our system maintenance page for outage notifications.
If your computer is connected to a business network, contact your internal IT support.
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How to resolve common errors and issues affecting all audiences when accessing ATO online services.