To fix the issue of the ads.txt file not being accessible due to .htaccess rules, you need to ensure that the .htaccess configuration allows access to the file. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Verify .ads.txt Accessibility

Ensure the ads.txt file is correctly placed in the root directory of your website. You can verify this by navigating to https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt in your browser.

2. Edit the .htaccess File

Open the .htaccess file in the root directory of your website and look for any rules that might block access to specific files or extensions. You can add the following code to explicitly allow access to ads.txt:

# Allow access to ads.txt file
<Files "ads.txt">
    Require all granted
</Files>

3. Handle Directory Restrictions

If your .htaccess file contains general restrictions for files, such as blocking all files by default, ensure that exceptions are made for ads.txt. For example:

# Block all access except for specific files
<FilesMatch "^(ads\.txt|index\.php|favicon\.ico)$">
    Require all granted
</FilesMatch>

4. Check Rewrite Rules

If your .htaccess file has rewrite rules, such as for a CMS (like WordPress), ensure these rules don’t interfere with ads.txt accessibility. You can add an exception for ads.txt in the rewrite conditions:

# Bypass rewrite rules for ads.txt
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/ads\.txt$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [L]

5. Save Changes and Test

Save the .htaccess file and clear your browser cache. Test the accessibility of ads.txt by visiting https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt. The file should display its contents.

6. Check Server Permissions

Ensure the ads.txt file has the correct file permissions (e.g., 644) so the web server can read it.

7. Verify with Google AdSense

Once the file is accessible, log in to your Google AdSense account to confirm that the ads.txt verification is successful. Google may take a few days to process the changes.

If these steps don’t resolve the issue, you might need to consult your hosting provider to ensure server-level configurations aren’t blocking access.