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Akeeba Backup for Joomla!

#43085 Error connecting to the server: URL using bad/illegal format or missing URL

Posted in ‘Akeeba Backup for Joomla!’
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Environment Information

Joomla! version
6.1.1
PHP version
8.3.31
Akeeba Backup version
10.3.4

Latest post by gneumann on Saturday, 27 June 2026 09:50 CDT

gneumann
Dear Nicholas,

Update Akeeba Backup Pro fails with Message: "Error connecting to the server: URL using bad/illegal format or missing URL" .. "Failed to download package. Download it and install manually from https://www.akeeba.com/download/akeeba-backup/10-3-6 ......." See Attachment.
I already checked the Download-ID, it seems OK. Despite several efforts, I could not find a solution so far. Hope, you can help.

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager

What happens when you click the link you see in the message? Does it download the ZIP file?

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

gneumann
Dear Nicholas,
Thanks for quick reply. The URL displayed after "Failed to download...." is not a link, just text. However, when copying the URL in browser address bar, download of ZIP is possible. Link to download page works works either. Already the update 10.3.3 -> 10.3.4 came with same behavior, so I did a manual installation some weeks ago, hope we can fix that. Kind regards Gerd

nicholas
Akeeba Staff
Manager

OK, this means that Joomla does see the correct download URL, and that URL works fine – so it's neither a problem with Joomla or on our end. Therefore, the message comes from your host. I suspect they are using a transparent caching proxy which is somehow messing up when trying to serve this URL. Try contacting your host to see what is going on.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

gneumann
Dear Nicholas,
thank you - will try that! Regards Gerd

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