Of the many potential errors you might see on your WordPress site, Error 404 Not Plant is one of the tamer ones. But that doesn't mean it isn't frustrating when you lot or your visitors try to browse your site and keep running into the Error 404 Not Institute bulletin. 😒 That's the terminal thing you lot want first-time potential customers seeing from your brand. A 404 mistake can also be an indicator to you that something has changed or moved and a 301 redirect probably needs to exist added for SEO.

In this post, we're going to endeavor to help you lot get your site working again by explaining a few things:

Prefer to watch the video version?

What is the Error 404 Non Found?

The Cyberspace Engineering Task Force (IETF) defines the fault 404 Not Constitute as:

The 404 (Not Found) status code indicates that the origin server did non discover a current representation for the target resource or is not willing to disclose that one exists. A 404 status lawmaking does not point whether this lack of representation is temporary or permanent; the 410 (Gone) status lawmaking is preferred over 404 if the origin server knows, presumably through some configurable means, that the condition is likely to be permanent.

Whenever you, or ane of your visitors, visit your website, your browser sends a asking to the web server and receives back information including something called an HTTP header. The HTTP header includes HTTP status codes to explain "what happened" with the asking.

Nearly of the time, the request works perfectly and y'all never actually run across the HTTP status lawmaking (unless you go looking). Merely if something goes incorrect, your web browser will usually display a message with the HTTP status code to point the exact problem.

Simply like other error messages (500 error, 502 error, 503 error, 504 error, etc.), the Error 404 Not Found message is the result of that procedure.

What Does Error 404 Non Found Actually Mean?

Basically, information technology ways that the client (your, or your visitor's, web browser) was able to successfully connect to the host (your website's server), just it was unable to find the bodily resource that was requested (e.yard. a specific URL or filename).

For instance, if someone tries to access yoursite.com/post-name only you don't have any content with the slugmail service-name. The visitor volition then see a 404 fault because, even though your spider web server is operation ordinarily, the resource that was requested doesn't be.

It'south not just posts or pages either, any asset missing can generate a 404 mistake on the server, such every bit a missing image file, missing JavaScript, missing CSS, etc.

What Causes Error 404 Not Found on WordPress?

If you see this mistake on all of your site'due south content, it'southward typically due to an effect with your WordPress site's permalinks. If you only come across it on private pieces of content, though, it's most probable considering you changed a piece of content'south slug without setting upwards a redirect.

Additionally, the 404 error isn't e'er a bad thing – it'southward only bad when it'due south interfering with usability. And sometimes things are just out of your control!

For example, sometimes a person might but type the wrong URL in their address bar. In that case, they'll nevertheless see a 404 error, but there's no actual trouble with how your site is configured. This is actually the desired response, and you can create your ain custom 404 page to help get visitors to the right spot (we'll show you how after on).

Error 404 Not Establish Variations

Considering dissimilar browsers display error messages differently, y'all might see a different bulletin for this error. Other mutual variations include:

  • "Fault 404"
  • "404 Not Found"
  • "HTTP Error 404"
  • "Not Found"
  • "Folio Not Found"
  • "The requested URL was not found on this server."
  • "The page cannot be institute"
  • "We tin can't find the page y'all're looking for."
  • "The requested URL /~ was not plant on this server. That'southward all we know.
Google 404 error page
Google 404 mistake page

The Error 404 Not Found bulletin is likewise unique in that many sites will really create a custom page to address the error, rather showing one of the messages higher up. Some WordPress themes also include custom 404 pages by default. For that reason, y'all might not actually see the error message at all because many sites will utilize funny or creative 404 pages instead.

Funny 404 page example
Funny 404 page case

Below is an instance of our ain 404 folio at Kinsta. We include a search box and some of our recent blog posts to assist visitors find what they might take been looking for. Ever include search functionality on your 404 folio.

Kinsta 404 page
Kinsta 404 page

Error 404 Not Found Impact on SEO

Error 404 Non Institute doesn't have whatsoever inherent negative touch on on SEO. Only it might take a negative impact depending on the reason for why the mistake is happening.

For instance, if a visitor merely mistypes a URL and sees a 404 mistake – at that place won't be a negative impact on SEO. But if you take individual errors because of broken URLs, that will inhibit Google's power to properly crawl your site and accept a negative SEO effect in that manner.

Additionally, if a permalink issue is causing sitewide 404 errors, Google won't be able to crawl any of your site's content. In other words, ever fix your 404 errors as before long as possible.

Error 404 Not Found Impact on Site Functioning

Many don't realize information technology, but sites that generate a lot of 404 errors can easily meet functioning issues, as these responses aren't typically cached. We saw this a lot on larger sites and information technology can be a big trouble if you accidentally promote or get a surge of viral traffic to a 404 page. To minimize the impact of 404 requests on site performance, nosotros automatically cache 404 pages for fifteen minutes. If you create a new page with the aforementioned URL as the buried 404 page, we'll automatically purge the cache so your visitors will exist able to meet the new page immediately. This means your site will be protected from PHP and CPU spikes caused by traffic to dynamic 404 pages.

You are probably generating more than 404 errors than you call back! Our MyKinsta analytics tool tin can help you make up one's mind the exact amount (every bit seen beneath).

404 Errors
404 Errors

Yous can also chop-chop see what the peak 404 errors are. In this example beneath, you can see the site is missing some mobile icons, such every bit /apple-touch-icon.png. These are most likely in a theme or plugin's code that is getting queried, but the bodily icons were never added. Therefore, the server generates a 404 error as it can't find the resource.

Top 404 errors
Top 404 errors

Yous tin can also check 404 errors in Google Search Console or install a 3rd-party plugin such equally Redirection which logs 404 errors. However, remember that plugins like these too have an bear upon on performance. It'southward much better to rely on a server-level tool. That'south why we provide these tools for all Kinsta clients.

The reason these errors are bad is that many 404 pages are very resource intensive. For large sites, you'll want toavoid a heavy 404 page. Create a simple 404 template that avoids querying the database any further if possible.

Subscribe At present

How to Prepare Error 404 Not Found on WordPress

Below, we'll cover a couple unlike methods for how to fix the Fault 404 Non Found bulletin, depending on whether it's happening sitewide or to specific content.

Update Your WordPress Site's Permalinks

If y'all're experiencing sitewide 404 errors when trying to access content, the nearly likely crusade is an issue with your permalinks (or your .htaccess file, if your host uses Apache). If you're a Kinsta client, we utilize Nginx, then y'all can rule out the .htaccess file as a possible cause.

The easiest way to fix this is to update your permalink settings through the WordPress dashboard. All you need to do is go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes (you don't demand to make any changes – clicking Salvage Changes is enough).

Regenerate permalinks in WordPress
Regenerate permalinks in WordPress

Set 301 Redirects For Moved or Renamed Content

If you're experiencing 404 errors on a specific piece of content, the issue is likely that you:

  • Changed the URL slug for that content.
  • Moved that piece of content manually, e.grand. by deleting the existing post and pasting information technology into a new post.

Users and then try to access the content at the old location and see a 404 page instead of the resource they were expecting. The best way to fix this is to automatically redirect anyone who tries to access the old location to the new location. That way, they'll brand information technology to the right spot without any 404 errors. It's also good for SEO. If you movement or rename a postal service without adding a redirect, you lose all the domain authority attached to the backlinks pointed at that post.

WordPress by default will attempt to redirect inverse/moved content. But it doesn't always piece of work and you should never rely on WordPress for this functionality. But don't worry, there are several easy ways to set up redirects in WordPress:

First, yous can utilize the costless Redirection plugin to manage redirects from your WordPress dashboard. One time you've installed and activated the plugin, go to Tools → Redirection and enter the 404 page URL in the Source URL box and the new location of the content in the Target URL box:

How to set up redirects with the Redirection plugin
How to ready redirects with the Redirection plugin

If you're hosting with Kinsta, you can likewise manage redirects from the MyKinsta dashboard. Using Kinsta's tool is really a better way to get about information technology as the rules are implemented at the server level, which is a much more than optimal way in terms of performance. It too means one less tertiary-political party plugin you accept to worry about.

Go to the site you desire to manage. And then, click on the "Redirects" tab. To add a new redirect, click the large "Add together Redirect Rule" push:

How to set up redirects from your Kinsta dashboard
How to set up redirects from your Kinsta dashboard

Finally, if your host uses the Apache server, you lot can use .htaccess to set upwardly redirects. The .htaccess Generator site can assistance y'all generate the proper code to add together to your site'south .htaccess file.

How to Create Your Own Error 404 Non Found Page

While you can do your best to foreclose 404 errors by post-obit the tips higher up, it'due south impossible to entirely eliminate 404 errors because some things are just plain outside your command. It's not uncommon for small WordPress sites to take thousands of 404 errors every calendar month.

For example, if a company mistypes the URL, or if some other website links to a page that doesn't exist, people are going to get 404 errors no matter what.

To provide a more user-friendly error page, you tin employ ane of the many 404 page plugins. For example, the complimentary 404page plugin lets you lot fix a custom 404 mistake page with:

  • A search box
  • Important links
  • Contact information

Another of import feature of the 404page plugin is that it doesn't create redirects. A 404 page should never be redirected to a concrete page such equally yoursite.com/404. The 404 error should always be generated dynamically on the page in question.

By including these elements, you give visitors the tools they need to find their mode to the right page. Only remember, keep your 404 page low-cal for better performance. Merely include what is admittedly needed.

How to Monitor 404 Errors Going Forward

Going frontward, information technology tin exist beneficial to pay attention to which requests are causing 404 errors at your site. This can help you:

  • Find broken links that are sending people to a non-existent resource (these could exist internal links or external links from other sites). You'd then want to do your best to set those links if at all possible.
  • See which pages Google is having problem crawling. You lot'd then want to figure out why Google is trying to crawl a not-real page and ready upwardly a redirect if needed.
  • Troubleshoot performance related issues with 404 errors.

Pick 1 – Google Analytics

If y'all utilise Google Analytics, you lot can set upwardly a custom report to track 404 errors from external links. Rebelytics has a practiced tutorial on the topic.

Option 2 – WordPress Plugin

If y'all want to apply a WordPress plugin, the aforementioned Redirection plugin can help you monitor for 404 errors from your WordPress dashboard.

Option 3 – Third-Party Inspect Tool

You tin can also use a third-party audit tool like Ahrefs to monitor for 404 errors on your WordPress site. Yous can fifty-fifty set this up to run on a schedule.

404 errors audit
404 errors inspect

Option 4 – Google Search Panel

Lastly, you tin can track 404 errors that Google'due south crawlers run across in Google Search Console. In one case you lot've verified your site with Google Search Console, go to Crawl → Crawl Errors → Non found to view a list of 404 errors that Google has encountered. This is past far one of the easiest ways. Information technology's likewise the best in terms of performance because it requires no third-party plugins or additional scanning against your site. Google's bots are already itch your site on a regular basis, so why not simply take reward of the data they already provide? 😉

Google Search Console 404 errors
Google Search Console 404 errors

Summary

Unfortunately, 404 errors will happen on your site whether you like it or not. The larger your WordPress site is, the more y'all'll kickoff seeing. We recommend getting a good workflow together for how you monitor these types of errors and go about fixing them. 404 errors are never good for visitors, your brand, and Google doesn't similar to see them either.

Have whatever other tips or questions regarding the Fault 404 Not Found bulletin or how it impacts your WordPress site? Allow united states know below in the comments.


Save time, costs and maximize site performance with:

  • Instant help from WordPress hosting experts, 24/7.
  • Cloudflare Enterprise integration.
  • Global audience reach with 29 data centers worldwide.
  • Optimization with our built-in Awarding Performance Monitoring.

All of that and much more, in one plan with no long-term contracts, assisted migrations, and a 30-24-hour interval-coin-dorsum-guarantee. Check out our plans or talk to sales to discover the plan that'due south right for you.