You visit a website, click on a link, and boom—”404 Page Not Found.” It’s frustrating. If this happens on your own website, it’s a bigger issue.

People don’t have the patience to deal with broken pages. If they can’t find what they need, they leave. Search engines notice this too. Too many 404 errors can hurt your rankings, leading to less traffic.

The good part? Fixing 404 errors is easy. This guide will walk you through 8 simple steps to find and fix them. Whether it’s broken links, missing pages, or settings issues, you’ll learn how to solve them and stop them from coming back.

Let’s get started! 🚀

What is a 404 Error?

404 is a status code that tells you a webpage doesn’t exist on a website. This means the server is working, but it can’t find the page you’re looking for.

It usually appears as “404 Page Not Found” and can happen for simple reasons—maybe the page was deleted, the URL was changed, or there was a typo in the link.

For visitors, it’s frustrating. 74% of people leave a website after seeing a 404 error (source). For website owners, too many broken pages can hurt SEO and user experience.

What are The Different Types of 404 Errors?

404 errors are not all the same. There are two main types:

1. Hard 404 Errors

A hard 404 error indicates the page is absolutely missing. The server responds back to the browser with a 404 status when the browser requests the page. The server returns this response and assures that the page does not exist.

Why It Happens

• The page was deleted, but links to it still exist.
• The page URL was changed, but the old link wasn’t redirected.
• The link was typed incorrectly in the content or navigation.

How to Find Hard 404 Errors?

✔️ Google Search Console → Coverage Report → Check for “Not Found (404)” pages.
✔️ Crawling tools (Screaming Frog, Ahrefs) → Scan for broken links.
✔️ Manually type the URL → See if it leads to an error page.

2. Soft 404 Errors

A soft 404 error happens when a missing page doesn’t return a proper 404 response. Instead of telling the browser the page is gone, the server returns a regular page response (200 OK) or redirects to an unrelated page. Search engines don’t like this because it can confuse users.

Why It Happens?

• The page is missing but shows an empty or unrelated page instead of a proper 404.
• The website redirects all deleted pages to the homepage (a common mistake).
• A low-quality page has little or no content, so Google marks it as a soft 404.

How to Find Soft 404 Errors?

✔️ Google Search Console → Coverage Report → Check for “Soft 404” warnings.
✔️ Crawling tools → Detect incorrect responses for missing pages.
✔️ Test problem URLs manually → See if they show misleading pages instead of proper 404s.

Why Soft 404s are a Problem?

• Search engines may ignore the page because it sends mixed signals.
• Users may get confused if they land on an unrelated or blank page.
• SEO rankings can drop if too many pages are flagged as soft 404s.

What Are Some Common Reasons for 404 Errors?

Below are the most common reasons why 404 errors occur.

1. Deleted or Moved Pages Without Redirects

If a page is deleted or its URL is changed, but there’s no redirect, users will land on a 404 error page instead of being taken to the new location.

• You remove an outdated blog post, but old links still lead to it.
• A product page is renamed, but the original URL remains in the search results.

2. Broken Internal Links

These are links within your own website that point to missing pages. If they aren’t updated, they lead visitors to a dead end.

• A blog post links to another article that no longer exists.
• A category page contains links to removed products.

3. Mistyped URLs

A small mistake in a URL can make a page inaccessible. This could be from a typo by users or an incorrect link on your site.

• A visitor types yourwebsite.com/pricing-plans instead of yourwebsite.com/pricing
  
• A marketing email contains a link with an extra character, making it invalid.

4. External Links Pointing to Missing Pages

If another website links to a page on your site that no longer exists, visitors clicking that link will see a 404 error.

• A guest post you wrote years ago links to a page that was removed.
• An old product review directs users to a discontinued product page.

5. Website Migration or Redesign Issues

Changing your website’s structure, platform, or domain can lead to 404 errors if old URLs aren’t redirected properly.

• Moving from http to https but forgetting to update internal links.
• Switching from www to non-www, causing some URLs to break.

6. Server or Configuration Errors

Sometimes, a 404 error isn’t caused by a missing page but by a server issue or a misconfigured .htaccess file.

• Server settings accidentally block certain pages.
• A wrong rule in the .htaccess file prevents access to some URLs.

7. Expired or Temporary Content

Some pages are meant to exist for a limited time. Once removed, users trying to access them will get a 404 error.

• A sale page is removed after the promotion ends.
• A job listing disappears once the position is filled.

404 errors can affect SEO and user experience, but they’re easy to fix. In the next section, we’ll cover how to find and fix them step by step.

8 Simple Steps to Find and Fix 404 Errors

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you identify, fix, and prevent them, ensuring a smooth experience for both users and search engines.

1. Check for 404 Errors on Your Website

Before fixing 404 errors, you need to find them. Many broken links go unnoticed, so checking regularly is important. Here’s how to do it:

🔎 Google Search Console (Best Free Option)

Google helps track missing pages on your website. It’s free and reliable.

How to check:

1️⃣ Open Google Search Console
2️⃣ Click “Pages” under “Indexing”
3️⃣ Look for “Not Found (404)” errors
4️⃣ Click on each error to see which pages are affected

💡Why use this?

• Google crawls your site regularly, so it shows fresh data
• Helps find and fix errors before they affect rankings

🛠 Website Crawlers (Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, SEMrush)

SEO tools can scan your website and list all 404 errors in one place.

How to check:

1️⃣ Open Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush
2️⃣ Enter your website URL and run a full scan
3️⃣ Filter the results to find broken links and 404 pages

💡Why use this?

• Finds internal and external broken links
• Scans entire websites quickly
• Works well for large websites

📌 Manually Check Important Pages

Some pages matter more than others. It’s worth checking them manually.

What to check:

✔️ Homepage & key pages
✔️ Product or service pages
✔️ Blog posts that get a lot of traffic
✔️ Navigation menu & footer links

💡Why do this?

• Tools might miss errors on certain pages
• Helps catch issues quickly

📂 Server Logs (For Advanced Users)

Your server logs record all visits, including failed ones.

How to check:

1️⃣ Go to your website hosting account
2️⃣ Find the error log file in your dashboard
3️⃣ Look for “404” status codes

💡Why use this?

• Finds hidden errors that tools don’t always detect
• Good for large sites with high-traffic

2. Fix Internal and External Broken Links

Once you’ve found 404 errors, the next step is to fix broken links. These links can be inside your website (internal links) or from other websites (external links).

🔗 Fixing Internal Broken Links (Links Within Your Website)

Internal links are links from one page to another on your own website. If they point to a missing page, users and search engines will see a 404 error.

How to Fix Internal Broken Links:

1️⃣ Update the Link – If the correct page still exists but has a new URL, change the link to the new one.
2️⃣ Redirect the Old URL – If the page was deleted, set up a 301 redirect to a similar page.
3️⃣ Remove the Broken Link – If there’s no replacement, remove the link completely.

✅ You moved a blog post from /best-SEO-tips to /SEO-tips-2025. Update all old links to point to the new page.

Use a website crawler (Screaming Frog, Ahrefs) to find and fix all broken internal links in one go.

🌍 Fixing External Broken Links (Links from Other Websites)

External links are links from other websites pointing to your pages. If those links lead to missing pages, visitors coming from those sites will land on a 404 page.

How to Fix External Broken Links:

1️⃣ Set Up a 301 Redirect – Redirect the old URL to a relevant page on your site.
2️⃣ Ask the Website Owner to Update the Link – If possible, contact the website linking to you and request an update.
3️⃣ Create a New Page – If a high-traffic page was deleted, consider restoring it or creating similar content.

✅ A blogger linked to your old product page, but that product is no longer available. Redirect the link to a similar product page or a category page.

Use Ahrefs or Google Search Console to find broken backlinks pointing to your site.

3. Set Up 301 Redirects for Moved or Deleted Pages

A 301 redirect fixes this problem by automatically sending users and search engines to the new page instead of a dead link. It tells search engines that the page has permanently moved, ensuring that any existing SEO value is transferred to the new URL.

If a page is removed or its URL is changed, a 301 redirect should be set up to avoid broken links. This is especially useful when:

• A blog post or product page is renamed, and the old URL is still being shared online.
• A webpage is deleted, but a similar page exists that can serve as a replacement.
• You restructure your website, changing the link format.
• Two pages are merged into one, and the old URL is no longer needed.

For example, if your blog post was originally at /seo-tips-2024 and you update it to /seo-tips-2025, setting up a 301 redirect ensures that visitors using the old link still find the correct content. So, how to set up a 301 redirect?

1. WordPress (Easy Method)

If you use WordPress, the simplest way to set up a 301 redirect is with a plugin. Popular options include Redirection (free) and Yoast SEO (premium feature).

Steps:

• Install the plugin.
• Open the plugin settings in your WordPress dashboard.
• Add the old URL and the new URL.
• Save the changes, and the redirect will be active.

2. Editing the .htaccess File (For Apache Servers)

For websites hosted on Apache servers, redirects can be added manually.

Steps:

• Open the .htaccess file in your root directory.
• Add this line: Redirect 301 /old-page https://yourwebsite.com/new-page
• Save the file and check if the redirect works.

3. Redirects on Nginx Servers

For websites using Nginx, the configuration file must be updated.

Steps:

• Open your Nginx configuration file.
• Add this rule: rewrite ^/old-page$ https://yourwebsite.com/new-page permanent;
• Restart the server to apply changes.

Setting up 301 redirects keeps your website organized and user-friendly while protecting your SEO. In the next section, we’ll talk about restoring pages that were removed by mistake and what to do if you need them back.

4. Restore Pages That Were Removed by Mistake

Sometimes, pages get deleted by accident. This can cause a 404 error, leading to lost traffic and broken links. If a page was removed unintentionally, here’s how to get it back.

1. Check for a Backup

If your hosting provider or backup plugin saves website versions, restoring a deleted page is easy. WordPress users can check plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to recover specific pages.

• Log in to your hosting or backup service.
• Find a backup from before the page was deleted.
• Restore the page without rolling back the entire site.

2. Use Google Cache or Wayback Machine

If no backup exists, try retrieving the page using Google’s cached version or the Wayback Machine (archive.org).

• Search for your missing page on Google, click the dropdown next to the URL, and select “Cached”.
• Visit archive.org, enter the page URL, and check past snapshots.

If the content is available, copy and recreate the page manually.

3. Rebuild the Page and Fix Broken Links

If you can’t recover the original page, recreate it from memory or old references. Once restored:

• Update internal links to point to the new version.
• Set up a 301 redirect if the URL has changed.

WordPress users can check the revision history for older drafts.

4. Prevent Future Mistakes

Before deleting any page:

• Check Google Search Console to see if it still gets traffic.
• Look for internal links pointing to it.
• Use 301 redirects if replacing content.

Regular website backups help avoid losing important pages in the future.

Accidentally deleted pages don’t have to stay lost. Quick recovery prevents 404 errors, keeps users engaged, and protects SEO.

5. Improve User Experience with a Custom 404 Page

No matter how much care you take in keeping your site, 404s cannot be avoided. Instead of making visitors angry, a custom 404 page can entertain them and lead them to what they seek.

A default “404 Page Not Found” drives people away. An error page designed well, however, provides them with a reason to stay.

What Makes a Good 404 Page?

• Clear Message – Instead of a dull error notice, use friendly text like “Oops! This page is missing, but here’s where you can go next.”
• Search Bar – Helps users find what they were originally looking for.
• Useful Links – Add links to the homepage, popular pages, or recent blog posts.
• Branding & Design – The page should match your site’s look and feel.
• Creativity or Humor – A fun message or image can make the experience less frustrating.

6. Regularly Scan Your Website for Broken Links

Broken links lead to 404 errors, frustrating visitors, and damaging SEO. Pages are ultimately removed, URLs are updated, and external links turn into dead links. Scanning on a daily basis detects and fixes these issues in their infancy.

How to Scan for Broken Links

The easiest way to detect broken links is using Google Search Console, which detects 404 error pages in the index report. SEO tools like Screaming Frog and Ahrefs crawl websites and categorize all broken links under one category.

If you use WordPress, plugins like Broken Link Checker can detect and help fix broken links directly from the dashboard.

Once identified, update the link, remove it, or set up a 301 redirect if needed.

7. Follow Best Practices for URLs

A clean, well-structured URL prevents 404 errors and makes navigation easier for users and search engines. Poor URL management can lead to broken links and lost traffic. Keeping URLs simple, readable, and consistent avoids these issues.

How to Structure URLs Correctly

Keep URLs short and meaningful. Avoid unnecessary words, symbols, and numbers. Instead of:

🚫 yourwebsite.com/blog/2024/03/best-seo-tips-12345
✅ yourwebsite.com/blog/seo-tips

Using hyphens instead of underscores makes URLs easier to read and index. Search engines recognize hyphens as word separators but not underscores.

Avoid Changing URLs Without a Redirect

Changing URLs frequently without 301 redirects leads to broken links and 404 errors. If an update is needed, redirect the old URL to the new one to keep traffic flowing.

Use Keywords, But Keep It Natural

URLs should reflect the content of the page. Instead of random numbers or generic labels, include relevant keywords.

🚫 yourwebsite.com/page1234
✅ yourwebsite.com/fix-404-errors

This improves SEO and helps users understand the page before clicking.

8. Fix Technical Issues Like File Permissions & .htaccess Errors

Sometimes, 404 errors aren’t caused by broken links but by technical issues within your website. Incorrect file permissions or errors in the .htaccess file can block access to pages, making them appear as 404 Not Found even when they exist.

Check and Fix File Permissions

Your website files have permissions that control who can access them. If set incorrectly, pages may become inaccessible, leading to 404 errors. To fix this:

->Folders should be set to 755

->Files should be set to 644

You can adjust these settings through your hosting panel or an FTP client like FileZilla.

Fix .htaccess Errors

The .htaccess file manages redirects and URL rules. A small mistake can cause multiple 404 error codes across your site. To reset it:

• Go to your website’s root directory.
• Find the .htaccess file and rename it to .htaccess-old.
• If you use WordPress, regenerate it by saving your Permalink settings.

If pages are still missing, check for incorrect redirects or plugin conflicts.

Technical errors can create 404 file not found issues even when pages exist. Regularly checking file permissions and .htaccess settings ensures your site remains accessible.

Why Fixing 404 Errors is Important?

Ignoring 404 errors can hurt your website in many ways. Broken links and missing pages frustrate visitors, harm your search rankings, and make your site look unprofessional. Fixing them ensures a smooth experience for users and helps maintain your site’s credibility.

1. Better User Experience

Visitors expect a working website. When they click a link and see a “404 Page Not Found” error, they often leave. Too many broken pages make your site feel unreliable, and frustrated users are unlikely to return.

By fixing 404 error links, updating redirects, and using a helpful custom 404 page, you keep visitors engaged and guide them to the right content.

2. Improved SEO

Search engines don’t like broken pages. If Google finds too many 404 error codes, it may stop indexing your site properly. This can lead to lower rankings and less organic traffic.

Fixing 404 errors helps:

• Keep valuable backlinks working so your site doesn’t lose SEO authority.
• Ensure Google crawlers can access and index all important pages.
• Prevent soft 404 errors, which Google sees as low-quality content.

Regular site audits and 404 error fixes keep your SEO strong and rankings stable.

3. Keeps Your Site Clean and Professional

A website full of broken links looks outdated. Whether you run a blog, an eCommerce store, or a business website, users expect a smooth browsing experience.

Fixing 404 errors shows you care about maintaining your site and providing value to visitors. A clean, well-maintained website builds trust and encourages users to stay longer.

A few simple fixes can make a big difference in keeping visitors engaged and maintaining your online reputation.

Conclusion

No one likes clicking a link only to find a “Page Not Found” message. Fixing these errors keeps your website smooth, user-friendly, and professional.

A well-maintained website builds trust. When visitors find everything working as expected, they stay longer, explore more, and even return. That’s not just good for user experience—it’s great for SEO and business growth, too.

So don’t wait until broken links pile up. Start checking, fixing, and improving your site today!

FAQs on Fixing 404 Errors