WordPress 404 Errors: Fix Broken Pages & Links
A 404 error means a page wasn't found - and every one costs you a visitor. Here's how to find the cause and fix it, without losing your search rankings.
Why Do WordPress 404 Errors Happen?
A 404 happens when a visitor or search engine asks for a URL that no longer exists. These are the usual reasons.
Deleted or Moved Pages
Removing or renaming a page without a redirect leaves visitors and search engines hitting a dead end. Every old URL then returns a 404.
Broken Internal Links
Typo'd URLs, changed slugs and content edited by hand create links that point nowhere. They frustrate visitors and waste Google's crawl budget.
Permalink Structure Changes
Switching your permalink settings (for example from plain to postname) changes every URL on the site - so all your old links 404 until redirects are in place.
Plugin or Theme Conflicts
A caching plugin serving stale pages, a security plugin blocking requests, or a recent update can produce 404s on pages that still exist.
Missing Rewrite Rules
WordPress depends on rewrite rules in .htaccess (Apache) or nginx config. If these are lost or corrupted, URLs quietly start returning 404.
Search Engine Index Issues
Google may still show old URLs that no longer exist. Proper redirects and a fresh sitemap tell search engines where the pages went.
How to Fix 404 Errors in WordPress
Follow these steps in order. Most 404 problems are resolved by the time you reach step four.
Identify the 404 URLs
Use Google Search Console's coverage report, an online crawler or a tool like the Redirection plugin to see exactly which URLs return 404. Focus on broken internal links rather than random page-not-found errors.
Re-Save Your Permalink Settings
Go to Settings > Permalinks and simply click Save. This flushes WordPress's rewrite rules and fixes the common situation where every link on the site 404s at once.
Check Your .htaccess File
Make sure .htaccess contains the standard WordPress rewrite block. If it's missing or corrupted, regenerate it from a fresh WordPress install or restore it from a backup.
Restore Missing Pages or Set Up Redirects
If a page now lives at a different URL, set up a 301 redirect from the old address using a plugin like Redirection. 301s tell browsers and search engines the page moved permanently - preserving your rankings.
Fix Internal Links
Update any links pointing at old URLs throughout your site - menus, content, calls to action and footer. A broken link checker plugin finds them for you in minutes.
Create a Useful Custom 404 Page
Turn the dead-end into a recovery point. A well-designed 404 page with search, popular pages and a homepage link keeps visitors on your site instead of bouncing.
Submit a Fresh Sitemap
Regenerate and resubmit your sitemap in Google Search Console so search engines re-crawl your site, drop dead URLs and follow your redirects.
Do 404 Errors Affect Your Search Rankings?
Handled properly, a 404 is a normal part of the web. Handled badly, it silently erodes your rankings:
- Broken internal links waste Google's crawl budget on dead URLs
- A 404 on a removed page is normal - a 404 on a live page is a fault
- 301 redirects pass most of an old page's ranking strength to the new URL
- Soft 404s (pages returning a 200 with no real content) confuse search engines
- Regular broken-link checks stop small problems becoming ranking problems
Regular broken-link and redirect checks are part of our WordPress maintenance service - so 404s are caught and fixed before they cost you visitors.
See How Our Maintenance Service Handles ItWordPress 404 Errors - Common Questions
Never chase broken links again
Our maintenance service includes broken-link checks and redirect management - plus on-call experts to fix any 404 problem before it costs you visitors.