How to Resolve 404 Errors in WordPress: A Complete Guide
WordPress 404 errors usually happen when a page is deleted but isn’t redirected to a new one. They can also occur if a page’s URL has been changed.
These errors are pretty common, especially if your website isn’t well-maintained. Sometimes, you might also see 404 errors when your site is under maintenance, causing visitors to be redirected to an error page instead.
How Do 404 Errors Affect Your Website?
404 errors might seem harmless at first, but they can have a bigger impact on your website than you think. While occasional 404s are normal like when someone mistypes a URL too many of them, especially on important pages, can cause problems like:
Bad Experience for Visitors
Imagine clicking a link and landing on a “Page Not Found” screen. It’s frustrating, right? Many people will leave your site and might not come back. This can hurt your website’s reputation, increase the number of people leaving quickly (bounce rate), and even affect your SEO.Hurts Your SEO and Rankings
Search engines like Google don’t like broken links. If your site has lots of 404 errors, it could drop in search rankings. Plus, these errors can make it harder for Google to scan and list (index) your pages in search results.Losing Visitors and Leads
If the broken page was getting traffic or linked from other websites, you’ll miss out on those visitors. That’s a waste of the time and effort you spent creating the page in the first place.Missed Opportunities
Whether it’s making a sale, getting new leads, or keeping visitors engaged, 404 errors can ruin your chances. If people can’t access what they’re looking for, they’ll go to a competitor instead.

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- Clear Browser and Site Cache
Old or stored data might be causing the problem.
- Clear your browser cache.
- If you’re using a caching plugin (like WP Rocket), clear your website’s cache too.
- You can also open your site in incognito mode
- Reset PermalinksSometimes, WordPress just needs a quick refresh.
- Go to your dashboard and click on Settings > Permalinks.
- Don’t change anything; just hit the Save Changes button.
- Set Up Redirects for Deleted PagesIf you have deleted a page or changed its URL:
- Use a plugin like Redirection to create a 301 redirect.
- The visitors clicking on the old link are automatically sent to the correct page.
- Restore Your .htaccess File
The .htaccess file helps control your website’s settings, and sometimes fixing it can resolve errors. Since it’s hidden, you’ll need to make all files visible in your FTP to access it. Important: Always back up your site before making any changes to files. Here’s how to restore it:- Use an FTP client to log in to your website’s server.
- Find and download the .htaccess file. It’s usually in the same folder as /wp-content/, /wp-admin/, and /wp-includes/.
- Open the file in a text editor (like Notepad).
- Go to the WordPress .htaccess support page, and copy the code that matches your site’s setup.
- Replace the current code with the copied code, save the file, and upload it back to your server.
- Clear Browser and Site Cache
Old or stored data might be causing the problem.