How to Fix 404 Error on WordPress Website: Few Simple Steps

Tired of seeing 404 error page on your WordPress website? It’s a common issue that can frustrate both you and your visitors. It can also hurt your website’s SEO, decrease traffic, and damage credibility. 📉

Don’t worry! 404 error on WordPress is not difficult when you know the right steps.

Today, we’ll explore what a 404 error is, how it can affect your website’s performance, and, most importantly, provide simple steps to resolve it. No matter your experience level or skill level with WordPress, this tutorial will ensure your website is error-free and user-friendly.

Quick Overview

In short, this is a quick overview of this blog; after reading this blog, you will be able to learn more and gain knowledge about: 

• Details solution for 404 error on WordPress
• how to fix 404 error on WordPress page
• how to fix 404 error on WordPress post
• how to fix 404 error on WordPress after plugin update
• how to fix 404 error on WordPress after theme update
• how to fix 404 error on WordPress after migration
• how to troubleshoot 404 errors in WordPress

Let’s dive in!

What Is a WordPress 404 Error?

A WordPress 404 error occurs when your website fails to locate the requested page or file. When a visitor enters a URL that leads to a missing or incorrect location, they’re presented with a “404 Not Found” page.

This error can appear for various reasons, such as:

• Deleted or moved content: Pages or posts that no longer exist.
• Broken links: Internal or external links that point to non-existent resources.
• Incorrect permalinks: URL structure issues caused by WordPress settings.
• Corrupt .htaccess file: Server configuration problems.
• Domain or hosting changes: URL paths may break when migrating websites.

How to Fix 404 Error on WordPress

Now, I’ll walk you through 5 specific scenarios where 404 errors can occur- such as on pages, posts, after plugin or theme updates, or following a site migration- and provide detailed steps to troubleshoot and resolve them. These solutions help you maintain a functional, user-friendly, and SEO-friendly website. 

🎯 Fix 404 Error on WordPress Page or  Posts

When a specific page on your WordPress site displays a 404 error, follow these steps:

Step 1: Update or Re-Save Permalinks

• Go to your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to Settings > Permalinks.
• Click the Save Changes button without modifying any settings.
  This action refreshes WordPress’s permalink structure and often resolves broken URLs.

Step 2: Check for Deleted or Renamed Pages

• If the page was accidentally deleted, recreate it using the same URL.
• If the page was renamed or moved, create a 301 redirect using a plugin like Redirection to forward the old URL to the new page.

Step 3: Clear Cache

• Clear your website cache using caching plugins like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache.
• Also, clear your browser cache and test the URL again.

Step 4: Check the .htaccess File

• Access your site files via FTP or your hosting provider’s File Manager.
• Locate the .htaccess file in the root directory.
• Rename the file to .htaccess_backup, then go to Settings > Permalinks and save changes to regenerate the file.

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🎯 Fix 404 Error on WordPress After Plugin Update

Plugin updates can sometimes cause conflicts or break URLs.

Step 1: Identify the Problematic Plugin

• Deactivate the most recently updated plugin.
• Check if the 404 error appears after deactivation.
• If the error resolves, contact the plugin developer for support or look for an alternative.

Step 2: Roll Back the Plugin Version

• Use a plugin like WP Rollback to revert the plugin to its previous version.

Step 3: Flush Rewrite Rules

• Reset permalinks by going to Settings > Permalinks and clicking Save Changes.
• This action ensures the updated plugin hasn’t altered the URL structure.

Step 4: Clear Cache

• Clear both browser and server caches to ensure old settings aren’t causing the issue.

🎯 Fix 404 Error on WordPress After Theme Update

URL structures can be altered by themes (Page templates sometimes fail to transfer) which may result in 404 errors.

Step 1: Flush Permalinks (same way)

• Navigate to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.
• Click Save Changes to reset the permalinks and resolve potential URL conflicts.

Step 2: Test with a Default Theme

• Switch to a default WordPress theme “Twenty Twenty-One”.
• If the 404 error resolves, the issue lies in your updated theme. Contact the theme developer for assistance.

Step 3: Check Custom Templates

• If your site uses custom page templates, ensure they are compatible with the updated theme.
• Look for errors in the theme files, particularly single.php, page.php, or custom templates used by the page/post.

Step 4: Roll Back the Theme

• Use the WP Rollback plugin to restore the previous theme version.

🎯 Fix 404 Error on WordPress After Migration

Error 404 is a common issue that arises after transferring a WordPress site to a different domain or hosting provider. This indicates that the server was unable to locate the requested page or resource. In some cases, this problem happens if the htaccess file isn’t modified properly (which controls the server’s operations).

Step 1: Update Permalinks

• Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to refresh the permalink structure.

Step 2: Search and Replace Old URLs

• Use a plugin like Better Search Replace to update all database references from the old domain to the new one.

Step 3: Check the .htaccess File

• Verify that the .htaccess file is correctly configured for your new server environment.
• Regenerate it by renaming it and saving permalinks in WordPress as described above.

Step 4: Update DNS Settings

• Ensure your domain’s DNS settings are properly configured to point to the new server.

Step 5: Test with Search Engines

• Use Google Search Console to find and fix broken links caused by migration.
• Create 301 redirects for old URLs pointing to their new equivalents.

🎯 Troubleshoot 404 Errors in WordPress

I have already discussed the different types of 404 errors in the previous sections. To summarize troubleshooting 404 errors in WordPress, be sure to check for broken links, incorrect URLs, or issues with permalink settings. Solutions include resetting permalinks, correcting typing errors in URLs, and disabling plugins to identify conflicts. Keeping your website’s user experience positive requires addressing these errors.

Step 1: Identify the Errors

• Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Broken Link Checker to identify all 404 errors on your site.

Step 2: Check Permalinks

• Reset permalinks under Settings > Permalinks to fix potential URL structure issues.

Step 3: Inspect Plugins and Themes

• Temporarily deactivate plugins or switch to a default WordPress theme to identify conflicts.

Step 4: Repair the .htaccess File

• Access your site’s root directory via FTP.
• Rename or delete the .htaccess file and regenerate it through permalinks.

Step 5: Set Up Redirects

• Use the Redirection plugin to create 301 redirects for broken URLs, pointing them to relevant pages.

Step 6: Monitor for Future Errors

• Use tools like MonsterInsights, Google Search Console, or 404 to 301 Redirect plugins to track and resolve 404 errors as they appear.

How Does the 404 Error Affect Your Website?

Don’t worry, this error is harmless for your servers. However, it creates a poor user experience and may discourage visitors from exploring your website in the future. So please don’t skip it. Find out why the 404 errors are showing and fix them as soon as possible.

🏮 Negative User Experience

404 errors interrupt the user journey. When a link breaks, visitors can become annoyed. As a result, many users will leave your site immediately, increasing your bounce rate.

🏮 Hurt SEO Rankings

Search engines like Google closely monitor websites. When they find issues such as 404 broken links, it becomes harder for Google bot to crawl and index your site. Which may cause your website to go down and organic traffic to drop.

🏮 Loss of Revenue Opportunities

If your website sells products online, 404 errors can discourage users from reaching their desired product, which can drop sales. Broken pages can lost customers, missed sales, and lost revenue.

🏮 Damaged Trustworthiness

Frequent 404 errors create an image of poor website management. When a website is professionally maintained and actively tries to fix issues, it builds trust, but when a website is unstable, it may affect its trustworthiness.

Tools To Help You Monitor 404 Errors Moving Forward

To prevent 404 errors from impacting your WordPress site in the future, regular monitoring and timely management are necessary. Here are some effective tools and plugins to help you identify and address these issues:

⚒️ Problem: Identifying 404 errors on your site

Finding and fixing broken resources or pages requires tracking 404 errors.

Plugin Suggestions:

• Google Search Console: Identify 404 errors that Googlebot hits while crawling your site. Submit sitemaps to ensure proper indexing and reduce 404s.
• MonsterInsights: Tracks 404 errors in Google Analytics directly from your WordPress dashboard.

🔗 Problem: Finding and Fixing 404 Broken Links

Broken links affect user experience and SEO rankings.

Plugin Suggestions:

• Broken Link Checker: Scans your site for broken links, highlighting errors in your dashboard for easy fixes.
• Redirection: Logs 404 errors in real-time and allows you to set up 301 redirects.

🔀 Problem: Monitoring 404 Errors After Migration or Updates

Site migrations or updates often cause mismatched URLs or missing resources.

Plugin Suggestions:

• All in One SEO: Includes built-in tools to detect and fix 404 errors, especially after migrations.
• WP Migrate: Tracks changes during migration to minimize 404 errors by updating URLs automatically.
• Uptime Robot: Monitor your website’s availability and check for broken links. Receive alerts for 404 errors and other website issues.

Bonus Section: More WordPress Related Tutorials

📌 Best WordPress Cache Plugins to Boost Your Website Speed— Read more
📌 Safeguarding Your Website WordPress Security in 2025— Read more
📌 Create a Hybrid Event Platform with Astra Theme—Read more