How to fix 404 errors and set up redirects

A 404 Not Found response means the server is working but nothing exists at the address requested. That can be a mistyped link, a page you deleted, an address you changed, or a link on another website that has a typing mistake in it. Some 404 errors are perfectly normal and harmless. If someone types a random address, a 404 is the correct answer.

The ones that matter are 404 errors on addresses that used to work or that other sites and search engines still link to. Visitors who land on them leave, and search engines eventually drop the page from results, losing whatever value the old address had built up.

There is also a related trap called a soft 404, where a page looks like an error to people but the server still sends a 200 success code. Search engines treat these as poor quality. A proper missing page should return a real 404 code, and a moved page should return a 301.

There are three common ways. On WordPress, a redirect plugin gives you a screen where you enter the old address and the new one. In the control panel, a redirects tool lets you pick the domain and type of redirect without touching any code. And in the .htaccess file you can write a rule directly, which our LiteSpeed servers understand in the same way as Apache.

A simple single-page rule in .htaccess looks like Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://www.example.co.uk/new-page/. For many pages that follow a pattern, RewriteRule lines using a regular expression are more efficient than hundreds of separate lines. Always place redirect rules above the standard WordPress block, and always test after saving.

Whichever method you choose, make the redirect point straight to the final address, including the correct http or https and the correct www or non-www form. Pointing at an address that itself redirects creates a chain, which wastes time and can cause problems.

A chain happens when address A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Each hop adds delay and gives search engines more reason to give up. Fix a chain by changing the first redirect so it goes straight to C. They build up over years of redesigns, so review your list whenever you add new rules.

A loop is worse. A redirects to B and B redirects back to A, so the browser gives up and shows an error such as too many redirects. We cover that in detail in our guide to fixing ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS. The most frequent cause is two systems each trying to force their own preferred address, for example a plugin and a rule in .htaccess.

Keep your redirect list tidy and keep it for at least a year, and ideally for as long as old links exist. Removing redirects too early brings the 404 errors back.

This is a classic WordPress symptom, and it nearly always means the rewrite rules are missing. In the dashboard, go to Settings, then Permalinks, and press Save Changes without changing anything. WordPress rebuilds its rules in .htaccess. If that does not work, check that the .htaccess file exists in the site root, is readable and contains the standard WordPress block.

If it still fails, a plugin or a different rule may be interfering. Rename the plugins folder to test. After a migration, also check that the site is in the right folder and the domain points to it. Our guide to moving a website covers the points to check.

You will never get rid of every 404, so make the page helpful. Show the site navigation, a search box and links to your most popular pages, and use a friendly tone that matches your brand. Make sure the page returns a real 404 code rather than a 200, which a good WordPress theme handles for you.

A useful 404 page turns a dead end into a second chance. A visitor who lands on a clear page with a search box often finds what they wanted, where a bare error would have sent them straight back to the search results.