How to Fix WordPress 404 Errors in 5 Steps

Encountering a 404 “Page Not Found” error on your WordPress site can be a nightmare. It frustrates visitors, hurts your SEO, and can even cost you revenue. Whether it’s a single page or your entire site throwing 404s, this step-by-step guide will help you diagnose and fix WordPress 404 errors, even if you’re a beginner. I’ll walk you through common causes, provide code snippets, and share tools to prevent future issues. Let’s get your site back on track!

What Causes WordPress 404 Errors?

A 404 error occurs when a requested page can’t be found on the server. Common causes include:

• Broken Permalinks: Incorrect URL structures after changing settings.
• Corrupted .htaccess File: Misconfigured rules block page access.
• Deleted or Moved Content: Pages or posts removed without redirects.
• Plugin/Theme Conflicts: Faulty plugins or themes rewrite URLs incorrectly.
• Server Issues: Hosting or DNS misconfigurations.
• Caching Problems: Stale cache serves outdated URLs.

In this tutorial, I’ll cover how to fix these issues with clear steps and practical solutions, ensuring your site is error-free.

Prerequisites

• Access to your WordPress admin panel and site files (via FTP or hosting file manager).
• Basic WordPress knowledge (don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple!).
• A backup of your site (use UpdraftPlus for free, reliable backups).

Note: Stable hosting prevents many 404 errors. I recommend SiteGround for their fast servers and easy file management.

Step 1: Reset Your Permalinks

Broken permalinks are the most common cause of 404 errors, especially after changing URL settings or migrating a site.

1. Access Permalinks Settings:
   • Log in to your WordPress admin panel (yoursite.com/wp-admin).
   • Go to Settings > Permalinks.
2. Save Without Changes:
   • Choose your preferred structure (e.g., “Post name” for SEO-friendly URLs).
   • Click Save Changes to refresh the permalink cache.
3. Test Your Site:
   • Visit a few pages (e.g., posts, categories, homepage).
   • If 404s are gone, permalinks were the issue.

Why It Works: Saving permalinks regenerates WordPress’s rewrite rules, fixing URL mismatches.

Pro Tip: Use Yoast SEO to optimize permalinks and boost rankings.

Step 2: Check and Restore the .htaccess File

A corrupted .htaccess file can cause site-wide 404 errors, especially on Apache servers.

1. Access Your Site’s Files:
   • Use FTP (e.g., FileZilla) or your hosting’s file manager (e.g., SiteGround’s cPanel).
   • Navigate to the root folder (usually public_html or www).
2. Locate .htaccess:
   • Find .htaccess (enable “Show hidden files” in FTP if it’s missing).
   • Download a backup to your computer.
3. Replace with Default WordPress .htaccess:
   • Rename the existing .htaccess to .htaccess-backup.
   • Create a new .htaccess file with this code:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

• Save and upload to the root folder.

4. Test Your Site:
   • Visit multiple pages. If 404s are resolved, the .htaccess was corrupted.

Alternative: Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to auto-generate a new .htaccess (if your server permissions allow).

Affiliate Link: SiteGround provides easy .htaccess management via their file manager.

Step 3: Set Up Redirects for Moved or Deleted Content

If specific pages (e.g., posts, categories) show 404s, they may have been deleted or their URLs changed.

1. Identify Broken Links:
   • Use Broken Link Checker (self-hosted) or Google Search Console to find 404 URLs.
   • Example: yoursite.com/old-post returns a 404 after renaming to new-post.
2. Create 301 Redirects:
   • Install Redirection (free, self-hosted).
   • WordPress.com: Use the Redirects tool (Personal plan, $4/month).
   • Add a redirect (e.g., /old-post to /new-post, 301 permanent).
3. Test Redirects:
   • Visit the old URL (e.g., yoursite.com/old-post).
   • Confirm it redirects to the new URL without a 404.

Why It Works: 301 redirects preserve SEO value and guide visitors to the correct page.

Affiliate Link: Get Redirection Pro for advanced redirect management.

Step 4: Check for Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Plugins or themes can rewrite URLs incorrectly, causing 404 errors.

1. Disable All Plugins:
   • Self-Hosted: Go to wp-content/plugins/ via FTP, rename plugins to plugins-disabled.
   • WordPress.com: Deactivate plugins via Plugins (if accessible).
   • Test your site. If 404s disappear, a plugin is the issue.
2. Identify the Culprit:
   • Restore the plugins folder.
   • Move one plugin to a temporary folder (e.g., plugins-temp).
   • Test until 404s reappear, indicating the faulty plugin.
3. Test Your Theme:
   • Switch to a default theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-Four) via Appearance > Themes.
   • If 404s are fixed, your theme (e.g., a custom or outdated one) is the problem.
4. Fix or Replace:
   • Update the faulty plugin/theme or replace with a reliable alternative (e.g., Astra).

Pro Tip: Use Query Monitor (self-hosted) to debug plugin-related URL issues.

Step 5: Clear Cache

Stale cache from plugins or CDNs can serve outdated URLs, causing 404s.

1. Clear Plugin Cache:
   • Self-Hosted: Go to your caching plugin (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache).
   • Clear all cache (e.g., WP Rocket’s “Clear Cache” button).
   • WordPress.com: Clear Jetpack’s site accelerator cache (Personal plan).
2. Clear CDN Cache:
   • If using Cloudflare, log in and purge the cache (Dashboard > Caching > Purge Everything).
   • SiteGround users: Clear SuperCacher via the hosting dashboard.
3. Test Your Site:
   • Visit affected pages. If 404s are gone, caching was the issue.

Why It Works: Clearing cache ensures the latest URLs are served, fixing outdated links.

Step 6: Check Server and DNS Issues

If 404s persist, your hosting or DNS configuration may be at fault.

1. Verify DNS Settings:
   • Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., Namecheap).
   • Ensure your domain points to your hosting’s nameservers (e.g., SiteGround’s ns1.siteground.net).
   • Use DNS Checker to confirm propagation.
2. Check Server Status:
   • Log in to your hosting dashboard (e.g., SiteGround, Bluehost).
   • Look for server outages or PHP errors (WordPress requires PHP 7.4+).
3. Contact Hosting Support:
   • Submit a ticket with details (e.g., “404 errors on multiple pages, permalinks reset tried”).
   • Share your .htaccess file and debug log (wp-content/debug.log).

Affiliate Link: SiteGround’s support resolves server issues quickly, minimizing downtime.

Preventing 404 Errors in the Future

• Use SEO-Friendly Permalinks: Stick to “Post name” structure and avoid frequent changes.
• Set Up Redirects: Always redirect old URLs when deleting or renaming content.
• Monitor Broken Links: Use Broken Link Checker or Google Search Console weekly.
• Keep Software Updated: Update WordPress, plugins, and themes to avoid conflicts.
• Choose Reliable Hosting: SiteGround ensures stable servers and fast DNS.
• Backup Regularly: Automate backups with UpdraftPlus to restore if errors occur.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do 404 errors hurt SEO?
A: They create a poor user experience and signal broken links to Google, lowering your rankings.

Q: Can a plugin fix all 404s automatically?
A: Plugins like Redirection help with redirects, but you must diagnose the root cause (e.g., permalinks, .htaccess).

Q: How do I find all 404 errors on my site?
A: Use Google Search Console or Broken Link Checker to identify broken URLs.

Wrapping Up

Fixing the WordPress maintenance mode stuck issue is straightforward with this 2025 guide. By deleting .maintenance, resolving updates, and using reliable hosting like SiteGround, you’ll keep your site accessible. Want more fixes? Download my Free WordPress Troubleshooting Checklist or explore my guides:

• How to Speed Up a Slow WordPress Site (2025 Guide)
• How to Fix WordPress 404 Errors
• How to Fix WordPress Plugin Conflicts
• How to Fix WordPress Login Redirect Loop
• How to Troubleshoot WordPress Database Connection Error
• How to Fix WordPress Error 500 (Internal Server Error)
• How to Resolve WordPress Memory Limit Exhausted Error
• How to Fix WordPress Syntax Error in Code
• How to Troubleshoot WordPress Email Sending Issues
• Free WordPress Troubleshooting Checklist

Share your maintenance mode fixes on X or ask below! Visit my Resources page for top tools.

Download the Free WordPress Troubleshooting Checklist

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