Last Updated on Aug 16, 2026 by Nurul Afsar
You click a link expecting a product page, article, or website section, but instead you see a message such as “404 Not Found,” “Page Not Found,” or “HTTP 404.” This is one of the most recognizable errors on the web. A 404 error means your browser reached the website’s server, but the server couldn’t find the page or resource at the requested URL. The website itself may be online and functioning normally; the specific page you requested simply cannot be found at that address.
For website owners, occasional 404s are normal. However, many broken URLs, incorrect internal links, or missing important pages can frustrate visitors, waste valuable backlinks, and create unnecessary SEO problems. Understanding the 404 status code meaning, why these errors occur, and how to fix them can help keep your website easier for both users and search engines to navigate.
What Is a 404 Error?
A 404 error is an HTTP response status code indicating that the requested resource could not be found on the server.
When you visit a URL, your browser sends a request to the website’s server. The server processes that request and responds with an HTTP status code.
If the requested page exists, the server normally returns a 200 OK status.
If the server cannot locate the requested resource, it may return:
404 Not Found
The important distinction is that a 404 usually does not mean the entire website is unavailable.
The server was reached successfully. It simply can’t find a resource that matches the requested URL.
For example:
example.com/products/blue-shirt
may return a normal page, while:
example.com/products/blue-shrit
could return an HTTP 404 because the second URL contains a typo and no page exists at that location.
What Does a 404 Error Mean?
The simplest 404 error meaning is:
The server received your request, but it could not find the requested page or resource.
A 404 can occur for many reasons. The page may have been deleted, its URL might have changed, or someone may simply have typed the address incorrectly.
For visitors, seeing a 404 error usually means the page they are trying to access is unavailable at that URL.
For website owners, the meaning depends on why the URL returns that response.
Some 404s are completely intentional.
For example, if someone visits:
example.com/this-page-does-not-exist
and that page has never existed, returning a status code 404 is the correct server response.
The problem begins when a page that should exist unexpectedly returns a 404.
What Is the HTTP 404 Status Code?
HTTP status codes are three-digit responses sent by servers when browsers, search engine crawlers, and other clients request resources.
Status codes are grouped into categories:
- 1xx: Informational responses
- 2xx: Successful requests
- 3xx: Redirections
- 4xx: Client-related request errors
- 5xx: Server-related errors
The 404 code belongs to the 4xx category.
Although it is technically categorized as a client error response, that does not necessarily mean the visitor did something wrong. A broken internal link, deleted page, incorrect redirect, or website migration can also trigger the HTTP 404 response.
The status code primarily communicates that the server cannot find the requested resource at the requested address.
What Causes a 404 Error?
There isn’t a single cause behind every 404 issue. Several situations can result in the same response.
1. The URL Was Entered Incorrectly
A typo is one of the simplest causes.
For example:
example.com/services/web-design
might exist, while:
example.com/service/web-desgin
does not.
The server receives the second request but cannot match it to an existing resource, resulting in a 404.
2. A Page Was Deleted
Website owners regularly remove outdated products, articles, landing pages, categories, and other content.
If the original URL remains accessible through old links or search results but no redirect has been created, visitors can encounter a 404 error.
3. A Page’s URL Changed
Changing a URL without redirecting the old version is another common source of 404 errors.
Imagine an article originally existed at:
example.com/blog/website-tips
and was later changed to:
example.com/blog/web-design-tips
If the old address isn’t redirected, anyone following the original link may receive a 404 HTTP status code.
4. Internal Links Are Incorrect
A site’s own navigation or content can sometimes link to the wrong URL.
This can happen after:
- Website redesigns
- CMS migrations
- URL structure changes
- Category reorganizations
- Product deletions
- Manual linking mistakes
Broken internal links are particularly worth fixing because website owners have direct control over them.
5. External Websites Are Linking to an Old URL
Another website may link to a page that has moved or been deleted.
That external backlink could continue sending visitors to the old address long after your website has changed.
If the previous page has a relevant replacement, redirecting the old URL can provide users with a much better experience.
6. Website Migration Problems
Moving between platforms, changing domains, enabling HTTPS, or restructuring a website can create large numbers of 404 errors when redirects and URLs aren’t handled correctly.
Ecommerce migrations can be especially complicated because a store may contain thousands of:
- Product URLs
- Category URLs
- Brand pages
- Filter URLs
- Blog posts
- Images and other assets
A migration should therefore include careful URL mapping and testing.
7. Missing Files or Resources
A code HTTP 404 response isn’t limited to normal web pages.
Browsers can also encounter 404 responses when requesting resources such as:
- Images
- JavaScript files
- CSS files
- PDFs
- Fonts
- Downloadable documents
Missing resources can affect how a page looks or functions even when the page itself returns a successful response.
Are 404 Errors Bad for SEO?
A normal 404 page is not automatically an SEO problem.
Pages disappear. Incorrect URLs get requested. Bots crawl URLs that never existed. Returning a genuine 404 response code when a resource does not exist is normal behavior.
The larger concern is why important URLs are returning 404s.
For example, SEO and usability issues can develop when:
- Important pages are accidentally deleted.
- Internal links lead to 404 pages.
- High-value backlinks point to missing URLs.
- A website migration creates hundreds or thousands of broken pages.
- Product or category URLs disappear without appropriate handling.
- Search engines repeatedly discover broken URLs through your site’s navigation or sitemap.
You therefore shouldn’t approach SEO with the goal of eliminating every possible 404.
Instead, focus on fixing unintentional 404 errors and determining whether missing URLs should remain unavailable, be restored, or redirect somewhere else.
404 Errors vs. Soft 404 Errors
A regular 404 and a soft 404 aren’t exactly the same.
A proper missing page returns the HTTP status:
404 Not Found
A soft 404 occurs when a page appears to be missing or contains little meaningful content but the server returns a successful status such as 200 OK instead of an appropriate missing-page response.
For example, a website might display:
“Sorry, this product no longer exists.”
But behind the scenes, the server still reports a 200 status.
That can send confusing signals to search engines because the server claims the page exists successfully even though the content suggests otherwise.
If a URL genuinely no longer exists and has no suitable replacement, returning the proper 404 response is generally more appropriate.
How to Fix a 404 Error as a Website Visitor
If you encounter an HTTP 404 error while browsing, the problem may be temporary or related to the URL you followed.
Try these simple steps first.
Check the URL
Look for misspellings, extra characters, incorrect slashes, or other obvious mistakes in the address.
Refresh the Page
Reloading won’t fix a genuinely missing page, but it takes only a moment and can rule out a temporary browser issue.
Navigate Back Through the Website
Remove portions of the URL until you reach a working section of the site.
For example, if this doesn’t work:
example.com/blog/category/article
try:
example.com/blog/
You may be able to find the page through the site’s navigation.
Use the Website Search
Search for the article, product, or service by name. The page may still exist under a different URL.
Return to the Homepage
If all else fails, return to the website’s homepage and navigate from there.
How Website Owners Can Fix 404 Errors
Website administrators should investigate recurring or important 404 errors rather than simply hiding them.
Fix Broken Internal Links
If one of your pages links to an incorrect URL, update the link to point directly to the correct destination.
Don’t create unnecessary redirects when you can simply correct the internal link itself.
Restore Accidentally Deleted Pages
If an important page disappeared because of a technical mistake or accidental deletion, restoring it at the original URL may be the simplest solution.
Create a 301 Redirect When a Page Has Moved
If content permanently moved to a new URL, a 301 redirect can send users and search engines from the old location to the new one.
For example:
/old-product-category/
could redirect to:
/new-product-category/
The destination should be genuinely relevant to the original page.
Don’t Redirect Everything to the Homepage
Automatically redirecting every missing URL to the homepage can create a confusing experience.
Someone searching for a specific product or article probably doesn’t expect to suddenly arrive on a generic homepage with no explanation.
Redirect only when there is a meaningful replacement.
Remove Broken URLs From Your XML Sitemap
XML sitemaps should primarily contain URLs you actually want search engines to crawl and consider for indexing.
If deleted URLs are still included in the sitemap, remove them.
Check Links After Website Changes
After a redesign or migration, crawl the website and check for:
- Broken internal links
- Missing pages
- Incorrect redirects
- Redirect chains
- Missing images
- Broken CSS or JavaScript resources
Finding these problems before or immediately after launch can prevent a small 404 issue from becoming a sitewide problem.
Should You Redirect or Keep a 404?
Not every missing URL needs a redirect.
Use the context of the page to decide.
Consider a 301 redirect when:
- The page moved permanently.
- A product was replaced by a closely related product.
- An old category has an equivalent new category.
- Two pages were consolidated.
- An important URL changed during a migration.
Keeping the 404 may be appropriate when:
- The page never existed.
- The URL is random or malformed.
- There is no useful replacement.
- The removed content should no longer be accessible.
Redirecting unrelated pages purely to avoid a 404 status code usually does not improve the experience.
What Should a Good Custom 404 Page Include?
Even when a 404 response is technically correct, the page doesn’t need to be a dead end.
A useful custom 404 page can include:
- A clear “Page Not Found” message
- A link to the homepage
- Website navigation
- A search feature
- Links to useful categories or popular pages
- A simple explanation that the requested page may have moved or been removed
For ecommerce websites, you might also provide links to major product categories so shoppers can quickly continue browsing.
The goal isn’t to disguise the 404. The server should still return the correct status code. The goal is to help the visitor recover from the error.
How to Find 404 Errors on Your Website
Large websites shouldn’t rely on manually clicking every link.
Website owners can identify potential 404 problems through:
- Website crawling tools
- Google Search Console
- Server logs
- SEO auditing software
- Analytics data
- Broken-link checking tools
Pay particular attention to missing URLs receiving internal traffic, organic visibility, external backlinks, or significant user visits.
Those URLs usually deserve attention before random malformed addresses generated by bots.
Frequently Asked Questions About 404 Errors
What is a 404 code?
A 404 code is an HTTP response indicating that a server cannot find the requested page or resource at the specified URL.
What does a 404 error mean?
A 404 error means the website’s server was reached, but the requested resource could not be found. The page may have been deleted, moved, mistyped, or linked incorrectly.
What is HTTP 404?
HTTP 404 refers to the “Not Found” HTTP status response. It belongs to the 4xx family of HTTP status codes.
What does code 404 mean for a website?
The 404 code meaning is that there is currently no resource available at the requested URL, or the server is not providing one there.
Is a 404 error permanent?
Not necessarily. A 404 may occur because a page was permanently removed, but it can also result from a temporary configuration problem, broken link, publishing error, or incorrect URL.
Can I fix a 404 error?
Visitors can check the URL, search the website, or navigate from the homepage. Website owners can fix unintended 404 errors by restoring missing content, repairing links, correcting URLs, or implementing appropriate redirects.
Does a 404 error mean the website is down?
Usually not. A 404 generally means the server is working but cannot find one particular resource. A website that is completely unavailable may produce a different browser or server error.
Are 404 errors bad?
A legitimate 404 isn’t inherently bad. Problems arise when users or search engines are repeatedly sent to missing pages that should exist or have relevant replacements.
Should every 404 page redirect somewhere?
No. Redirect a URL when there is a genuinely relevant replacement. Random or permanently removed URLs without equivalent content can appropriately remain 404s.
A 404 error means a requested page or resource cannot be found. Users can check the URL or search the site, while website owners should fix broken links, redirect moved pages, and restore important missing content.
For users, that may mean checking the address or searching for the page elsewhere on the website. For website owners, the bigger priority is identifying why important pages are returning 404 responses. Broken internal links should be corrected, moved pages should receive appropriate redirects, accidental deletions should be investigated, and genuinely nonexistent URLs should return the correct status.
A well-maintained website can still have 404 pages. The goal isn’t to eliminate every 404—it is to make sure legitimate missing pages return the right response while valuable pages remain easy for visitors and search engines to find.