A 404 error code is an HTTP code that indicates that the page you were attempting to access on a website was not located on their server. To be clear, the error shows that, while the server is accessible, the page displaying the problem is not. Individual websites routinely personalize 404 Not Found error messages. So, remember that the error could appear in almost any way imaginable depending on the page from which it is displayed.
How You Might Experience the 404 Error code
The HTTP 404 error is commonly shown in the following ways:
404 Error
404 Page Not Found
Error 404
The requested URL [URL] could not be located on this server.
HTTP 404
Not Found Error 404
404 Not Found File or Directory
404 Not Found HTTP Error
Page Could Not Be Found
Error 404. The page you are searching for is not available.
These errors might occur in any browser or operating system. Most appear in the browser window the same way web pages do.
The message appears in Internet Explorer. A page that cannot be found typically implies an HTTP 404 error code. However, a 400 Bad Request error is also possible. You can determine which mistake IE refers to by looking for 404 or 404 error code in the title bar.
When using Microsoft Office apps to open URLs, 404 error code are generated. Inside the MS Office software, the website reports that the item you sought could not be found (HTTP/1.0 404). When one is generated by Windows Update, it displays as the code 0x80244019 or as the message WU E PT HTTP STATUS NOT FOUND.
The Root Cause of HTTP 404 Errors
A Error 404 happens when a technically client-side error, meaning it was your fault, either because you input the URL wrong or because the page has been relocated or removed from the website, and you should have known.
Another scenario is that a website relocated a page or resource but failed to redirect the old URL to the new one. When this occurs, instead of being automatically routed to the updated page, you will receive a 404 error.
By appending a number after the 404 error code, Microsoft IIS web servers can sometimes provide additional information about the source of 404 Not Found problems, as in HTTP Error 404.3 – Not Found, which signifies MIME type restriction.
How to Repair a 404 Not Found Error
Reload the page by pressing F5, clicking/tapping the refresh/reload button, or entering the URL again in the address bar. The 404 Not Found error might occur for various reasons; even if no actual problem exists, thus a simple refresh will typically load the page you were looking for.
Examine the URL for problems.
- This error 404 happens because the URL was incorrectly typed or the link picked refers to the incorrect URL. In the URL, go up one directory level at a time until you find something.
- For example, if www.web.com/a/b/c.htm returned a 404 error code Not Found message, try www.web.com/a/b/. If you receive nothing (or an error), try www.web.com/a/. It should point you toward what you’re looking for or confirm that it’s no longer available.
- If you’ve made it to the website’s home page, try searching for the information you’re looking for. If the site lacks a search option, consider traveling to the desired page using category links to delve further into the area. Use a prominent search engine to find the page. It’s conceivable that you’ve entered the wrong URL, so a fast Google or Bing search should get you there.
- If you do discover the page you were looking for, make sure to change your bookmark or favorite to avoid receiving the HTTP 404 error code in the future. If you suspect the 404 message is yours, clear your browser’s cache. For example, deleting the cache on your browser may be beneficial if you can access the URL on your phone but not on your tablet.
- If clearing the cache didn’t work, you may try removing your browser’s cookies, or at least the ones associated with the page in question.
- Change your computer’s DNS servers, but only if a whole website gives you a 404 error, especially if the website is accessible to individuals on different networks (e.g., your mobile phone network or a friend in another city). 404 error code on a whole website is uncommon unless your ISP or government filters/censors websites. Whatever the reason, it is a acceptable idea to try another set of DNS servers if this occurs. See our Free and Public DNS Servers List for some alternatives and instructions.
- Directly contact the website. If they’ve taken down the page you’re looking for, the 404 code error is perfectly legal, and they should be able to inform you that. If they’ve turn the page and are generating errors instead of sending people to the new page, they’ll be delighted to hear from you so they can repair it. If you assume that everyone is seeing a 404 error for this site but is unsure, a quick check on Twitter may help clear things up. Search Twitter for #websitedown, as in #facebookdown or #youtubedown. Twitter users are frequently the first to report a website outage. Learn to detect if a website is down for everyone or just you for additional assistance.
- Finally, if everything else fails, wait. No, that’s not fun, but it may be your only option, especially if you’re sure the 404 error code shouldn’t be occurring (i.e., the page should be at the URL you have and others are having the same problem). Find it equally strange).
- 404 issues on your website can be discovere using programs such as DeadLinkChecker.com and ATOMSEO.
Similar Errors to 404 error code
400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorize, 403 Forbidden, and 408 Request Timeout are some client-side error messages linked to the 404 Not Found issue. Several server-side HTTP status codes, such as the well-known 500 Internal Server Error. All of them are list in our HTTP Status Code Errors list.
ALSO SEE:500 Internal Server Error in WordPress (2022)
FAQ
How can I resolve 404 error code errors on my website?
If you notice any broken links on your website, redirect or fix them. Consider restoring or redirecting to new and comparable content if a 404 error occurs due to a deleted page.
How can I resolve WordPress issue 404 error code?
404 errors are common in WordPress because to redirect problems or permalink issues. Individual pages or topics may have broken links. If the issue is site-wide, go to the WordPress dashboard and adjust the permalink settings.
