Most other web hosts offer a similar feature, or you can use a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client such as FileZilla. If you’re using DreamPress hosting, you can use the built-in file manager found in the DreamHost control panel. htaccess file, you’ll first need a way to access it. Restoring it to the default settings can fix sudden 404 errors. This controls how WordPress interacts with the server and how it generates s for your pages.
If resetting your s didn’t work, the next strategy is restoring your. If you still get a 404 error, head to the next step. With this done, go ahead and reload the pages you were trying to access. This is important because it also refreshes the rewrite rules used for “ pretty s.”
Clicking that button will update the settings even if you don’t make any changes. That’s right - you don’t actually need to edit anything. Head to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Settings > s.įrom here, just click on Save Changes. The first step to try is resetting your s.
You’ll want to follow these steps in order and check if the error has been resolved after each one. With a fresh backup of your site in hand, it’s time to get to work.
How to Fix WordPress Posts Returning 404 Error (In 4 Steps)
You can also create a manual backup with just a few clicks. DreamPress automatically backs up your entire site every day, so you always have a fresh copy to access. If your website is hosted with DreamPress, backups couldn’t be easier. This way, if you accidentally make something worse, you can easily restore your site to a functioning state. htaccess file, it’s a smart idea to create a backup of your website and database. Related: WordPress Installation Tutorial - Learn How to Set up the CMS What to Do Before Troubleshooting the WordPress 404 Errorīefore changing your settings or. Search engine crawlers won’t index a page that returns a 404 because they think it doesn’t exist. In the worst-case scenario, those visitors could land on a competing website instead, costing you business.Ĥ04 errors can also hurt your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If there are many of these errors on your site, and they aren’t resolved quickly, they could eventually turn users away. First, they create a poor User Experience (UX). We’ll look at troubleshooting and resolving the problem shortly.Ĥ04 errors pose several problems for a website, beyond simply preventing you from accessing pages. Regardless of the cause, this error prevents access to your site, so it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible. Compatibility issues with WordPress components such as plugins and themes could also be the culprit. problems can be caused by a missing, broken, or corrupted.
Seeing this notification (or any other error message) when you’re trying to access your site can be frustrating. Websites can also create their own custom 404 pages.
The exact message can look a bit different depending on the browser you’re using, but it will generally always contain either the “404” code or a “page not found” message of some kind. Let’s get started! An Overview of the WordPress 404 ErrorĪ 404 error, also known as a “Page Not Found” error, indicates that your browser can’t locate the page you’re trying to access. Then we’ll walk you through how to fix it in four simple steps. In this article, we’ll explain just what a 404 error is and what can cause one on your site. The solution usually involves restoring your site’s structure - something you can do in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, if you operate a website of any sort (WordPress or not), the day will probably come when you see the message on one of your own pages.įortunately, like many common WordPress errors, 404s are relatively easy to troubleshoot and fix.
You’ve likely seen the “Page Not Found” error before.