Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Website showing 404 not found error. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Website showing 404 not found error

A 404 Not Found error means your web browser successfully connected to your server, but the server could not locate the specific page or file you requested.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Refresh the page by pressing F5 or Ctrl + R (Windows) or Cmd + R (Mac) to rule out a temporary loading glitch.
2. Check the address bar for typing errors in the URL, such as misspelled words or missing forward slashes.
3. Try accessing your homepage directly, then navigate to the missing page through your site menu.
4. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then revisit the page.
5. View the page in an incognito or private browsing window to determine if cached data is causing the issue.

Detailed Instructions

Check for broken internal links

1. Open your website in a browser and click through your main navigation menu.
2. Note any links that return a 404 error.
3. Open your website files or CMS editor and locate the page containing the broken link.
4. Verify that the destination URL matches the actual file path or page slug.
5. Update the link if the target page has been moved or renamed.

Verify file paths and missing files

1. Log in to your hosting control panel or connect via FTP/SFTP.
2. Navigate to the folder where your website files are stored, commonly public_html or www.
3. Confirm that the requested file exists in the expected directory.
4. Check that the file name matches exactly, including capitalisation, as Linux-based servers are case-sensitive.
5. If the file is missing, restore it from a recent backup or re-upload it via your control panel file manager.

Review CMS settings (WordPress and similar platforms)

1. Log in to your website administration dashboard.
2. Go to Settings > Permalinks.
3. Select your preferred permalink structure and click Save Changes to regenerate your .htaccess file.
4. Visit the affected page to see if the error persists.
5. If you recently installed a new plugin or extension, temporarily deactivate it and refresh the page to check for conflicts.

Check for recent site changes

• Did you recently move your website to a new domain or hosting account?
• Have you renamed folders, pages, or media files?
• Did you delete or unpublish content that is still linked from your menu or other pages?
• Have you updated your CMS, theme, or plugins recently?

Always take a full backup of your website files and database before making changes to core files, permalinks, or the .htaccess file.

Avoid editing core server files unless you are confident in what you are doing. Incorrect changes to .htaccess or configuration files can make your entire website inaccessible.

Remember — If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

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