What is a

404 error?

What is a 404 error?

A 404 error is an HTTP status code meaning the server can't find the requested page. It typically appears when a page has been deleted or moved without a redirect, or when someone has typed the wrong URL. The user gets an error page instead of the content they were looking for.

A related code is 410 Gone, which says the page has been removed deliberately and won't come back. Both tell search engines that the page should no longer be in the index.

Are 404 errors bad for SEO?

Google has been clear that 404 errors in themselves don't harm the rankings of the rest of the website. It is completely normal for pages to disappear. The problem arises in these situations:

• Important pages with traffic or links from other websites return 404. Then both visitors and the value from backlinks are lost.

• Internal links point to pages that don't exist, which gives a poor UX and wastes the time search engines spend on crawling.

• Soft 404s: pages that look empty or broken, but respond with status code 200. Search engines may then index error pages.

• Many 404 errors after launching a new website, because old URLs haven't been redirected.

How to handle 404 errors

• Set up a 301 redirect when a page has a new address, or when another page covers the same need.

• Let pages that are gone for good and have no natural replacement return 404 or 410. Don't send everything to the homepage; it is often treated as a soft 404.

• Fix internal links so they point directly to the right page.

• Monitor the reports on pages not found in Google Search Console, and use a crawl tool regularly.

• Map all URLs before you launch a new website, and create a redirect plan.

Also create a good 404 page. It should briefly explain that the page doesn't exist, and have a search field, links to the most important pages and a route to customer service. That way you lose fewer visitors. The page must still respond with status code 404, not 200.

An online store that removes products should assess each case: if the item is coming back, the page can stay with a message that it is sold out. If it has been replaced by a new model, a redirect is the right choice. You can read more in our guide to how you handle 404 pages correctly, and under technical SEO.

Related terms

• 301 redirect: a permanent redirect, the most common fix for 404 errors on moved pages.

• Crawling: search engines discover 404 errors when they crawl the website.

• UX: a good 404 page keeps visitors who end up in the wrong place.

• Technical SEO: the discipline where status codes and redirects belong.

• See all the terms in the glossary.