How to Fix Common WordPress 404 Errors

A 404 error means the requested page could not be found on the server. In WordPress, 404 errors on individual posts and pages are most commonly caused by broken permalinks or a corrupted .htaccess file. This guide covers the most common causes and how to fix them.

Method 1: Reset Permalinks (Most Common Fix)

This is the simplest and most effective fix for WordPress 404 errors on posts and pages:

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard (yourdomain.com/wp-admin).
2. Go to Settings → Permalinks.
3. Without changing anything, scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.
4. Visit your website and test the pages that were returning 404 errors.

This regenerates the rewrite rules in the .htaccess file without changing your URL structure.

Method 2: Manually Repair the .htaccess File

If resetting permalinks does not work, the .htaccess file may be corrupted:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Go to Files → File Manager.
3. Navigate to public_html.
4. Find the .htaccess file. If you cannot see it, click Settings (top-right) and enable Show Hidden Files.
5. Right-click .htaccess and select Rename. Rename it to .htaccess-old.
6. Go back to WordPress: Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes.
7. WordPress will create a fresh .htaccess file with the correct rules.

The default WordPress .htaccess should contain:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

Method 3: Check Plugin Conflicts

Some plugins (especially security, caching, or SEO plugins) can interfere with permalinks:

1. In WordPress, go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
2. Deactivate all plugins.
3. Check if the 404 errors are resolved.
4. Reactivate plugins one at a time, testing your site after each activation.
5. When the 404 error returns, the last activated plugin is the cause. Contact the plugin developer or find an alternative.

Method 4: Clear Your Cache

• Clear your browser cache (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R).
• If you have a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache), clear its cache.
• If your site uses Cloudflare or a server cache, purge it from your hosting or CDN dashboard.

Common Causes of WordPress 404 Errors

• Changed permalink structure without saving permalinks.
• Plugin conflict after installing or updating a plugin.
• Corrupted .htaccess file.
• Migrated or restored the site without updating the database.
• Deleted posts or pages that are still linked in menus.
• Case sensitivity — Linux servers are case-sensitive (e.g., MyPage vs mypage).

Important Notes

• Your homepage working while other pages return 404 is a strong indicator of a permalink issue.
• Always back up your .htaccess file before making changes.
• If none of these methods work, the issue may be server-level. Contact your hosting provider.

Troubleshooting

Permalink reset does not fix the issue:

• Check that the .htaccess file is writable (permissions set to 644).
• Verify that mod_rewrite is enabled on the server. Contact your hosting provider to confirm.

404 errors on custom post types only:

• The plugin that registers the custom post type may need updating.
• Go to Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes to flush the rewrite rules.

404 error after migrating to a new server:

• Update the site URL and home URL in the wp_options table via phpMyAdmin.
• Verify the domain DNS is pointing to the correct server.