How to Set Up Custom Error Pages in Plesk

Setting Up Custom Error Pages

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. Go to Websites & Domains.
3. Click the domain name.
4. Click Error Documents (under the Hosting & DNS section, or search for it).
5. You will see a list of common HTTP error codes:
   • 400 — Bad Request
   • 401 — Unauthorized
   • 403 — Forbidden
   • 404 — Not Found
   • 405 — Method Not Allowed
   • 410 — Gone
   • 500 — Internal Server Error
6. Click the error code you want to customise.
7. Select how you want to handle the error:
   • Default. Uses the server default error page.
   • File. Uses an HTML file from your website (e.g., error404.html from error_docs).
   • URL. Redirects the visitor to a specific URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/not-found).
   • Message. Displays a custom plain text or HTML message directly.
8. Enter the file path, URL, or message content.
9. Click OK.

Creating a Custom HTML Error Page

To create a visually appealing error page:

1. Open the File Manager for your domain.
2. Navigate to the error_docs directory.
3. Create a new HTML file (e.g., error404.html) or edit an existing one.
4. Add your custom HTML content with your website branding, a friendly message, and navigation links back to your homepage.
5. Save the file.
6. Go to Error Documents and select File for the 404 error, then enter the path /error404.html.

Important Notes

• Custom error pages should include a clear message, navigation links, and a way for visitors to return to your homepage.
• For 404 errors, consider adding a search bar or a link to your sitemap.
• Test your custom error pages by visiting a non-existent URL on your domain (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/test-nonexistent-page).
• The error_docs directory is automatically created by Plesk when you set up custom error pages.

Troubleshooting

Custom error page not showing:

• Clear your browser cache and try again.
• Ensure the file path in the Error Documents settings is correct.
• Check that the HTML file is located in the error_docs directory and has 644 permissions.

"Error Documents" option is not visible:

• Your hosting provider may have disabled this feature. Contact support.