How to Fix 404 Errors and Broken Links on Your Website
A 404 error means a page was not found. Some 404s are normal, others point to broken links you should fix. This guide explains how Google treats 404, 410 and soft 404 pages, how to find them, and what to do about each one.
- Clear status code guide
- Find them for free
- Fix, redirect or leave
- Based on Google’s docs
| Request | Result |
|---|---|
| /services/ | 200 OK |
| /old-service/ | 404 Not Found |
| /removed-for-good/ | 410 Gone |
| /missing-page/ | 200 OK but says “not found” (soft 404) |
What a 404 error is and how Google treats it
A 404 error is the status code a server returns when a requested page does not exist. A 410 means the page is gone on purpose. Google’s documentation says it treats both as “the content doesn’t exist”.
When Google sees a 404 or 410 for a URL it had indexed, it removes that URL from Search over time. A newly found URL that returns 404 is not processed, and Google gradually crawls such URLs less often.
That means a 404 is the correct answer for a page that really should not exist. It becomes a problem when you have broken links: links, menus or sitemap entries that send people to a page that is missing but should be there.
- 404: not found
- 410: gone for good
- Soft 404: a 200 page that looks like an error
- 5xx: a server problem, not a missing page
Soft 404s: the sneaky kind
A soft 404 is a page that returns a 200 (success) status but shows empty content or an error message. Search Console reports these as soft 404 errors.
Google’s fix is to return a proper error status code instead of a success code on a page that signals an error.
- An empty search-results or category page
- A “product not found” message with status 200
- A page with almost no content
How to find 404 errors
Search Console
The Page indexing report lists “Not found (404)” and “Soft 404” pages. See the Search Console setup guide.
Site audit tool
Crawlers list broken internal links and which pages contain them. See site audit tools.
Link checker extension
Extensions can scan a page for broken links in seconds. See SEO Chrome extensions.
How to fix a 404 error
Export your list of 404 URLs
Collect URLs from Search Console and a crawl. Also note which pages link to each broken URL.
Ask: should this page exist?
If the page was deleted on purpose and has no replacement, a 404 or 410 is fine. If the page should exist, restore it.
Check for typos in links
Many broken links are mistyped addresses. Fix the link on the page that contains it.
Redirect to the closest replacement
If the content moved, add a 301 to the new address. See 301 vs 302 redirects. Avoid sending everything to the homepage.
Remove or update internal links
Update menus, posts and sitemaps so they no longer point to the missing page. See internal linking.
Fix soft 404s
Make the server return a real 404 or 410 for pages that signal an error, or add real content if the page should exist.
Recheck
Re-crawl and review Search Console. Google gradually drops 404 URLs, so it can take time for reports to clear.
Redirect, restore or leave it?
| Situation | What to do | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Page moved to a new URL | 301 redirect | Visitors and Google reach the new page |
| Page deleted, close replacement exists | 301 to the replacement | Visitors find similar content |
| Page deleted, no replacement | Leave a 404 or 410 | Google treats it as gone |
| Page removed by mistake | Restore it | Page works again |
| Link typo on your site | Fix the link | No redirect needed |
Make your 404 page useful
Ideas that help visitors
- A clear message that the page was not found
- A search box
- Links to your main sections
- A way to contact you
One technical rule
Your custom 404 page must still return a 404 status code. If it returns 200, it becomes a soft 404.
Google’s status-code page does not discuss custom 404 design. The ideas are common practice.
404 vs 5xx and other errors
Client errors
Google ignores content from these URLs. Apart from 429, all 4xx codes are handled the same way.
Too many requests
Google treats this as a sign the server is overloaded and handles it like a server error.
Server errors
Google ignores the content and temporarily slows crawling. URLs that keep failing are eventually dropped from the index.
404 error questions
Do 404 errors hurt SEO?
Google’s status-code page says it treats a 404 as “content doesn’t exist” and removes indexed URLs over time. That is expected for deleted pages. Broken links to pages that should exist are worth fixing for visitors.
Should I redirect every 404?
No. Redirect only when a close replacement exists. Otherwise leave a 404 or 410.
What is the difference between 404 and 410?
404 means not found, and 410 means gone on purpose. Google treats both as content that does not exist.
How long until Google drops a 404 page?
Google gives no fixed time. It removes previously indexed 404 URLs over time and gradually crawls them less.
Why does Search Console show a soft 404?
The page returns 200 but looks empty or shows an error message. Return a real error code, or add real content.
- Google Search Central: HTTP status codes, network and DNS errors
- Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search
Custom 404 page ideas and the decision table are practical guidance, not Google requirements.