When you visit a specific page on your WordPress site and get hit with a “404 Page Not Found” message, it can be frustrating. This error means WordPress can’t locate the page you’re trying to open — even though you know for sure it exists in the dashboard. This issue is quite common and can negatively affect user experience and your site’s SEO.
In this article, we’ll go through the main causes of this issue and how to fix it step by step so your pages start working normally again.
Why Does the “404 Page Not Found” Error Appear in WordPress?
The main reason behind this issue is a problem with the Permalink settings in WordPress. When the permalink structure gets messed up, WordPress can’t properly translate the URL into the correct page, so it shows a 404 error page instead of your content.
Other possible causes include:
- The page was deleted or its URL was changed without updating internal links.
- A corrupted or missing
.htaccessfile. - A plugin conflict — especially ones that manage URLs or redirects.
- Server configuration issues that prevent WordPress from handling the URLs properly.
How to Fix the “404 Page Not Found” Error in WordPress
Resave Permalink Settings
This is the quickest and most effective fix in most cases.
Go to your WordPress dashboard → Settings → Permalinks.
Without changing anything, just click Save Changes.
Clicking the Save Changes button, even without making any changes, forces WordPress to regenerate the .htaccess file and fully reset the permalink structure, which is usually enough to instantly resolve the “404 Page Not Found” issue.
Check and Edit the .htaccess File
If the first step doesn’t work, access your site files using FTP or your hosting file manager, and go to the root directory (where WordPress is installed).
Make sure there’s a file named .htaccess. If it’s missing, create a new one with this content:
# 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 WordPressSave the file and try accessing your pages again.
Make Sure the Page Exists
Sometimes the issue is that the page was deleted or its slug (URL) changed.
Check your Pages in the dashboard to see if the page still exists.
If the slug was changed, update any internal links pointing to the old URL.
Temporarily Disable Plugins
Some plugins—especially SEO or redirect plugins—can cause URL issues.
Temporarily disable all plugins and check if the issue is resolved.
If it is, enable them one by one to identify the culprit.
Check Server Configuration
If nothing else works, contact your hosting provider.
Ask them to ensure that the server supports mod_rewrite and that .htaccess is working properly.
Tips to Avoid 404 Errors in the Future:
- Always use a redirect plugin when changing a page’s URL.
- Double-check internal links after making any changes.
- Keep regular backups of your site before any major updates.
- Monitor Google Search Console, which alerts you to broken pages.
The “404 Page Not Found” error in WordPress can be frustrating but is usually easy to fix. In most cases, just resaving permalinks or fixing the .htaccess file solves the issue. If it’s due to a plugin or a missing page, simple steps can help you identify and fix the problem. With a bit of regular maintenance, you can keep your site running smoothly and avoid these issues in the future.
