How to Fix WordPress Posts Returning 404 Error

Do you see the 404 error when you search in Google or any search engines? Do you know what it means when you see this? It only means that the site you are seeing has a problem in URL. If your page posts a 404 error, you need to check your URL to make sure it’s properly updated.

This article will give you an idea on what 404 error is and how to deal with and fix it using WordPress. As you know, WordPress is the quickest blog site today and many people use WordPress because it has simple commands.

Since you are reading this, it means that you probably have a website of your own or you have encountered a 404 error and wonder what it means. The following information will help you solve this problem.

What is 404 error?

The right technical term for this is HTTP 404 Not Found Error. This happens if the website could not be found in the search engine because the site might have one of the following:

1. The page has been removed.
2. The page has been moved but the URL was not changed properly.
3. The page never existed.
4. You typed a wrong URL.

In whichever reason, it only means that you need to check your URL because if not, Google or any search engines will not be able to pick up your website. This may have a negative effect on your traffic.

Now in the case that you run a WordPress account and you encounter 404 error in your own site, all you need to do is to troubleshoot. However, in WordPress there is a little complication because WordPress is an independent management system which has its own set of settings and internal rewrite which is part of its permalinks feature.

However, there is always a way to make things right. You need to figure out if the cause comes from WordPress or the live web server.

Fix the 404 Error

Check your static file

Check, update, and verify that your static file still exists.

• Log in to your FTP client account
• Connect to your server
• Go the file’s location
• Verify that the file exists

If the cause is not inside the file, then you have to find the source of the 404 error some other way.

WordPress can detect the source of the 404 error because it creates rewrite array which manages the permalinks or what they call “pretty URL”. You can check it for the following possibilities:

1. Improperly coded plugins
2. Custom post types
3. Taxonomy alterations that breaks or corrupt the permalinks array

Re-save the permalinks

You can reset the permalinks if this is the cause of the 404 error by:

1. Log in to your WordPress account
2. Go to Dashboard
3. Go to Settings
4. Find the Permalinks
5. Click Save

After doing this, test the URL again to see if it still displays the 404 error.

Debug Process

If the permalinks is not the cause of the 404 error, you can try debugging it in WordPress.

1. Go to Homepage
2. Find the Admin Bar
3. Choose the Debug This
4. Click Query
5. Hit the Rewrites

Setting up a WordPress account comes with responsibility and maintenance in all the factors affecting the quality of the site.