What a WordPress 404 error means
A 404 response means the web server or WordPress could not match the requested URL to content it can serve. When the page is still visible under Pages or Posts in WordPress, this is different from content actually being deleted.
WordPress normally turns readable addresses such as /services/website-support/ into an internal request for the correct database record. This depends on WordPress rewrite rules and the web server configuration. If those rules are missing, stale or no longer being processed, the home page and WordPress dashboard may work while individual posts, pages, categories or custom post types return 404 errors.
If only one URL fails, first check that its slug has not changed and that the page is published. If many existing pages fail at once, permalink or server configuration is a stronger suspect.
Common causes of WordPress pages returning 404
A frequent cause is a rewrite rule problem after changing permalink settings, moving the website, switching hosting, restoring a backup or altering the domain. On Apache servers, WordPress commonly relies on rules in .htaccess. Nginx handles rewriting in the server configuration instead, so adding Apache rules to an Nginx site will not solve the problem.
Other causes include a plugin or theme registering a custom URL structure incorrectly, a custom post type whose rewrite rules have not been refreshed, an incorrect WordPress Address or Site Address, and server configuration that no longer passes requests through to WordPress.
A genuine 404 can also follow a changed page slug. In that situation, restoring rewrite rules will not recreate the old address. If the old URL has external links or search visibility, it may need an appropriate redirect to the new URL rather than a rewrite repair.
How to fix WordPress 404 errors safely
Before editing website files or the database, take a full backup of both files and the database.
- Confirm the content exists. Open the affected page or post in the dashboard, check that it is published and confirm its current permalink.
- Refresh WordPress rewrite rules. Go to Settings, then Permalinks, note the existing structure and click Save Changes without changing it. WordPress flushes and rebuilds its rewrite rules.
- Clear caches. Clear any WordPress page cache and hosting or reverse-proxy cache so an old 404 response is not being served after the repair.
- Check whether the problem affects all rewritten URLs. Test several posts and pages. If the home page works but every readable permalink fails, investigate web server rewriting rather than editing individual pages.
- Inspect .htaccess only on Apache-based hosting. Compare the WordPress section with the standard rules for your installation. Do not paste random rewrite blocks over custom rules added for security, redirects or subdirectory installations. Restore a known working copy if you have one.
- Test recent plugin changes. If the problem started after activating or updating a plugin that manages redirects, languages, custom post types or URLs, test that change on staging or temporarily deactivate the suspected plugin where safe.
For recurring technical problems, see WordPress maintenance and website support.
When a WordPress 404 problem needs technical help
Stop making changes if saving permalinks does not help, .htaccess contains unfamiliar custom rules, the site recently moved between servers, or the hosting configuration itself needs changing. Incorrect rewrite rules can make more of the site inaccessible.
Server logs and the actual HTTP response are useful at this stage. A technician can distinguish a genuine WordPress 404 from an Apache or Nginx routing problem, a redirect issue or a custom rewrite conflict without repeatedly changing live settings.
Web Support Services offers an Emergency Fix for £249 per incident, with a response within 2 working hours. Ongoing care plans start from £59 a month and include maintenance designed to reduce the chance of repeat failures.