In this article, you will learn:
- How to recognize Error 404
- How to resolve Error 404
- How to configure a custom error page
- Frequently asked questions
Error 404 Not Found
Error 404 means a file or other resource is unavailable. If the entire requested page is missing, you can recognize Error 404 by Not found in the heading.
Some websites have a custom 404 page. To set one up, follow the section Configuring a custom Error 404 page.
Images and other resources that fail to load also return Error 404. Find a full list in browser developer tools (usually opened with F12), in the console (Console), or the Network (Network) tab. Reload the page to populate Network data.
It resembles Error 403 Forbidden, but usually involves less essential missing files than index.html, index.php or .htaccess.
Resolving Error 404
If a file from your Webhosting does not load correctly, follow these steps:
- Check via FTPwhether it is actually present on Webhosting.
- Also check the uploaded file size; a damaged or partially uploaded file can cause Error 404.
- Check the file path, ensuring its actual location matches the location in the web application code.
If you use content from another source (usually fonts, scripts or CSS), check its availability, both temporary and long-term. If the source remains unavailable, consider replacing it.
Mixed content
Another common source of problems is mixed content, where the website loads over the secure protocol HTTPS, but tries to load some resources over insecure HTTP.
Review the website source files and change all addresses from http:// to https://.
If you use a content management system such as WordPress, use its mixed content repair tool (in WordPress: Tools Site Health).
WEDOS Protection and Let’s Encrypt
If you encounter Error 404 on Webhosting with a domain using WEDOS Protection ⧉, check whether at least 90 minutes have passed since HTTPS certificate activation. If not, wait and try reloading without the cache using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + R.
If the problem persists, make sure the DNS records match your proxy’s current IP addresses.
Configuring a custom Error 404 page
To display a custom error message when a page is not found, follow these steps:
- Create a custom error page, for example 404.html, and save it to FTP in the website root directory (the same location as index.html or index.php).
- In the same folder, open the file .htaccess. If it does not exist, create it (the name includes a leading dot and no extension).
- At the end of the file .htaccess insert the code:
ErrorDocument 404 /404.html
If your document is named differently from 404.html, change the file name in the code.
Frequently asked questions
None of the solutions helped. What should I do now?
If Error 404 is caused by a file on Webhosting, enable temporary FTP access for Support using this guide and use the form ⧉ to request an investigation. Include the website name and addresses of unavailable files.
We cannot investigate external resources; ask their operators to check them. If they require the Webhosting IP address, find it in details of the service ⧉ in the table Service Addresses.
Does Error 404 occur outside VEDOS too?
Yes, this is a common error caused by unavailable files on a server. The server (Webhosting) works correctly; the solution is to upload missing files and ensure resources are available over the correct protocol.