How to Redirect a WordPress 404 Page

WordPress 404 Redirects: When to Use Them and How to Set Them Up

A 404 page is not automatically an SEO problem. It tells visitors and search engines that the requested URL could not be found. In WordPress, you should redirect a 404 URL only when there is a genuinely relevant replacement. If there is no suitable destination, keep a helpful 404 page instead of sending every missing URL to your homepage.

This guide explains when to use a permanent redirect, how to set one up in WordPress with or without a plugin, and how to make your 404 page useful. It also covers what to check in Google Search Console when you find a 404 URL.

What Does a 404 Not Found Error Mean?

An HTTP 404 status means that the server could not find the requested resource. In WordPress, a theme normally displays a 404 template when a visitor requests a URL that does not match an existing post, page, or other resource.

A 404 can appear for several reasons:

• A page or post was removed: The old URL no longer has content.
• A URL changed: A post, product, or page moved to a new permalink.
• A broken link: A link on your site points to the wrong address or to content that has moved.
• A mistyped or obsolete URL: A visitor, another website, or a search crawler requests an address that does not exist.

A genuine 404 on a URL that no longer exists is a normal response; it does not, by itself, prove that your whole website has an SEO penalty. Google explains how it handles 404 and other HTTP status codes. The important thing is to fix broken internal links and to redirect important old URLs when a relevant replacement exists.

When Should You Redirect a WordPress 404 URL?

Use a redirect when a URL has moved and you can send visitors to a page that fulfils substantially the same need. A permanent server-side redirect, usually a 301, is appropriate when the move is permanent. For example, redirect an old service page to its new version, or an old article URL to the updated article that replaced it.

Situation	What to do
The page moved to a clear replacement	Set up a permanent 301 redirect to the closest relevant page.
The page is temporarily unavailable	Use a temporary solution only if the content is expected to return; do not permanently redirect it by default.
The content is gone and has no suitable replacement	Keep a genuine 404 response, or use 410 if you deliberately want to signal that it is permanently gone. Show a helpful not-found page.
The URL is a typo, random path, or automated scan	Usually leave it as a 404. Do not create a redirect for every unknown URL.

Should You Redirect Every 404 to the Homepage?

No. A homepage is rarely a meaningful replacement for every missing article, product, or service page. A blanket redirect can frustrate visitors and may be treated as a soft 404 when the destination does not satisfy the original request. If no relevant replacement exists, keep the 404 page and help the visitor find another route.

Google’s guidance is to use redirects when content has moved to a new location. For a URL that does not exist, return an appropriate not-found response and explain the situation clearly. See Google’s guidance on redirects in Google Search and its explanation of soft 404s.

How to Set Up a Redirect in WordPress

Before adding a rule, confirm that the destination is a close and useful replacement for the old URL. Keep a record of the source and destination, and avoid chains where one redirect leads to another.

1. Use the Redirection Plugin

The Redirection plugin is a widely used option for managing individual redirects and reviewing 404 logs from the WordPress dashboard. Its 404 log is a diagnostic tool: it helps you find broken links and outdated URLs, but it does not mean that every logged URL needs a redirect.

 

1. Back up your site, especially before changing a large set of redirects.
2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for Redirection, then install and activate the plugin.
3. Complete its setup and open Tools > Redirection.
4. Add the old URL path as the source and the full URL of its relevant replacement as the target.
5. Choose a permanent 301 redirect if the move is permanent, then save the rule.
6. Test the old URL and confirm that it redirects once to the intended page, which returns a successful response.

Plugin menus can vary slightly by WordPress version. Check the plugin’s current documentation and test changes on a staging site if your website has complex caching, security, or redirect rules.

2. Set Up a Redirect Without a Plugin

You can create a redirect through your hosting control panel or server configuration. On an Apache server, the mod_alias RedirectMatch directive can create a permanent redirect for one exact path. For example:

RedirectMatch 301 ^/old-page/?$ https://www.example.co.uk/new-page/

Replace /old-page/ with the old path and the example destination with the real, relevant replacement URL. This example is for Apache only; .htaccess rules do not apply to Nginx. If your site uses Nginx or managed hosting, use the host’s redirect settings or follow its server-specific instructions. Back up the configuration first and test the rule after saving it.

Important: ErrorDocument 404 /index.php is not a 301 redirect to a replacement page. Do not add it as a blanket WordPress 404 fix. WordPress and your theme should handle missing URLs with a proper 404 response unless a specific URL has a relevant replacement.

3. Create a Helpful WordPress 404 Page

A useful 404 page helps people recover without pretending that the requested URL exists. You do not normally create it as an ordinary page under Pages > Add New. In a classic theme, the 404 layout is usually handled by the theme’s 404.php template. With a block theme, you can edit the 404 template in the Site Editor under Appearance > Editor > Templates, if the theme provides one.

Consider including:

• a brief, friendly explanation that the page could not be found;
• a search box;
• a link to the homepage and a small number of useful sections or services;
• links to popular resources, if they genuinely help visitors continue their task.

The page can be useful and on-brand while still returning an HTTP 404 status for a missing URL. See the official WordPress guidance for classic-theme 404 pages and the documentation for editing templates in WordPress.

Best Practices for WordPress Redirects and 404 Errors

• Choose a relevant destination: Redirect to a genuine replacement, not automatically to the homepage.
• Use the right status: Use 301 for a permanent move and a temporary redirect when the change really is temporary.
• Fix internal links: Update links on your own site so visitors do not have to pass through a redirect.
• Avoid chains and loops: Point the old URL directly to the final destination and test for repeated redirects.
• Keep redirects current: Remove obsolete rules when they are no longer needed, and make sure the destination remains live.
• Review 404 reports selectively: Prioritise URLs linked from your own pages, URLs with useful external links, and important pages that have moved. Random paths and automated scans usually do not need individual rules.
• Test the result: Check the response code and final destination after making a change. You can also use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection when an important URL needs checking.

For general advice about improving the website user experience, remember that a helpful not-found page is often better than an irrelevant redirect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 404 errors hurt my WordPress site’s SEO?

A proper 404 for a URL that does not exist is expected and is not, on its own, evidence of a site-wide ranking penalty. Investigate 404s when important pages have moved, your own pages link to dead URLs, or visitors are likely to need the missing content. Google explains how it handles HTTP 404 and 410 responses.

How do I redirect a 404 page in WordPress without a plugin?

If the old URL has a relevant replacement, add a server-side 301 through your host’s control panel or server configuration. The Apache example above applies only to Apache servers. If there is no suitable replacement, keep the 404 response rather than redirecting the URL to an unrelated page.

Should I use a 301 or 302 redirect?

Use a 301 (or another permanent redirect such as 308) when a URL has moved permanently. Use a temporary redirect such as 302 only while the change is temporary. If you are unsure whether the old URL will return, do not mark the move as permanent without a reason.

Should I create a normal WordPress page called “404”?

Usually not. A 404 page is a theme template, rather than a standard published page. Classic themes commonly use 404.php; block themes may provide an editable 404 template in the Site Editor.

Wrapping Up

Use a WordPress redirect when an old URL has a relevant new home. For content with no suitable replacement, serve a genuine 404 or 410 response and give visitors a helpful way to continue. Avoid redirecting every missing URL to the homepage, and test each rule so it reaches the right destination without a chain or loop.

Regularly review your important URLs, fix broken internal links, and use redirect logs and Google Search Console as diagnostic tools. For help maintaining or improving a WordPress website, see the relevant service information or get in touch.