When the internet works as it should, it couldn’t be more useful. Unfortunately, there are times when it simply refuses to do its job. You make a simple request and all you get in return is a vague error message. Case in point, the 404 error code.

The good news is that this problem can often be fixed. In this article, we will discuss exactly what the error 404 message means and more importantly, what you can do to fix it.

What Is Error 404?

MUO 404 error

The error 404 message is one of the most common errors. It generally occurs when you try to visit a particular webpage and the server that you are contacting is unable to find it.

In technical terms, the error 404 message is an HTTP status code. It means that your browser has connected with the server, but the webpage you want to access cannot be reached.

This can occur when you request a page that either never existed on a website or one that has been moved and therefore given a different address.

Other names for this error include 404 File Not Found and 404 URL Not Found. Both mean the exact same thing.

How to Fix the 404 Error Code

If you've encountered an error 404 message while browsing the web, there are a number of actions that you can take.

1. Refresh the Page

404 error on Mac

A 404 error means that the server cannot currently find a specific page. Most of the time, this is a permanent issue. But occasionally, it's temporary. Before trying the other tips in this article, it's a good idea to quickly refresh the page.

If doing so solves the issue, it means that it was just a server problem.

2. Check the URL

Servers are designed to return exactly what was requested, spell-check not included. Even a single wrong letter in a URL can result in a 404 error.

If this happens, it's usually because you entered the URL incorrectly. But it can also occur when you click on a link. After all, the person who created the link is just as likely to make a typo as you are.

3. Change Your DNS Settings

Web server wires

Sometimes, every webpage on a website can return a 404 error. If you try multiple pages and receive the same error, it's possible that your internet service provider has blocked access to that website.

If you think that this might be the issue, try changing your DNS settings. You might also want to try accessing the site by using your phone's mobile data and/or by using public WiFi.

4. Clear Your Browser Cache and/or Cookies

If you tried the URL in the past and it worked, the issue might be with your browser. This can happen if the website owner changed the webpage's address and created a redirect. As a result, your browser may be ignoring that redirect.

To check if this is the case, try to visit the page on another device. If it works, you can solve the problem by clearing your browser's cache and/or deleting your cookies.

5. Look Around the Website

A person looking at a keyboard with a magnifying glass

If you've tried all of the aforementioned tips and you're still getting a 404 error, it means that the page you are looking for simply doesn't exist.

It may have been deleted. Or it may have just been renamed. If it's the latter, you can find the page by figuring out its new name.

Depending on how the website is designed, there are a number of ways to do this.

  • If there's a search bar, it makes sense to try to search for it there first.
  • If all the pages are split into different categories, you might want to check the most logical category for your information.
  • If the URL includes what looks like a section, you can try looking one level up. For example, let’s assume the URL is: website-name.com/section1/section2/missing-page. In this case, you should look at: website-name.com/section1/ and website-name.com/section1/section2/.

6. Use a Search Engine

If the page that you want has been renamed, it's also possible to find it using a search engine. Sometimes, this is preferable because it works regardless of how a website is designed.

You can ask Google to return all of the pages on a specific website by entering site: with the website's URL directly after that. For example, you could write: site:makeuseof.com right in Google's search bar.

search by website

You can also add a few keywords to your query to limit the results. For example, if the resource that you wanted was about error messages, you would enter: site: makeuseof.com error messages.

search by website specific

This search query will return any page from this website that discusses error messages. This is particularly useful because if it turns out that the page you want has been deleted entirely, you might find another resource that's similar.

7. Visit the Internet Archive

archive org search

If you know that the page you are looking for existed in the past, you may be able to find a copy of it.

The Internet Archive stores billions of webpages for historical reference. And if the page that you are looking for was even remotely popular, it may have been safely preserved.

To try it out, simply visit the Internet Archive, and enter the desired URL in the search field. From there, you can select a date to see if there's a snapshot of the webpage on that particular day.

8. Contact the Owner

If all else fails, and you really need to find the desired page, you can always contact the owner of the website.

The owner may be completely unaware of the issue. And, provided the error is being shown to everybody, and not just you, it's in their best interest to resolve the problem quickly.

Fixing the 404 Error Code

The error 404 message can be very frustrating. Unfortunately, it's an unavoidable part of the web browsing experience. Websites are frequently reorganized and updated across the web, making it more likely to encounter the 404 error.

If the webpage that you're looking for still exists somewhere, the tips in this article should help you to find it.