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WordPress

Don't let your visitors suffer through generic error pages when making a personalized 404 page in WordPress couldn't be simpler. The following are a few options for doing so.

Page not found (Error 404) screens are among the most annoying things that may happen while exploring a website.
Users may get frustrated and rapidly leave your site because of this problem.
It is possible to avoid this by checking and fixing all broken internal links.
Worse still, what if the slug of a hyperlink on a website is updated or if a user accidentally uses the incorrect URL?
It is expected that consumers will eventually come upon a dead link.
People may leave your website without completing their intended task, but there are measures you can take to assist them in returning to the page they were seeking.

When Should I Use a 404 Page?

Including a unique 404 page on your website may soften the blow of a misdirected visitor and turn their experience into a good one.
As a result, you can give your site a unique flavor and even some comedy while still providing a way for visitors to recover their previous position.
You may also include a link to a contact form for users to report the broken link that leads them to the 404 page and connections to other popular sites, such as blogs.

WordPress

It's tempting to redirect a 404 error to your homepage instead of creating a dedicated error page.
Because the visitor is still sent to the main page, they may not know they typed in an invalid URL.
Even if you redirect people to the site, Google may still consider it a soft 404 error, which might harm your search engine rankings.
Google warns that sending all 404 errors to the homepage may be problematic. Creating a helpful "page not found" (or "error") message should always be a priority for website operators.

Constructing Your Own 404 Error Page

 

You may use a customized 404 page in WordPress in a few different ways, depending on your theme.
Any modern theme should support a custom 404 page built with a plugin.

Block Editor Themes, as well as Traditional WordPress Themes

Choice 1: Employ the Theme-Specific 404.php
Many themes provide a 404-page template that you may modify directly in the PHP code of your website.
First, open your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance > Theme File Editor.
Second, go to the 404.php file by selecting your theme from the options.
Step three is to transfer the 404.php file to the child theme to prevent your modifications from being overwritten by future theme changes.
Make it your own by customizing the wording and using a picture or other components in Step 4.
Fifth, choose "Update File" to save your modifications.
Another Choice: Reproducing a 404.php File
The absence of a 404.php file is only guaranteed with some themes. If this is the case, you may import a 404.php file from another article (like Twenty Twenty) that already has this functionality.
Depending on your theme, you may need to make some adjustments to the 404.php file before saving it in your theme's folder.

The most common rookie error in blog creation is using an inappropriate blogging platform.
You've thankfully found this and won't have to experience it.

For 95% of users, WordPress.org (commonly known as self-hosted WordPress) is the best option.

As its code is freely available to the public, WordPress may be used without cost.
You're free to do anything you choose with your blog, including adding widgets and changing the look and feel (see the difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org).

All popular blogs, like this one, utilize WordPress as their website platform of choice.
In context: WordPress powers 43 percent of all websites online.

You may be asking why WordPress doesn't cost anything.
So, where's the catch, exactly?

There is no hidden fee or catch.
Since you'll have to put it up and host it yourself, it won't cost you a dime.

That is to say, you'll need a website's own domain and hosting.

To access a website, one must first enter its domain name into a web browser.
That is the web URL where your blog may be found.
Try Googling or wpbeginner.com as an example.

Your website's files will reside in a hosting environment.
It's the virtual address of your website.
Web hosting is essential for every blog.

A new domain name will set you back around $14.99 per year, while web hosting will set you back about $7.99 per month.

That's a lot of money for someone who's just getting started in the industry.

Fortunately, Bluehost, a WordPress-approved host, has agreed to provide all of our customers a free domain name and discounts of up to 60% on web hosting.To take advantage of this exclusive Bluehost promotion, click here.

Even if you use a different web host, such as SiteGround or Hostinger, our blog installation guide will still work.

Because of its long history in the industry, we advise newbies to start with Bluehost.
Millions of websites, including many of our own, are hosted by them, making them the most well-known name in WordPress hosting.

In addition, Bluehost is dedicated to the WordPress community and has been working with the platform since 2005.
Thus, they have guaranteed that our experienced staff will finish the procedure for you at no cost if you are unable to get your blog live within 30 minutes by following this instruction.
You don't have to foot the bill, because they'll pay us back.
If you need assistance with setting up a blog at no cost, please contact us.

First, choose a theme that has a suitable 404 page.
Second, duplicate the 404.php file found in the theme's subdirectory.
Third, upload the 404.php file to your server's theme or child theme folder.
Check the live 404 page to ensure it appears how you want it to.
In Step 5, after following the same procedures as Steps 1 through 4, choose Update File to save your changes to the file in the Theme File Editor.

Copy the index.php file if you're on Option 3

Including a 404.php file is optional. However, if your theme doesn't have one, this is an alternate method of creating one.
The first thing you'll want to do is make a copy of the index.php file.
Second, rename the second 404.php file.
In Stage 3, you will delete the code used to show the postings.
Make it your own by customizing the wording and using a picture or other components in Step 4.
The fifth step is to update the file to keep your modifications.
Using a 404 page from a different theme could be more aesthetically pleasing, but this alternative requires an understanding of PHP and HTML and ensures that the 404 page will match your existing theme.

Put Together A 404 Page Using Your Favorite Page Maker

When working with a WordPress page builder like Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, or Oxygen, you may create a custom 404 page directly from the builder's interface.
If you want mistyped URLs to be sent to a custom 404 page, you may find out how to do so by consulting the instructions for your favorite builder.

Create a 404 Page Using a WordPress Plugin

Using a WordPress 404-page plugin is the simplest method to set up a personalized 404 page for your site.

Utilizing these plugins, you may create a personalized 404 page and monitor 404 encounters. Examples of standard error page plugins include:
This is an essential 404-page plugin you can use for free: 404page, your clever custom 404 error page. To use a personalized 404 page, you must create a new page in WordPress. To make this your default 404 page, go to Appearance > 404 Error Page in your WordPress dashboard. Select the page you just made.
Use the SeedProd WordPress plugin to create stunning, lightweight, and fully-customized 404-page templates for your site.
With the free Colorlib 404 Customizer WordPress plugin and the Live Customizer, you can quickly design a 404 page that fits in with the rest of your site's aesthetic.
The options for further tailoring your 404 page may be found in your WordPress admin's Appearance > Customize section.
Using the Pages area of the WordPress administration dashboard and the Custom 404 Pro plugin, you can create a unique 404 page. It will also allow you to keep tabs on the occurrences of URLs that resulted in the 404 page so that you can keep an eye on the prevalence of broken links.

Integral Site Redesign

WordPress themes that allow for complete site customization make setting up a unique 404 page simple. Follow these instructions to set up an individual 404 page in WordPress.
If a user attempts to access a page that doesn't exist, they will be promptly redirected.
First, go to your WordPress dashboard and choose Appearance > Editor.
Select Templates from the Editor menu in Step 2.
The next step is to choose the 404 formats you want to use.
Fourth, build your own 404 page in the block editor and save it.
The fifth step is to save the template by clicking the Save button again.

Made-to-Order 404 Error Pages for WordPress

Having a link that doesn't work or a wrong URL is only sometimes the end of the world.
Make your 404 page enjoyable by linking to the main page of your site or another relevant page.
Since it's so simple to make a custom 404 page in WordPress, it's a missed opportunity for many websites that might provide a better overall experience for visitors.
You may also monitor who lands on your 404 page so that you can fix broken links and reroute users as needed.
Go to some of your favorite sites and enter the URL, adding a page you know doesn't exist to see some creative 404 pages.
Great inspiration for your own 404 pages is guaranteed!