HTTP 404 Error (And How To Fix It)
You probably know of the classic 404 not found error, but if you don’t, the error is shown when you are trying to access a page or resource that does not exist. This guide will show you how to find the page you are looking for, and get back on track.
What does this error mean?
You probably know of the classic 404 not found error, but if you don’t, the error is shown when you are trying to access a page or resource that does not exist, or a resource that the server cannot find. Websites can customize the 404 page, and there always seems to be a hunt for the best 404 page in existence (Check out the conclusion).
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How do I fix this error?
- Like always, refreshing the page should be the first thing that you try. Although the 404 error generally means that the resource is missing, there is an unlikely possibility that the server glitched and showed the error page instead. Its easy to do, so just try it (If the server redirected you to a custom error page, just click the back button).
- Check the URL. Does the URL seem correct? If you visited the page from a link or bookmark, the page may have been deleted or moved elsewhere.
- Search the site. Even if the page has been moved, you might still be able to find it! Using the search bar on the website should bring you to the correct page, if not, the page may have been deleted. (If the page does not have a search bar, head over to Google and type "site:domain.com keyword". Replace "domain.com" with the domain, and "keyword" with the title of the file you are looking for).
- Clear your cache. Sometimes websites will implement a 301 or 302 redirect, but if your browser has cached an old version of the site, they may not work. Try clearing your cache to see if you are redirected to the new location.
- If all else fails, try contacting the owner or the support of the website. They may be able to tell you why you cannot find what you are looking for, or direct you to the new location for the resource.
Final Summary
That's it! The 404 error is quite simple, but definitely annoying. Hopefully this guide helped you out, and let us know if there is anything we should add.
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