How to fix 404 not found problem

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by

DANIEL S
in

Welcome to Yegara.com, your reliable hosting partner in Ethiopia and beyond!

If you’ve landed on this article, you’re likely dealing with one of the most common web issues: the 404 Not Found error. Don’t worry — this is a normal part of running a website, and it’s usually easy to fix once you know the cause.

In this guide, we’ll explain what a 404 error is, why it happens, and how you can fix it quickly and easily — whether you’re a beginner or managing multiple sites.

✅ What Is a 404 Not Found Error?

A 404 Not Found error appears when your browser tries to access a webpage that doesn’t exist on the server. It means the server is reachable, but the specific page URL can’t be found.
This issue often arises from broken links, deleted pages, or incorrect URLs. Fixing 404 errors involves identifying these broken links and either updating or redirecting them to the correct pages.

🔍 Common Causes of the 404 Error

  • Missing Index File
    If your homepage (like index.html or index.php) is missing or incorrectly named, the server may return a 404..
  • Page Removed or Moved
    If a page has been deleted or moved without setting up redirects, users will hit a 404.
  • Broken Internal Links
    Mistakes in your website’s internal links (like in menus or buttons) can lead to dead ends.
  • Misspelled File or Folder Names
    Case sensitivity matters in hosting environments like Linux. /Page.html is different from /page.html.
  • Incorrect .htaccess Configuration
    A misconfigured .htaccess file can cause valid pages to break.
  • Incorrect URL
    The most common cause is simply typing the wrong URL or clicking a broken link.
  • Issues with Permalinks (for CMS platforms like WordPress)
    A corrupted permalink structure can cause pages not to resolve correctly.

As you can see from the above lists this are the most common causes for 404 issue. Lets dive in to the solutions now.

How to Fix the 404 Not Found Error

1. 📁 Re-upload or Rename Missing Files

Check your file manager or FTP client (like FileZilla) to see if the missing file exists. If not, upload it again or fix the file path
If the file exists check if it is named correctly. index file should start with “i”.

2.🛠 Reset or Re-save Permalink Settings (for WordPress)

Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Settings → Permalinks, and just click “Save Changes” (no need to make edits). This often refreshes the permalink rules.

step 1. login to your worpress Dashboard and scroll down click on settings.
step2.select permalinks and click on save changes.

3.🔗 Fix Broken Links

check if there is any link that is broken or dead internal or external link.
you can use online tools like BrokenLinkCheck.com or Dead Link Checker to spot the one that is causing this issue.

4.⚙️ Check the .htaccess File (for wordpress)

Sometimes a misconfigured .htaccess can cause 404 errors. If unsure, reset it to WordPress default. Here is a default .htaccess code that you can use for wordpress.copy the code in your .htaccess folder then paste and click save. if the file i unavailable you can create a new one by clicking” create” in filemanager>public_html

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

5.🔄 Refresh or Clear Browser Cache and Double-Check the URL

Sometimes, outdated cache data can interfere with page loading. Try refreshing or clearing the browser cache.
Addiitionally Make sure the address is correct — no extra slashes, typos, or wrong extensions. This alone can fix many 404s

While 404 errors can be frustrating, they’re not the end of the world. By following the steps above, you’ll fix most issues in no time. If you have come this far and unable to solve the issue, the Yegara.com support team is here for you.

Have questions? Contact Us or chat live with one of our experts.