What Is A 404 Error Page?

We’ve all been through that. You are on your way to your favorite website when you are suddenly surprised by the dreaded 404 error page.

Maybe you’ve just come across a 404 page and want to find out what it’s about.

Well, look no further because we’re going to get down to the gist of this pesky page!

First off, what is a 404 error?

An example of a 404 error page with a robot

First off, it’s actually called HTTP 404, one of many different HTTP error codes a website can have.

This specific error code appears when a web browser requests a specific page from its server and comes up empty-handed.

No, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world; it just means you can’t access the page you want right now.

Is there anything you can do to fix it?

A woman frustrated at her laptop

Unfortunately, there’s not much the user (that’s you!) can do to fix a 404 error page.

The manager of the site himself can only fix the problem.

First, check that you entered the URL correctly. A simple typo is a surefire way to find yourself on a 404 page.

If that doesn’t work, the next thing you can do is contact the webmaster through the contact page and let them know that one of their pages is down.

Hopefully they’ll check their email soon so you can surf again!

Why are we even seeing this page?

The word error among binary digits circled with a pen

The fact that you see a 404 error page can only ever be an error.

But generally it’s because the site either never existed or doesn’t exist anymore.

If you enter a URL, you may have entered it incorrectly. If you clicked on a link, the site owners may have decided to remove the page from their site.

Many websites have custom 404 pages that suggest finding the page you want.

Otherwise, they generally direct you in the direction that you are browsing through some of their other sites.

However, if the site doesn’t have a custom 404 page, you’ll have to look at your browser’s boring default 404 page!

Now that you know all of this, we hope you feel a little better when you come across a 404 error page.

We know there’s not much else you can do other than recheck the URL you’ve entered, but knowing what you’re dealing with is always reassuring.

With this in mind, may your future be bright and free from 404 error pages!