Fix WordPress posts returning to 404 error

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WordPress posts 404 error

No wonder WordPress is a popular CMS and it works wonder managing powerful websites. But sometimes it can cause you problems.

Today in this post we will try to fix all the WordPress posts returning to 404 error. This usually happens when you migrate your old website to a new domain, new host or simply when you restore a backup to a new place. But we should not forget it can happen due to various other reasons.

Possible reasons for WordPress posts returning to 404 error

You just migrated or restored your website: It can happen when you migrate your WordPress website to a new host/ new domain or sometime restore a website from a backup.

Permalinks are not set up correctly: It might be possible that your permalinks are not setup correctly sometimes due to various issues. Go to Settings > Permalinks and make sure the permalink structure is set correctly.

Even if you find the permalinks are setup correctly just click on “Save Changes”.

The .htaccess file is missing or corrupt: This file controls the permalink structure, so if it’s missing or corrupt, it can cause 404 errors.

A plugin or theme conflict: A plugin or theme may be causing the 404 error. Try deactivating all plugins and switching to a default theme to see if the problem persists.

Your hosting server is down.

The post or page is deleted or trashed.

Caching plugin: It may be the case that an outdated cached version of the page is being served. Try clearing cache from your internal plugin and also from your browser. Also try using a differntly browser if your posts are loading correctly.

Also Read: How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress

Fixing WordPress posts returning to 404 error

There are a few potential causes for WordPress posts returning a 404 error. Some common solutions include:

  1. Check your permalinks settings: Go to Settings > Permalinks and make sure the post name option is selected.
  1. Re-save permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to refresh the permalinks settings.
  1. Try disabling any plugins that may be causing conflicts: Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and deactivate any plugins that you suspect may be causing the issue.
  1. Check .htaccess file: Log in to your server and locate the .htaccess file in the root directory of your WordPress installation. Make sure the file has the correct rewrite rules for WordPress.
  1. Check for theme issues: switch to the default theme for WordPress to see if the issue is with the theme you are currently using.

If the above method does not work add the below code to your .htaccess (rewrite rule) file.

# 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

I hope, I have been able to help you. If you are still facing issues you can always ask me in the comment section.

Also Read: How to fix WordPress white screen of death

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