What are 404 error pages anyway? From time to time, one of your links on WordPress may become broke. When this happens, WordPress looks for a 404.php web page, and presents that page to the visitor.
The good news is that you don’t have to settle for – the default 404 NOT FOUND page. Some themes make it easy to customize the 404.php file, but others do not. Regardless, leaving it at the default setting is counterproductive. Why not add a message that helps your visitor or injects some humor to defuse the error?
To edit your Theme’s 404 error template file:
- Open your WordPress admin panel:
- Choose Appearance menu.
- Choose the Theme Editor page.
- Check to see if your theme includes a 404 Template in the list of files.
- Click the link for 404 Template along the right side of the page.
- Edit the message text to say what you want it to say.
- Save your changes.
While you are examining and editing your 404 template file – take a look at the structure of the default 404.php file. It basically features tags that display the header, sidebar, and footer, and also an area for your message:
In addition to adding a personalized message - similar to “something went wrong,” you should also include:
- A link to the site map – (if you have one) and the home page.
- A search box. If you have a site search, add it to your 404 page.
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