Managing 404 Errors in Google Search Console in 2026

404 errors in Google Search Console often cause needless concern: most are normal and require no action. This page is for SEO managers, marketers and business leaders who want to read the "Not found (404)" and "Soft 404" statuses, then decide for each URL whether to restore it, redirect it, leave it as a 404 or return a 410.

For a complete overview of the tool, consult our Google Search Console guide.

Managing 404 Errors in Google Search Console: Understand, Prioritise and Resolve Without Losing Visibility

Why Does Google Flag Pages as "Not Found (404)"?

Google flags a URL as "Not found (404)" when your server returns an HTTP 404 status code whilst Googlebot is crawling it. The URL has therefore been discovered, via an internal link, a sitemap, an external link or historical data, but it no longer exists. A 404 is a technical signal rather than a penalty. It is just one status amongst others in the Pages report, which is read as a whole in our guide to indexing in Google Search Console.

According to Google, 404s are normal on a living site and have no effect on how the rest of the site ranks. A 404 page drops out of the index and loses its own visibility, its traffic and the value of the links pointing to it; other pages are not affected. Prioritising therefore means spotting the 404s that affect high-potential pages, not bringing the counter down.

404 "Not Found", Soft 404 and 410: How to Differentiate Them and Avoid Wrong Decisions

A standard 404 is an explicit HTTP code: the resource does not exist. A soft 404 is a page Google considers empty or thin even though it responds with a 200 code: an empty page, a no-results template, an incoherent redirect. A 410 signals a deliberate removal. The table summarises each status:

Accessing the Console and Locating URLs in Error

Where to Locate 404 Errors: the Pages Report and the Crawl Stats Report

404s appear in several places in Search Console, and each answers a different question:

• Pages report: the "Not found (404)" and "Soft 404" statuses list the affected URLs, with examples to review one by one.
• Crawl stats report: under Settings, the breakdown of responses by code shows the share of 404s over a window of roughly 90 days (root-level properties only, at the time of writing).
• URL Inspection tool: it gives the status of a specific URL, so you can confirm a case before acting.

The Pages report is for acting URL by URL; crawl stats tell you whether 404s take up an abnormal share of Googlebot's requests.

Analyse a URL with the URL Inspection Tool: Status, Last Crawl and Referring Page

The tool verifies the actual status of each URL and separates current issues from historical remnants. Three pieces of information guide the decision:

• Status: the outcome recorded during the last crawl, and its date.
• Origin: the sitemap or referring page through which Google discovered the URL.
• Blocks: denied access or a rule that prevents crawling.

If Google sees a 404 whilst the page displays normally in your browser, the discrepancy comes from the server, the cache, the CDN or a security rule: it is a hosting issue. Diagnosing these discrepancies is covered in our article on 403 errors and blocked access in Google Search Console.

Diagnosing the Cause of a 404 to Choose the Right Action

Deleted Page, Modified URL, Migration, Facets: The Most Common Scenarios

The causes of a 404 fall into four families:

• Intentional removal: the content has been taken down, with no equivalent published.
• Modified URL or migration: the page still exists at another address, without a redirect.
• Broken internal linking: a link on the site points to a wrong or outdated address.
• Parameters and facets: filters, tracking parameters or pagination create "ghost" URLs that Googlebot crawls.

The first question to ask is: "should this URL still exist?" If yes, restore it or provide an equivalent. If no, manage its removal without damaging internal linking. For ghost URLs, do not bulk-redirect: limit the creation of unwanted URLs whilst preserving those that provide genuine indexable value.

External Links Pointing to a Missing Page: What to Fix and What to Avoid

External links landing on a 404 represent lost authority: prioritise 404 URLs that still have inbound links. Redirect them only to a page covering the same topic: a redirect to an unrelated page dilutes relevance, and Google may treat it as a soft 404.

Resolving a 404 Error in Search Console: A Scenario-Based Action Plan

How to Fix a 404 Error: A Repeatable Four-Step Method

The method applies URL by URL, starting with the pages that matter:

• Qualify the URL: assess its importance (traffic, inbound links, conversions).
• Identify the cause: internal link, sitemap, redirect or legacy URL.
• Choose the action: restore, redirect to a genuine equivalent, leave as a 404 or return a 410.
• Clean up and validate: update internal links and sitemaps, then click "Validate fix".

Restore, Redirect or Keep the 404: Decision Criteria

Restore the page if it still matches a valid intent or carries strong signals, such as traffic or inbound links. If an equivalent exists or is published (a new version, consolidated content), redirect to it. Without a genuine equivalent, keep the 404 or return a 410: an artificial redirect adds nothing. The table summarises each case:

A 301 redirect should point to an equivalent page, without chains (A → B → C), and Google recommends keeping it for at least one year. Setting it up, chains and migrations are covered in our guide to 301 redirects in Google Search Console.

Clean Up Internal Linking and Sitemaps to Stabilise More Quickly

An accepted 404 must stop being exposed to Google, otherwise it resurfaces in the report. Three actions stabilise it:

• Internal links: replace each link to the URL with a link to the page that replaces it, or remove it.
• Sitemaps: remove the URL from submitted files, so they only list pages returning 200.
• robots.txt file: check it is consistent with removals, to avoid the issue resurfacing.

Handling Soft 404 Errors Without Cannibalising Your Content

Google treats pages with no useful content as soft 404s: empty internal search results, underdeveloped tag pages or very thin listings, "product unavailable" pages that display nothing. HTTP status codes are not the sole factor, as Google evaluates substance and relevance for users.

Fix Without Over-Optimising and Avoid False 200s

Avoid padding a page artificially. Depending on its value, there are four responses:

• Enrich legitimate pages: copy, FAQs, structured data.
• Consolidate overlapping pages into the one that carries the intent.
• Deindex a page that must remain for users but has no SEO value: noindex tag.
• Align the HTTP code: an error page served with a 200 must return a real 404 or 410.

A false 200 confuses both Google and users, like an out-of-stock product page that no longer displays anything: if the product is returning, enrich the page; otherwise, redirect to a genuine equivalent or remove it cleanly.

Validate, Measure and Prevent 404 Errors from Recurring

Validate Fixes and Measure Their Impact

Once fixes are in place, check the URL with the URL Inspection tool, then click "Validate fix" from the relevant status in the Pages report. Then monitor three signals:

• Volume: the drop in "Not found (404)" and "Soft 404" URLs for the causes addressed.
• Traffic: stable visits on restored or redirected pages.
• Recurrence: no new errors from the same cause, such as a template.

Review the Pages report weekly, as an alert. On the behaviour side, Google Analytics measures the impact of a fix on landing pages, exits and conversions; segment by device to check mobile.

Establish a Prevention Routine: Redesigns, Content Removals and URL Changes

404s come back when each redesign or removal is decided without a plan. Three habits anticipate them:

• Before a redesign: draw up the URL mapping and the redirect plan to genuine equivalents.
• With every removal: choose the status (redirect, 404 or 410) before taking the page down.
• With every deployment: update internal linking and sitemaps.

Depending on Your Situation

Depending on what your report reveals, the next step lies in another topic:

• 404s weigh heavily in crawling: the breakdown of responses by code is explained in our guide to the Crawl stats report.
• Your sitemaps still list deleted URLs: monitoring and cleaning up the files is detailed in our article on sitemaps in Google Search Console.
• A thin page must remain accessible to visitors: deindexing it relies on diagnosing the "Excluded by 'noindex' tag" status.

When the volume of 404s and soft 404s becomes significant, a 360° SEO and GEO audit combines technical and business signals (traffic, inbound links, conversions) to focus on the fixes that are genuinely strategic.

FAQ on 404 Errors in Google Search Console

Should You Always Redirect a 404?

No, a 404 should only be redirected when a genuine equivalent exists. Without one, keep the 404 or return a 410, then remove the URL from internal links and sitemaps. A redirect to an unrelated page dilutes relevance, and Google may treat it as a soft 404.

What Is a Soft 404?

A soft 404 is a page Google considers empty or unhelpful even though the server does not return an error code, usually returning a 200 instead. Empty internal search results, thin listings and unavailable products with no content are typical cases. It appears under the "Soft 404" status in the Pages report.

Do 404s Harm SEO?

No, 404s have no effect on how the rest of the site ranks: Google considers them normal. The page concerned drops out of the index and loses its own visibility, along with the value of the links pointing to it. The real task is therefore to spot the 404s that affect pages with potential.

Should You Return a 404 or a 410?

Both codes are suitable for a deleted page with no genuine equivalent. A 410 signals a deliberate removal, a 404 a resource that cannot be found. In both cases, what matters is removing the URL from internal links and sitemaps, so it stops being exposed to Google and no longer resurfaces in the Pages report.

How Long Does Google Take to Acknowledge the Fix?

It depends on crawl frequency and the importance of the URL: it takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. "Validate fix" restarts the check on the URLs concerned. For a strategic page, you can still request indexing via the URL Inspection tool, with no guaranteed timeframe.

How Do You Manage 404 Errors on an E-Commerce Site (Out of Stock, End of Season, Variations)?

If a product is likely to return, maintain an informative page that remains useful to visitors. If it is permanently discontinued, redirect to the most relevant alternative or remove the page cleanly with a 404 or 410. Avoid empty pages served with a 200: Google classifies them as soft 404s in the Pages report.