404 Error Pages: The Ultimate Guide

Chances are you’ve landed connected a 404 correction page before. Whether you’ve arrived connected a 404 correction page because of a elemental typo aliases because you were seeking a page that nary longer exists, astir group find being incapable to find what they’re looking for to beryllium a frustrating experience. A awesome portion of moving a successful website is staying alert for errors for illustration surgery pages or slow performance. However, sometimes location are problems you conscionable can’t avoid, and 404 errors are among them. The bully news? With a small ingenuity, you tin toggle shape your 404 correction page into a trading asset. 

A 404 occurs erstwhile a personification requests a page connected your website that doesn’t exist, frankincense throwing a 404 correction page and prompting users to return to nan correct place. No matter really galore resources you propulsion into ensuring your website is arsenic seamless arsenic possible, there’s ever a chance users will extremity up connected a 404 correction page. Here’s what you request to cognize astir 404 correction pages, really to hole 404 correction pages, and moreover immoderate examples of imaginative examples that will thief mitigate nan vexation of landing here. 

• What is simply a 404 Error? 

• How to Fix 404 Error Pages 

• The Best 404 Error Web Page Examples 

What is simply a 404 Error?

First things first: What moreover is simply a 404 error? This modular HTTP correction connection codification signals nan website you were trying to scope couldn't beryllium recovered connected nan server. It's a client-side error, meaning either nan webpage was removed aliases moved, and the URL wasn't changed accordingly, aliases nan personification conscionable typed successful nan URL incorrectly. There are besides different reasons a 404 correction mightiness popular up, including a problem pinch DNS aliases an correction pinch caching. 

For nan astir part, you tin configure your server to create a customized 404 correction page. (If you usage HubSpot, click present to study really to customize your 404 page successful HubSpot.)

Some customized 404 correction pages see a leader image, witty description, tract map, hunt form, aliases basal interaction information. Our 404 correction page besides includes much links visitors tin click — which is simply a valuable adhd arsenic it keeps them connected nan website. 

How to Fix 404 Error Pages 

There are a fewer ways to hole 404 errors connected your website and guarantee your visitors onshore connected a viable page wherever they tin find nan accusation they need. Let's locomotion done immoderate of nan champion ways to tackle fixing a 404 correction page. 

Redirect to a functional page. 

Perhaps nan champion measurement to grip a 404 correction is to redirect your visitors to a functional page connected your website. This keeps nan visitant connected your site, which is simply a awesome plus. However, retrieve nan extremity of a successful 404 correction page is to trim visitant frustration. Therefore, redirecting visitors to nan ecommerce information of your tract erstwhile they're seeking an accusation page astir your squad astir apt isn't nan champion fit. 

Ensure you don't person hyperlinks starring to deleted pages. 

If you person a blog connected your website and your posts characteristic hyperlinks to pages that person since been deleted, visitors reference nan posts will acquisition a 404 connection popping up. By looking done your blog posts (or different pages) and ensuring that your hyperlinks are up to date, you tin trim nan likelihood that visitors will person a pesky 404 correction connection connected their surface anytime soon.

Mention that clearing caching tin help. 

Another quick-and-easy solution? On your 404 correction page, you tin mention to visitors that sometimes, caching issues origin these messages to appear. Therefore, you tin propose that visitors simply clear their cache to resoluteness nan rumor efficiently.  

Note predominant pronunciation mistakes. 

As we mentioned earlier, sometimes nan logic why correction pages popular up is because visitors are incorrectly typing successful the domain. If you announcement that visitors often misspell nan way that leads to your pages, you whitethorn see redirecting that misspelling to nan desired page.  

The Best 404 Error Web Page Examples

The bully news? Your 404 correction page is an opportunity to make a memorable belief connected your visitors erstwhile they don’t onshore precisely wherever they hoped.

Over nan years, websites person recovered different ways to pass visitors of a 404 correction and transmission them backmost to nan correct place, immoderate simply, immoderate creatively, and immoderate hilariously. Here are immoderate 404 correction page examples that delight. 

Page Not Found: Creative 404 Error Pages

1. Pipcorn

While a 404 page tin easy instrumentality retired from a website, Pipcorn’s correction page aligns perfectly pinch nan remainder of nan site’s branding. There’s a visually appealing animated background, a friends matter punctual directing visitors to hunt nan website, and a portion of popcorn utilized arsenic nan “0” successful “404.”

2. Spotify

Music streaming elephantine Spotify has covered its bases pinch a clever 404 page. With a witty pun and a light-hearted grounds animation, nan website concisely entertains and past sends visitors backmost to nan page they came from. Or, they tin easy navigate to nan FAQ aliases Community page. 

3. Genially

One elemental measurement to easiness nan hostility connected your 404 page is to adhd a speedy “Oops!” connection — it helps your tract consciousness much personable arsenic you guideline users backmost to nan correct place. In nan lawsuit of Genially’s site, nan page besides includes a nifty illustration paired pinch immoderate playful copy.

4. Adobe

As you would expect, Adobe’s 404 correction page is useful and visually pleasing. One of nan astir unsocial things it does is connection easy entree to Adobe’s astir celebrated products. 

5. Clorox

The 404 page for Clorox cleaning products rotates betwixt 3 lighthearted photos to awesome to visitors that they’ve made a misstep. It’s a smart usage of branding to adhd a little delight infinitesimal while helping retired mislaid users.

6. Duma Collective

Other times, you mightiness not request a witty blurb — conscionable show visitors that there’s nary page astatine nan reside and fto them move on. Entertainment consulting agency Duma Collective does conscionable this pinch its correction page, though it’s complemented by a inheritance image for immoderate insignificant flair.

7. Bitly

If you participate an incorrect Bitly link, you’ll beryllium taken to Bitly’s 404 page. We presume this happens a adjacent amount, which is why nan 404 page gets consecutive to nan point. It explains what mightiness person gone incorrect and prompts users to sojourn nan Bitly homepage if that’s what they’re after.

8. Ikea

Ikea’s 404 page is likewise minimalist but still manages to sneak immoderate smart branding successful there. This illustration shows that your correction pages don’t request to beryllium elaborate to get nan constituent across, but there’s thing incorrect pinch injecting immoderate fun, either.

9. Moxie Design Co.

Sure, “blew up nan Internet” mightiness beryllium a spot hyperbolic, but it tells visitors that Moxie Design Co. doesn’t return itself excessively earnestly pinch mini slip-ups for illustration this one. Also, a hunt barroom is conveniently placed astatine nan bottommost to nonstop you connected your way.

10. McKissack & McKissack

Ah, nan classical “we mislaid nan page” trick. Again, an easy measurement to coming a 404 without alienating your audience. If you’re an agency for illustration McKissack & McKissack that manages galore customer interactions, clear and concise transcript is basal for each your site’s pages, including correction pages.

11. CSS Tricks

Ever ripped distant a website's wrapping to spot what's underneath? That's nan conception that CSS Tricks was going for successful their 404 correction page. This is some witty and reminiscent of what nan website is each about: Smart usage of page styling.

12. Good Old Games

For different websites, you unwrap nan beforehand extremity and there's … conscionable nan immense emptiness of space. This page is simply a clever reference to GOG Galaxy, which is Good Old Games’ autochthonal video crippled client. Thankfully, a small video crippled characteristic is location to springiness visitors a spot to study an correction if they want.

13. Myriad

Video agency Myriad has opted for a quirky, on-brand 404 correction page creation that mimics nan classical SMPTE colour bars that look connected aged tapes and TVs. It’s a funny throwback to older technologies while representing nan much modern problem of a nonexistent web page.

14. KonMari

Known for her celebrated cleaning and statement methods and brand, Marie Kondo has brought a akin consciousness to her website’s 404 page. The transcript concisely and humorously harkens backmost to her tidying accuracy — a mini but well-branded item that fans will recognize.

15. BrandCrowd

Not only is nan illustration connected this correction page elaborate and engaging — nan transcript is clever, too. We emotion nan reference to nan Semisonic opus "Closing Time:" "You tin click anyplace else, but you can't click here."

16. Hot Dot Productions

Hot Dot's correction page stays existent to its tagline, “the intersection of caller technologies and design.” The page is animated by hundreds of mini dots that alteration guidance successful consequence to wherever you move your cursor. It's mesmerizing and a awesome showcase of nan agency’s creation capabilities.

17. OrangeCoat

If you're going to springiness an correction message, why not entertain nan personification for a fewer seconds while you thief them out? Following a friends greeting, OrangeCoat offers a flowchart that really helps users fig retired why they reached an correction page successful nan first place.

18. Ervin & Smith

This 404 page does much than redirect users backmost to progressive pages. Instead, Ervin & Smith’s 404 page invites you to scroll down and study why you request a integer trading agency, and why to take Ervin & Smith successful particular, capped disconnected pinch a interaction form. True to its mission, this agency shows that immoderate page tin beryllium a conversion opportunity.

19. DayCloud Studios

… or, your 404 tin conscionable beryllium a spot for visitors to bask your website for a minute, arsenic tin beryllium seen connected nan website for DayCloud Studios. Moving nan cursor astir nan surface reveals a 404 connection illuminated by lasers shooting from a cat’s eyes. Because why not?

20. Headspace

Another lawsuit of a website smartly incorporating its marque messaging into a 404 page — guided meditation app Headspace makes an effort to calm users, encouraging america to return a heavy breath, past return to nan main site.

21. Wildwood Bakery

Some websites frankincense acold person integrated clever branded transcript successful their pages, while others person hosted full-blown online games connected theirs. But, there’s thing incorrect pinch a little push backmost successful nan correct direction. Wildwood Bakery’s exquisite tract keeps things short and saccharine (literally).

Page Not Found: Funny 404 Error Pages

22. Astuteo

Design agency Astuteo’s 404 page is simply a cleanable equilibrium of elegant visuals, humor, and helpfulness. The minimal layout gives users nan accusation they request alongside different amusing ocular metaphor, a sinking cargo vessel and a fleeing figure.

23. LEGO

There are fewer words needed connected LEGO's 404 correction page — nan character’s look makes everything clear. Plus, fans of nan LEGO movie franchise will bask nan nosy reference successful nan copy.

24. Magnt

In this funny correction message, Magnt pokes nosy astatine nan truth that, yes, they could person surgery thing — or, you conscionable can't type. The ocular serves arsenic a speedy measurement to quickly exemplify their point. Plus, it’s effective, arsenic it reminds visitors to cheque their URLs and make judge they’ve spelled everything right. 

25. IconFinder

IconFinder's correction page is elemental but delightful. The company’s mascot wearing a clothes and appearing weary is simply a relatable motion to mislaid visitors. No worries though, since nan tract lists immoderate of its links to sojourn down below.

26. GitHub

The statement "These aren't nan droids you're looking for" refers to Obi-Wan Kenobi's Jedi mind instrumentality connected Stormtroopers successful Star Wars Episode IV, and it's go a well-known building utilized to show personification they're pursuing nan incorrect people of action. GitHub plays connected this celebrated statement successful their 404 correction message.

27. Patagonia

Patagonia’s civilization 404 page captures nan brand’s vibe perfectly. We emotion nan cheeky matter that sounds “Please effort sticking nan landing connected different page.”

28. AMC Theatres

You mightiness person been to an AMC movie theatre before, but you’ve hopefully ne'er seen their website’s 404 page. The website makes usage of a quick, funny, and applicable one-liner earlier it sends you backmost to nan correct place.

29. Bruno

It’s nary coincidence that imaginative agencies are awesome astatine coming up pinch cool 404 pages. Here’s different 1 from nan creatives astatine Bruno that plays disconnected nan 2000 cult drama classical Dude, Where’s My Car? No, it has thing to do pinch nan institution aliases website, but it’s judge to get a chuckle.

30. NPR

At first, NPR's correction page seems for illustration thing special. But support reference and you'll spot really they cleverly nexus to immoderate of their awesome stories astir mislaid people, places, and things, for illustration a portion connected Amelia Earhart and 1 connected Waldo. This mightiness conscionable make mislaid users consciousness a small little alone.

31. Medium

Medium takes a akin attack to NPR’s 404 page, recommending articles astir getting mislaid and losing things. Check these articles retired if you person clip — they’re rather bully reads.

32. HomeStarRunner

HomeStarRunner.com, location to a Flash-animated animation series, has had a bid of hilarious 404 correction pages complete nan years. The astir caller features characters from nan animation bid successful a segment that could've travel consecutive retired of 1 of their episodes. If you move nan sound connected erstwhile you load nan page, you'll perceive their characteristic Strong Bad — known for yelling phrases retired large — saying, "404'd!"

33. Blizzard Entertainment

Here's a elemental thought that ends up looking slick: Blizzard Entertainment's 404 page features an animated characteristic mislaid successful an existent blizzard and immoderate joke that World of Warcraft fans will appreciate.

34. Hello Big Idea

A speedy travel astir trading and societal media experts Hello Big Idea’s website will show you what you request to cognize astir its bold and blunt style of copy. And, of course, its 404 correction page is nary exception.

35. HubSpot

It happens to us, too! This is nan connection we put up to show our tract visitors that location are immoderate website issues. Our extremity was to enactment existent to HubSpot's marque voice by being arsenic empathetic and adjuvant arsenic possible.

Turn a 404 Error Page Into a Delightful Moment

Nobody wants to onshore connected a 404 page — they’re annoying and unexpected. However, you can’t really debar them, truthful it’s ever a bully thought to person a 404 page to autumn backmost connected for your website.

And, from a personification acquisition perspective, your 404 page should beryllium a mini velocity bump, not a ceramic wall. The correct creation tin beryllium nan quality betwixt a disappointment bounce and a imaginable conversion, truthful why not make it fun?

Editor's note: This station was primitively published successful December 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.