How to Fix WordPress Posts Returning 404 Error

How to Fix WordPress Posts Returning 404 Error

Are your WordPress posts returning a 404 error while the homepage and admin dashboard work fine? Don’t worry—this is a common issue and typically not a sign of deleted content.

It usually means there’s a problem with your permalinks or .htaccess file, and it can be resolved quickly via WordPress settings or cPanel.

What Causes the 404 Error for WordPress Posts?

- Corrupt or missing .htaccess file
- Incorrect permalink settings
- Plugin conflicts affecting URLs
- Custom post types or rewrites not properly flushed

Step-by-Step: How to Fix WordPress Post 404 Errors

1. Reset Permalinks in WordPress

Most of the time, simply refreshing permalinks solves the issue.

- Log into your WordPress dashboard
- Go to Settings > Permalinks
- Without changing anything, click Save Changes

This refreshes the rewrite rules and should fix the 404 errors.

2. Manually Update .htaccess File

If resetting permalinks doesn’t help, the .htaccess file may be missing or corrupted.

- Log into cPanel and go to File Manager > public_html
- Make sure hidden files are visible (Settings > Show Hidden Files)
- Locate and edit the .htaccess file
- Replace its contents with the default WordPress rules:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

- Save and try visiting your posts again

3. Disable Conflicting Plugins

Some plugins, especially SEO or security plugins, can interfere with URL handling.

- Go to File Manager > wp-content > plugins
- Rename the suspected plugin folder (e.g., yoast-seo to yoast-seo_old)
- Check if the 404 issue is resolved

If it is, the plugin was causing the conflict.

4. Switch to a Default Theme

If the issue began after activating a new theme, try reverting to a default WordPress theme.

- Go to wp-content > themes
- Rename the active theme’s folder (e.g., astra to astra_old)
- WordPress will fall back to a default theme like twentytwentyfour

5. Flush Rewrite Rules Programmatically (Optional)

If you have theme or plugin development access, you can force WordPress to flush its rewrite rules.

Add this temporarily to your theme’s functions.php file:

flush_rewrite_rules();

Remove the line after refreshing permalinks once to avoid performance issues.

6. Check Server Configuration

If none of the above steps work, there may be an Apache or NGINX configuration issue.

- Contact your hosting provider and explain the 404 error issue
- They can help ensure mod_rewrite is enabled and the server is processing .htaccess files correctly

Final Thoughts

404 errors on individual posts are usually caused by permalink issues or a missing .htaccess file. The fix is often simple and takes just a few minutes using the WordPress dashboard or cPanel.

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At RDPCore.com, we help you avoid frustrating errors like these with:

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