What it means for a link
A broken link: the classic dead link.
Common causes
- The page was deleted or renamed without a redirect
- A typo in the link
- A changed URL structure after a migration
How to fix it
Point the link at the new URL, an archived copy or a better source, or remove it. For your own moved pages, add a 301.
How Google handles it
Dropped from the index after recrawls. 404s don’t hurt the rest of the site, but links to them are wasted.
Check your own URLs: paste a list into the bulk HTTP status checker, trace one URL with the redirect checker, or test every link on a page with the broken link checker.
HTTP 404 questions
What does HTTP status 404 mean?
404 Not Found: There is no page at this address.
Is a 404 a broken link?
A broken link: the classic dead link.
How do I fix a 404?
Point the link at the new URL, an archived copy or a better source, or remove it. For your own moved pages, add a 301.
How does Google handle 404?
Dropped from the index after recrawls. 404s don’t hurt the rest of the site, but links to them are wasted.