How to Fix 404 Errors in Google Search Console — Step-by-Step (Soft 404s, Redirects & Monitoring)

A 404 (Not Found) means a page is missing, while a soft 404 happens when a page shows “not found” content but still returns a normal 200 status code. Fixing these issues is vital because they hurt user experience (UX), waste crawl budget, and leak link equity from valuable backlinks. A site full of broken URLs can also lower conversion rates as visitors leave.

The good news is you can detect and resolve these problems with Google Search Console. Tools like the Index Coverage report, URL Inspection tool, and even server logs reveal where pages fail. Simple fixes may involve restoring content, adding a 301 redirect, or marking a page as 410 Gone if it’s permanently removed. For advanced users, the Search Console API or automated monitoring helps spot issues faster.

This guide promises step-by-step actions, from basic checks to advanced workflows, to keep your site healthy.

Quick checklist: Which 404s to fix first (high-impact triage)

Priority 1: URLs with external backlinks or organic traffic (fix immediately)

When a page shows a Not Found (404) in Google Search Console’s Index Coverage report, start with the ones that matter most. URLs with external backlinks or ongoing organic traffic carry valuable link equity. Use the URL Inspection tool or even server logs to confirm traffic sources. The best approach is to restore the content if possible, or use a 301 redirect to a closely related page. Once fixed, click Validate Fix in Search Console so Googlebot can re-crawl the URL.

Priority 2: Pages in sitemaps or internal navigation (fix)

Pages listed in sitemap.xml or linked in internal menus play an important role in crawlability and internal linking. Broken links here can confuse both users and search engines. Update the XML sitemap, fix navigation paths, or use redirects when a replacement exists. Avoid redirect chains and redirect loops, which waste crawl resources and slow indexing.

Priority 3: Large numbers of soft 404s wasting crawl budget (investigate)

A cluster of soft 404s often signals thin content or empty pages. This can eat into your crawl budget. Use the Coverage errors report and crawling tools like Screaming Frog to identify patterns. Solutions include consolidating pages, adding unique content, or marking intentionally removed ones with 410 Gone.

When NOT to fix: intentionally removed content

If a page was removed on purpose, let it return a 404 or 410. You can also use the Removals tool or noindex headers to speed up deindexing.

Action Matrix

URL type	SEO Impact	Action
External backlinks / organic traffic	High	Restore or 301 Redirect
In sitemap / internal navigation	Medium	Restore / Redirect; update sitemap
Many soft 404s	Medium	Consolidate / Canonicalise
Intentionally removed	Low	410 Gone / Removals / Noindex

Where to Find 404s in Google Search Console (Step-by-Step)

When a website shows errors like Not Found (404) or Soft 404, it can confuse search engines and waste valuable crawl budgets. Luckily, Google Search Console (GSC) makes it easy to locate and review these issues. Here’s a step-by-step process you can follow:

1. Open GSC → Coverage / Pages

Log in to Google Search Console and select your property. From the left-hand menu, go to Pages (previously known as the Index Coverage report). This report shows all indexing statuses, including errors like Server error (5xx), Redirect error, and pages blocked by robots.txt.

2. Use the “Not found (404)” and “Soft 404” Filters

Within the Pages section, filter by Coverage errors. Select Not Found (404) or Soft 404 from the list. GSC provides a clear navigation path:
Indexing → Pages → Why pages aren’t indexed → Not Found (404) / Soft 404.
These filters help separate temporary issues (like thin content flagged as soft 404) from genuine missing pages.

3. Export the URL List (CSV)

Click the Export button to download a CSV. Keep key columns such as:

• URL
  
• First seen
  
• Last crawled
  
• Linked from

This data is essential for spotting patterns, like broken internal links or missing sitemap.xml entries. You can also compare with tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs for cross-checking.

4. Use URL Inspection for Single Pages

For a closer look, use the URL Inspection tool. Enter a page URL, and GSC will show details like HTTP status codes, canonical tag issues, and whether Googlebot was able to crawl it. From here, you can request Validate Fix once errors are resolved.

Diagnose: How to Tell Why Each URL is 404 (Triage Workflow)

The first step in fixing Not Found (404) errors in Google Search Console is to understand why they appear. A structured triage process helps you separate real issues from temporary ones.

Quick Checks

Start with simple checks:

1. Open the URL in your browser to confirm if it really shows a 404 or if it’s a Soft 404.
   
2. Run a header check with cURL to see the HTTP status codes:

curl -I https://example.com/path

If the response shows HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found, the page is missing. A 301 redirect or 302 redirect means it’s redirected, and a 410 Gone tells search engines it’s permanently removed.

3. Verify if the URL is listed in your sitemap.xml or Index Coverage report. Pages excluded as “Submitted URL marked ‘noindex’” or “Blocked by robots.txt” might not need fixing.
   
4. Check internal linking using your CMS or a crawler.
   
5. Review backlinks with Ahrefs or SEMrush to ensure valuable links are not pointing to a dead page.

Crawling Tools

Use Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to crawl your site. Apply filters to locate broken links, redirect chains, and orphan pages. These tools also highlight canonical tag or duplicate content issues linked to 404s.

Server Logs

Check your server logs for repeated 404 hits. Look at the user-agent (e.g., Googlebot) and referrer to see whether traffic comes from external backlinks, internal navigation, or bots wasting your crawl budget.

Backlink & Referral Sources

In tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, or Google Analytics 4, identify which 404 URLs receive referral traffic. Fixing these preserves link equity and improves overall site health.

Fixes: Exactly What to Do (Practical Step-by-Step)

When dealing with 404 errors in Google Search Console, it’s crucial to choose the right approach depending on whether the content is still valuable, moved, or permanently removed.

Restore the Page (Best When Content Still Valuable)

If the deleted page has meaningful traffic or backlinks, consider restoring it from a backup or recreating it using the same URL. After restoration, use the URL Inspection tool in GSC to Request Indexing, ensuring Googlebot quickly re-crawls the page. Choose restoration over a redirect when the original content provides a unique value or solves a user query better than other pages.

301 Redirect (When Content Moved/Permanently Replaced)

Use a 301 redirect when the content has moved or been permanently replaced. Avoid redirect chains or loops, as these waste crawl budgets and dilute link equity. Maintain a clear redirect mapping in CSV format (old_url, new_url, type, notes) for easy management.

• Apache example (.htaccess): Redirect 301 /old-page /new-page or using mod_rewrite for complex patterns.
  
• Nginx example: rewrite ^/old-page$ /new-page permanent;

Always test redirects with curl -I -L https://example.com/old or tools like Screaming Frog. Use 302 redirects only for temporary changes.

Return 410 (Gone) — When Content is Permanently Removed

A 410 Gone status signals to Google that content is intentionally removed, speeding deindexing compared to a standard 404. Implement it via HTTP headers, which helps prevent index bloat and reduces crawl of irrelevant URLs.

Noindex (When Content Should Exist but Not Be Indexed)

Use meta robots noindex or X-Robots-Tag for staging pages, thin dynamic pages, or internal search results. This preserves user access while preventing low-value pages from harming SEO performance.

Fix Internal Links & Sitemaps

Audit internal links with Screaming Frog, remove broken links, and update your XML sitemap. Avoid submitting redirecting URLs and resubmit in GSC. For backlinks you cannot change, either use a 301 redirect to the most relevant page or politely request an update from the link owner, preserving link juice and ranking signals.

Special Cases & Advanced Fixes

Soft 404s: detect and remedies

Soft 404s occur when a page returns a 200 status code but has little or no meaningful content, making Google treat it as “Not Found.” Using the URL Inspection tool or the Index Coverage report in Google Search Console, you can identify these issues under Coverage errors. Remedies include returning a proper 404 or 410 Gone status, populating the page with relevant content, or applying noindex via X-Robots-Tag or meta tags. Proper handling prevents wasted crawl budget and ensures Googlebot focuses on valuable pages.

E-commerce specifics

Online stores often face sold-out products, empty category pages, or infinite filter combinations. For sold-out items, consider redirecting to a relevant product using a 301 redirect or marking the page as 410 Gone. Empty categories can either show curated content or be noindexed. Filtered or faceted URLs should be managed carefully to avoid duplicate content and unnecessary indexing.

Paginated / faceted URLs & parameter handling

Paginated pages and URLs with parameters like session IDs can create thousands of variations. Use canonical tags, the URL parameters tool in Search Console, or robots.txt disallow patterns to guide indexing. Proper pagination URLs and faceted navigation handling help preserve link equity and prevent index bloat.

Hreflang and canonical conflicts

Mismatched hreflang and canonical tags can cause “Not Found” errors or duplicate content issues. Diagnose these via Fetch as Google or Screaming Frog, then ensure each language version points to the correct canonical page, resolving conflicts and improving international SEO.

JavaScript-rendered pages

Pages rendered with JavaScript can produce 404 errors if Googlebot cannot properly render them. Implement server-side rendering (SSR), prerendering, or dynamic rendering to avoid rendering mismatches, ensuring both users and Googlebot see consistent content. Tools like Chrome DevTools or Lighthouse help validate these fixes.

Monitor & Automate (So 404s Don’t Pile Up)

Keeping track of 404 errors in Google Search Console is crucial to maintain a healthy site and protect your crawl budget. Automated monitoring and scheduled audits help you catch issues before they impact user experience or SEO performance.

Weekly Audit Workflow (Screaming Frog + GSC Export + Backlink Check)

Start with a weekly technical SEO audit. Export the Index Coverage report from Google Search Console to identify Not Found (404), Soft 404, and Redirect errors. Combine this with a Screaming Frog crawl to check for redirect chains, redirect loops, and canonical mismatches. Don’t forget to verify broken backlinks using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, as lost link equity can affect rankings. Your checklist should include:

1. Export GSC Coverage errors for 7–30 days.
   
2. Crawl all key pages with Screaming Frog, including sitemap.xml URLs.
   
3. Identify and map 301 redirects or 410 Gone pages.
   
4. Check internal linking and orphan pages.
   
5. Validate fixes in GSC using Validate Fix.

Scheduled Crawls & Alerts (Cron + Screaming Frog CLI or Sitebulb)

Automate scans using Screaming Frog CLI or Sitebulb with a cron job. A sample schedule:

• Monday 2:00 AM – Full site crawl
  
• Wednesday 2:00 AM – Backlink check and URL validation
  
• Friday 2:00 AM – Spot-check high-priority pages

Search Console API / BigQuery Exports

For long-term insights, export GSC data to BigQuery to track 404 trends by month. Example query: count Not Found (404) errors grouped by month and page type. This helps in planning content consolidation or URL pruning.

Integrations: Slack/Email Alerts

Use webhooks to send new 404 alerts to Slack or email. A simple integration can trigger whenever a crawl anomaly or Soft 404 is detected, allowing your team to act immediately and prevent index bloat.

By combining automated monitoring, weekly audits, and alert integrations, you ensure 404s are handled promptly, preserving user experience (UX), crawl budget, and SEO health.

Measure Impact (KPIs to Show Success)

Tracking the impact of fixing 404 errors in Google Search Console is essential to show real SEO improvements. Start by analyzing before & after metrics using the Index Coverage report and tools like the URL Inspection tool. Key metrics include indexed pages count, crawl budget usage, organic impressions, organic clicks, landing page traffic, and bounce rate on restored pages. Monitoring these KPIs ensures that resolving issues like Not Found (404), Soft 404, or Redirect errors directly contributes to better search performance.

To measure the real benefit, consider building a small A/B test. For example, restore a set number of deleted pages using proper 301 redirects or by restoring content with updated canonical tags. Track their performance over 30, 60, and 90 days in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Compare metrics like dwell time, bounce rate, and landing page traffic against unchanged pages to quantify improvements. This approach makes it easy to prove the SEO value of fixing coverage errors.

For reporting, create a simple weekly or 30-day template for stakeholders. Include screenshots from Google Search Console, showing changes in Crawl anomalies, indexed URLs, and excluded URLs. Highlight restored pages and their impact on organic impressions and click-through rates. You can also integrate Data Studio reports or BigQuery exports for automated monitoring. By including both before/after metrics and clear visual data, stakeholders can quickly see how fixing 404s and redirect chains improves overall site health, preserves link equity, and enhances user experience (UX).

Using this structured approach, SEO teams can not only fix errors but also clearly demonstrate the measurable gains in search visibility and traffic.

UX: Craft a Helpful 404 Page (Conversion & Retention)

When a user lands on a Not Found (404) page, it’s a critical moment for retention and conversion. Instead of letting visitors leave immediately, a custom 404 page can guide them back to valuable content or products. A well-designed 404 page improves user experience (UX), reduces bounce rate, and even supports your ecommerce SEO efforts.

Elements to Include

A helpful 404 page should offer options that keep users engaged. Include a search bar so visitors can quickly find what they were looking for. Adding links to popular pages, top categories, or product recommendations encourages exploration. For ecommerce sites, showcasing promotional offers or best-selling products can increase conversion opportunities. Including a contact form or support link ensures users can reach you if they can’t find what they need. Injecting light humor or a branded design can make the experience more memorable, supporting your brand identity.

Accessibility & Performance Considerations

Performance is crucial. Ensure your 404 page is mobile-friendly, with responsive design and proper viewport meta tag settings. Optimizing images using WebP format and image compression, leveraging a CDN, and maintaining fast Time to First Byte (TTFB) can keep Core Web Vitals like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) in check. Use tools like Lighthouse or Chrome DevTools to test speed and accessibility.

From a technical standpoint, properly managing HTTP status codes is essential, serve a 404 for missing pages or a 410 Gone if permanently removed. Ensure you avoid soft 404s by checking Google Search Console’s Index Coverage report and validating fixes via the URL Inspection tool. This approach preserves crawl budget, avoids duplicate content issues, and maintains healthy link equity from internal and external backlinks.

A thoughtfully designed 404 page is not just a “dead end”, it’s an opportunity to retain users, guide them to relevant content, and support both UX and SEO.

Checklist: 30-Minute, 2-Hour, and Full Audit Playbooks

When it comes to fixing 404 errors in Google Search Console, having a structured playbook can save time and prevent recurring issues. We’ve broken it down into three practical audit levels:

30-Minute Quick Fixes

• Open the Index Coverage report in Google Search Console to identify Not Found (404) and Soft 404 errors.
  
• Use the URL Inspection tool to verify indexing status and check for submitted URL marked ‘noindex’ or blocked by robots.txt issues.
  
• Fix minor redirect errors by implementing proper 301 redirects or 410 Gone responses.
  
• Update your sitemap.xml and resubmit to ensure Googlebot can crawl recent changes.

2-Hour Intermediate Audit

• Check for redirect chains and redirect loops that affect crawl efficiency and crawl budget.
  
• Use Fetch as Google or Chrome DevTools to test page rendering and confirm proper HTTP status codes.
  
• Review internal linking to orphan pages or deleted content and consolidate where needed.
  
• Validate fixes in Google Search Console using Validate Fix to track recovery progress.

Full Enterprise Audit

• Analyze server logs and run tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to detect hidden crawl anomalies or duplicate content.
  
• Conduct a redirect mapping exercise using CSV templates to track all 301/302 redirects, canonical tags, and hreflang configurations.
  
• Audit structured data (FAQ schema, Product schema, JSON-LD) to maintain rich snippet eligibility.
  
• Implement continuous automated monitoring via Search Console API or Data Studio reports to catch future errors early.

For convenience, download our checklist and redirect mapping CSV template to streamline your workflow and ensure no 404 error goes unnoticed. Following these playbooks helps maintain a healthy site structure, optimal indexing, and improved user experience (UX).

Conclusion

 Fixing 404 errors in Google Search Console is essential for maintaining a healthy website and ensuring optimal crawl efficiency. By regularly monitoring your Index Coverage report and using tools like the URL Inspection tool, you can identify Not Found (404) pages, Soft 404s, and other Coverage errors before they impact your crawl budget or user experience (UX). Implementing proper 301 redirects, pruning orphan pages, and updating your sitemap.xml ensures smooth navigation for both Googlebot and visitors. Don’t forget to validate fixes with the Validate Fix option and check for any redirect chains or loops to maintain clean URL structures.

Download our free redirect mapping template or request a complimentary 404 audit to streamline your site’s technical SEO. Subscribe to receive our automated monitoring checklist and stay ahead in tracking indexation issues, canonical mismatches, and server errors (5xx) efficiently.