WordPress 404 Errors After Update Fix
WordPress 404 errors on all pages (except the homepage) after an update almost always indicate a permalink or .htaccess issue. This is one of the most common post-update problems and is usually fixed in minutes by regenerating WordPress permalinks.
Why Does This Error Happen?
Most common causes we diagnose:
How We Fix It — Step by Step
Systematic, fast, and safe process:
Regenerate permalinks
Go to WordPress Admin > Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes without making any changes — this regenerates the .htaccess file with proper rewrite rules.
Check .htaccess file
Via FTP, verify the .htaccess file contains the WordPress rewrite rules block starting with # BEGIN WordPress.
Verify mod_rewrite
Ask your host to confirm Apache mod_rewrite is enabled, or check Nginx configuration for proper try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args directive.
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Frequently Asked Questions
QWhy do I get 404 on all pages except the homepage?
The homepage works because it does not need URL rewriting. All other pages need WordPress rewrite rules — when .htaccess is corrupt or missing, only the homepage works.
QHow do I fix 404 on WordPress without admin access?
You can edit the .htaccess file directly via FTP and add the standard WordPress rewrite rules block between # BEGIN WordPress and # END WordPress comments.
QWhy does the WordPress homepage work but inner pages give 404?
Almost always a permalink/rewrite issue. The homepage is served by the default route, while inner pages need rewrite rules in .htaccess (Apache) or nginx config. We regenerate permalinks first, then fix the rewrite rules if needed.
QCan changing the WordPress URL or site URL break all my pages?
Yes. Mismatched WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php (or wp_options table) cause infinite redirects or wrong absolute URLs. We verify both match your real domain before doing any URL change.
QWhy do my custom post type pages give 404 but regular posts work?
Custom post types and custom taxonomies need their own rewrite rules. When a plugin registering them is deactivated/reactivated or the permalinks aren't flushed, those rules disappear. Visiting Settings → Permalinks → Save fixes it instantly.
QWill my 404'd URLs get indexed correctly after the fix?
Yes. Once the URLs return 200 again, Google re-crawls and re-indexes within days to weeks. We also submit a sitemap and request validation in Google Search Console to speed up recovery.
QCan a security plugin block specific URLs and cause 404?
Some security plugins return 404 (not 403) for blocked URLs to hide WordPress structure from attackers. We check Wordfence/Sucuri/iThemes block logs to find legitimate URLs being misclassified.
QWhy does WooCommerce shop page give 404 after an update?
WooCommerce assigns a special page (set in WC Settings → Advanced → Page setup) as the shop. After updates, this assignment can reset to a deleted page ID. We re-assign the correct page IDs to fix it.
QCan a wrong nginx try_files directive cause WordPress 404?
Yes. The standard WordPress nginx config needs `try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;`. A wrong `try_files` makes nginx return 404 instead of routing to WordPress. We verify the active nginx config carefully.
QCan WordPress multisite cause 404 on subsite pages?
Multisite uses domain-based or path-based routing controlled by sunrise.php and the wp_sites table. If a subsite was renamed or migrated, its routing breaks. We rebuild routing in the network admin.
QWhy does a 404 happen only when I'm logged out?
Almost always a redirect plugin or membership plugin restricting content. Logged-in users have access; logged-out get redirected to a non-existent page producing 404. We trace the access rules.
QCan a wrong site language cause 404 on translated pages?
Multilingual plugins (WPML, Polylang, TranslatePress) add language-prefixed URLs (/es/, /fr/). If the language definition is missing or the wrong locale code is used, those URLs return 404. We sync language definitions.
QCan a redirect chain end in 404?
Yes. If you have multiple redirect plugins (or .htaccess + plugin redirects), they can chain through several hops and finally hit a non-existent URL. We map the redirect chain with curl -IL.
QWill fixing 404s help SEO?
Yes — significantly. Internal links pointing to 404 waste crawl budget and pass no link equity. Restoring those URLs (or 301 redirecting to the right ones) recovers SEO value within weeks.
QCan you migrate URLs between two structures (eg /blog/x to /x) without losing rankings?
Yes. We change the permalink structure and create 301 redirects from the old structure to the new — this preserves SEO. We also update the sitemap and notify Google Search Console.
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