Soft 404 Errors: What They Are and How to Fix Them
search console status, explainedHey brother, a soft 404 error is a page that says “not found” to people but tells Google everything is fine. Search Console flags it, and the fix is usually a one-line change to the status code. This guide shows how to spot soft 404 errors and fix each type.
- Google’s definition quoted
- one fix per case
- no ranking promises
| URL | server says | visitor sees | Google reads |
|---|---|---|---|
| /old-product/ | 200 OK | “Sorry, not found” | soft 404 |
| /deleted-page/ | 404 | “Sorry, not found” | 404, fine |
| /moved-page/ | 301 | the new page | redirect |
Same message on screen, different status code, different result.
// example data: three URLs on a made-up shop in Toronto. Not a real site.
What a Soft 404 Error Means
A soft 404 is a missing page that answers with a success code instead of a 404 code. Google guesses the page is empty or an error, and says so in Search Console.
Here is Google’s own wording from the Page indexing report: “The page request returns what we think is a soft 404 response.” It continues: “This means that it returns a user-friendly ‘not found’ message but not a 404 HTTP response code.”
Think of a shop with a sign on the door saying “closed” while the lights stay on and the door stays unlocked. People read the sign. A robot only checks whether the door opens.
Google’s HTTP status code guide adds that a 2xx response with an empty page or an error message can be flagged as a soft 404. It also says a 2xx code does not guarantee indexing, so a 200 on a dead page buys you nothing.
Do not confuse it with a real 404. Google says 404 responses are not necessarily a problem if the page was removed without a replacement. The soft version is the one worth your time, because the signal is wrong.
Why Soft 404s Are Worth Fixing
They send Google wrong information and keep its crawler busy on pages with nothing to offer.
Wasted crawling
Google’s crawl budget guide tells you to fix soft 404s, because they keep getting crawled and use up budget. Real 404s are cheaper: Google says 4xx codes, except 429, have no effect on crawl rate.
Wrong signals
Google says it does not use the content from URLs that return 4xx codes. A soft 404 muddies that clean message.
Hidden real problems
Pages that should be live but look empty to Google show up in the same list. Fixing the list finds them.
Messy reports
My opinion: a clean Page indexing report makes real problems easier to see. Noise hides signals.
Which Fix Fits Your Page?
Start with one question: should this URL exist? Everything else follows from the answer.
Should this page exist?
be honest about it
Gone, no replacement
return a real 404 (or 410)
There is a new page
301 to the matching page
Page is thin or empty
add real content
Content is there
check what Google renders
Re-test the URL
live test, then validate
// a decision aid built from Google’s Page indexing report text, its redirect guide and its crawl budget guide. The order is mine.
How to Fix Soft 404 Errors
Six steps, in order. Work through the list of URLs Search Console gives you.
- Export the affected URLs. Open the Page indexing report in Search Console, choose the Soft 404 reason and look at the example URLs.
- Test one URL live. Google says to run a live URL inspection test and click View tested page to see a screenshot of how Google renders it. A blank or error-looking page explains the flag.
- Check the real status code. Look at the response header, not the screen. If a missing page shows 200, you have found the bug.
- Gone pages: return a 404. Google recommends returning a 404 response code for truly “not found” pages. For permanently removed pages, its crawl budget guide mentions 404 or 410.
- Moved pages: use a 301. Google says that if your page has moved, use a 301 redirect to the new location. Read 301 vs 302 redirects if you are unsure which to pick.
- Live pages: add real content. Google suggests adding more information to the page so it is clear that it is not a soft 404. Describe the product, answer the question, give the visitor a reason to stay.
If the page was deleted and linked from elsewhere, clean those links up too. See how to fix broken links.
Where Soft 404s Usually Come From
These are patterns I see on small sites. They are my own examples, not an official list.
| Pattern | Why it looks empty | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Custom “not found” page set to 200 | Friendly text, success code | Make the template return a 404 status |
| Empty category or search results page | “0 products found” message | Hide it, or add useful content, or return a 404 |
| Sold-out product with no details | Just a title and “unavailable” | Keep description, show alternatives, or 301 to a close match |
| Every dead URL redirected to the homepage | Visitor lands on an unrelated page | Redirect only to a close match, otherwise return a 404 |
// example patterns from my experience, labeled as such. Google’s own definition mentions an empty page or an error message.
Mistakes That Make It Worse
A few well-meant fixes cause new trouble.
- Blocking the URLs in robots.txt. This hides the symptom, not the cause, and stops Google from re-checking. Fix the status code instead.
- Redirecting everything to the homepage. My opinion: it confuses visitors, and a redirect should go to the closest match. Google’s guidance is to redirect a moved page to its new location.
- Adding noindex to a page that should rank. If the page is genuinely useful, improve it. Do not hide it.
- Ignoring JavaScript sites. If a script builds the page, check the rendered result with URL Inspection. Google says to use the tool to see what it renders.
- Fixing the list once and never looking again. New soft 404s appear after every shop import or template change. Check monthly. If redirects pile up, read redirect chains and loops.
How to Check the Fix Worked
The fixed URL should show a clear status code and, for live pages, real content in the rendered screenshot.
- Re-run the live test in URL Inspection and check the response code and screenshot.
- Use the validation option in the Page indexing report, then watch the count of Soft 404 URLs.
- Look at the crawl numbers on bigger sites. For huge sites, see crawl budget.
Google does not promise a date. Its own advice is to allow a few weeks to judge changes, so be patient.
Questions People Ask Me
Is a soft 404 bad for SEO?
It can waste crawling and gives Google a muddled signal, so it is worth fixing. Google’s crawl budget guide tells site owners to fix soft 404s. Search Console flags them so you can sort them out.
Should I use a 404 or a 410?
Google recommends a 404 response code for truly missing pages, and its crawl budget guide names 404 or 410 for permanently removed ones. Either works, and Google treats 410 like other 4xx errors except 429.
Do normal 404 errors hurt my site?
Not by themselves. Google says 404 responses are not necessarily a problem when a page was removed without a replacement, and 4xx codes except 429 have no effect on crawl rate.
Can a page with real content be a soft 404?
Yes, if it looks empty or like an error to Google. Add more information to the page, and use URL Inspection to see how Google renders it.
Should I redirect deleted pages to the homepage?
I would not. Google says to use a 301 redirect when a page has moved, so send visitors to the closest matching page. If none exists, let the old URL return a 404.
Send Me the Report. I’ll Sort the Real Ones.
I clear status code problems for small sites, one by one. Ask a cheap SEO expert for a first look, or see my technical SEO service.
Sources and Last Check
- Search Console Help: Page indexing report (Soft 404 and Not found definitions)
- Google Crawling Infrastructure: HTTP status codes (2xx and 4xx handling)
- Google Search Central: Managing crawl budget for large sites (soft 404s, 404 and 410)
- Google Search Central: HTTP status codes and network errors (2xx, 4xx, 410)
- Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search (301 for moved pages)
// last checked 11 Nov 2026. The causes table and the decision order are my own experience, labeled as such.