Clearyvo

Permalink Checker – Why Do WordPress Pages Return 404?

SEO and content

Why pages return 404: rewrite rules, permalink settings, server setup and slug conflicts.

Coming to WordPress.org

Finds out why WordPress pages return "404 not found" and offers the fix: outdated rewrite rules, the permalink settings, .htaccess and nginx, soft 404s and slug conflicts, in plain words.

Permalink checker: permalink settings, saved rewrite rules, live page requests and slug conflicts in one score.
Permalink checker: permalink settings, saved rewrite rules, live page requests and slug conflicts in one score.

Free

  • Permalink settings and saved rewrite rules compared with the rules WordPress would build now
  • A live 404 test of your latest post, your latest page and an address that does not exist
  • Server rewrite setup: Apache .htaccess and mod_rewrite, the nginx try_files line
  • Slug conflicts, numbered slugs (/title-2/), attachment pages and old slugs
  • "Refresh rewrite rules" in one click, the same as saving Settings → Permalinks; .htaccess is never touched

Free in full: no paid features. Permalink Checker is also part of Clearyvo Pro, the all-in-one plugin with every site checker.

Where to Get It

Permalink Checker is the free plugin Clearyvo Permalink Checker. With Site Toolkit or a second Clearyvo checker it moves under one Site Toolkit menu and counts in the Site health score. Clearyvo Pro contains it too: with Clearyvo Pro you do not need the separate plugin.

WordPress 6.2, PHP 7.4. English interface.

How to Fix 404 Errors Caused by Permalinks in WordPress

  1. Install the free Clearyvo Permalink Checker plugin: under Plugins → Add New Plugin once it is on WordPress.org, or with the download button on this page (then Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin). With Site Toolkit you can also add it under Site Toolkit → Modules.
  2. Open Permalink Checker in the WordPress admin (under Site Toolkit when you use more than one Clearyvo plugin) and run the check. It works in short steps, so it finishes on shared hosting and large sites too.
  3. Read the report. Nothing on the site changes until you tick an item and confirm.
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