How to Make a Custom 404 Error Page

Create a custom 404 error page for your website

When a user tries to enter a website address that does not exist, they are redirected to an error page by the server. This particular type of error page is known as a "404 error" or "page not found." A typical 404 error page is a simple black text on white background page. By replacing the standard error page with a custom error page, it is possible to redirect users to different parts of the website with links and suggestions.

Things You'll Need

• Webpage design software
• FTP software

Instructions

1. Create HTML in a webpage design program like Dreamweaver. The page should include a header that indicates the user has reached this page because their intended page was not found. Next, include some links to other featured sections of the website. Save the HTML page as "404.shtml" to the local drive when finished.

2. Upload the newly created "404.shtml" page to the "public_html" folder via FTP. Using FTP client software, like FileZilla, connect to the server by entering the server address, username and password. Navigate to the "public_html" folder and drag the "404.shtml" file into this directory.

3. Create a new file named ".htaccess" with Windows Notepad. If a file named ".htaccess" already exists in the "public_html" folder of the server, download a copy of this file using the FTP client, and then open with Windows Notepad.

4. Insert the line "ErrorDocument 404 /~cpanel_username/404.shtml" into the ".htaccess" file. Save the file.

5. Upload the ".htaccess" file to the "public_html" folder with the FTP client. Overwrite the old file if one exists. Users will now receive the custom 404 error page.

References

• SiteGround: How to Add Custom Error Pages
• cPanel Guide: Custom Error Pages

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• FileZilla FTP Client