How do I fix a 404 (broken link) error?

A 404 error means a visitor has tried to access a page that no longer exists on your site. Fixing one is quick and straightforward once you know where to look.

Step by step

- From the main DCMS navigation, click on Redirects
- Go to the 404s tab — here you'll see a list of broken URLs that visitors have tried to access
- Identify the correct, current URL on your site that the visitor should have landed on instead
- Click Add Redirect directly from the 404 list
- The Legacy URL field will be auto-filled with the broken link — check this is correct
- Fill in the Redirect To field with the new, correct URL
- Leave the redirect type as 301 Permanent
- Click Save

That's it — the broken link will now redirect visitors straight to the correct page.

A few things worth checking first

Before fixing a 404, take a moment to check the Hits and Last Hit columns in the 404s list. These tell you how often the broken link has been triggered and when it last happened — useful for prioritising which 404s to fix first, particularly if you've got several to work through.

It's also worth checking the Referrer column where available. If a 404 is coming from an external site linking to your old content, fixing it quickly protects both the visitor experience and any SEO value that inbound link might be carrying.

After you've fixed it

Once a redirect is in place, clear the 404 from the list. This keeps your 404s tab clean and makes it easy to spot any new issues as they come in, rather than wading through ones you've already resolved.

💡 Top tip: If you've just launched a new site or made major content changes, check the 404s tab weekly for the first 6–8 weeks. A few broken links appearing during this period is completely normal — fixing them quickly as they come in keeps things running smoothly.