How to Fix a 404 Error Page in Squarespace (Fast & Clearly Explained)

You click a link to your own site.

You wait.

And then-bam.

404. Page not found.

Nothing kills trust faster than a broken page.

But before you panic, here’s the good news: 404s are common, fixable, and sometimes even useful. You just need to know why it’s happening-and how to redirect your visitors (and Google) to the right place.

Let’s walk through how to fix a 404 on Squarespace.

What Is a 404 Error Page?

A 404 page shows up when someone tries to visit a URL that doesn’t exist on your site. That could be from:

• Deleted or renamed pages
   
• Broken internal links
   
• Incorrect URLs from social posts or backlinks
   
• Misspelled URLs by visitors
   
• Outdated search engine indexing
   

It doesn’t mean your site is broken-it just means that part of it is unreachable.

Step 1: Find Out Where the 404 Is Coming From

• Use a free tool like Ahrefs Broken Link Checker or Google Search Console to find broken links.
   
• Test any recent page or blog you deleted or renamed.
   
• Click through your site’s main menu and footer links. Check that none go to dead pages.

If you're not sure, try this test:
Go to your browser and type:
yourdomain.com/this-page-does-not-exist
You should land on your default Squarespace 404 page.

Step 2: Set Up URL Redirects

If you changed a URL or removed a page, redirect it to a new one.

How to do it:

1. Go to Settings > Advanced > URL Mappings
    

Use this format:

bash
CopyEdit
/old-url -> /new-url 301

 Example:

bash
CopyEdit
/about-us -> /about 301

1.  

This tells Squarespace (and Google) to forward traffic from the old page to the new one.

Step 3: Customize Your 404 Page

Instead of showing a boring dead-end message, use the 404 page to help the visitor.

How to do it:

1. Go to Pages > Not Linked
    
2. Add a new page and design it like a landing page-include your site menu, a search bar, maybe even featured content
    
3. Name it “404”
    
4. Then go to Settings > Advanced > 404 Page and select your custom page from the dropdown
    

What to include:

• A headline like “Oops-this page doesn't exist”
   
• A short explanation or CTA
   
• A link to your homepage, blog, or contact page
   
• Optional: a form to report the broken link

Step 4: Check Your Site’s Navigation and Internal Links

Once you’ve handled the obvious broken pages, go through your:

• Navigation menus
   
• Blog post links
   
• Buttons
   
• Footer links
   

Update any that point to outdated or deleted pages.

Step 5: Reindex Your Site (Optional)

If your site had major structural changes, request reindexing from Google Search Console. This helps remove dead links from search results and speeds up indexing of your fixed pages.

Conclusion: Don't Just Fix Your 404 Page - Use It

Yes, 404 pages are annoying. But they’re also a chance to redirect people, regain clicks, and show that your site is intentional-even when things go wrong.

When someone lands on your 404 page, you have a second chance. A chance to guide them to what they’re actually looking for. A chance to say, “We’ve got you.”

So fix your broken links. Set those redirects. And turn your 404 into a gentle reroute, not a dead end.

Broken isn’t the end-it’s just a signal to redirect.