1
Return a real 404 status
Make sure missing pages send HTTP 404, not 200. Soft 404s are a common CMS and redirect-plugin mistake.
SEO and discoverability
Custom 404 page checker
Check that missing URLs return a proper, styled 404.
Sample result Custom 404
moveinsights.co.uk
Missing-page response
Status code 404
Response Styled custom page
Page size 14 KB
Your result
What this checks
What a missing page returns
This tool requests a URL that cannot exist and looks at what comes back: the HTTP status code, and whether the page is a real, styled 404 rather than a blank server error.
It distinguishes a proper custom 404, a bare unstyled server 404, and the worst case, a missing page that wrongly returns HTTP 200.
Why it matters
Soft 404s confuse search engines
A missing page that returns 200 confuses search engines into indexing empty or duplicate pages, which dilutes a site and wastes crawl budget.
A styled 404 that keeps the header, navigation and a way back is also far better for visitors than a dead-end error screen.
How to fix it
Return a proper 404
2
Design the 404 page
Keep the site header, navigation, search and a clear link home, so a wrong URL is recoverable.
3
Avoid blanket redirects
Redirecting every unknown URL to the homepage hides broken links and creates soft 404s. Redirect only genuine moves.
One of around two dozen checks
Custom 404 page checker is one check
Janitor watches custom 404 handling automatically across every client site and puts it in a branded report you can send.
Keep reading
Related tools and guides
FAQ
Custom 404 page checker FAQ
What is a soft 404?
A soft 404 is a missing page that returns HTTP 200 instead of 404, often a homepage redirect or a generic page. Search engines treat it as a quality problem.
Does a custom 404 help SEO directly?
The status code matters most: missing pages should return 404. A styled page is for visitors. Together they keep a site clean and crawlable.
Can Janitor monitor 404 handling?
Yes. Janitor checks that unknown URLs return a proper 404 on every client site, so a plugin or redirect change that breaks it is flagged.
Get started
Check it once, or watch it for every client
Janitor runs around two dozen checks on every site you manage and turns them into a branded report.
30-day free trial. No credit card required.