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I get a 404 error or “Not Found” when visiting my site

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If your WordPress site suddenly starts showing 404 Not Found errors across all or most pages, a missing or incorrect .htaccess file may be the cause. The .htaccess file is a hidden configuration file that controls how Apache (the web server software used by StellarSites) handles requests for your site.

When the .htaccess file is missing important WordPress rules, the server can’t properly route requests to WordPress, leading to site-wide 404 errors.

The Fix: Restore WordPress Default Rules #

To restore proper functionality, you need to make sure the .htaccess file includes the WordPress default configuration.

At a minimum, add the following lines to your .htaccess file (usually located in your site’s root directory, alongside wp-config.php):

# BEGIN WordPress

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

# END WordPress

These rules tell Apache to:

  • Enable URL rewriting (RewriteEngine On).
  • Pass along HTTP authorization headers if present (necessary for some plugins and APIs).
  • Route all non-file and non-directory requests to index.php, which allows WordPress to handle them.

How to Edit .htaccess #

  • Use an SFTP client (like FileZilla, Cyberduck, or Transmit) to connect to your server.
  • Or use SSH command line access to open and edit the file directly.

See SSH Access and Command Line Tools for StellarSites for instructions on retrieving your SSH/SFTP credentials and setting up your SFTP tool.

Alternative Fix: Regenerate .htaccess from WordPress #

If you prefer not to edit files directly and are able to access your WordPress admin area:

  1. Log into the WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Go to Settings → Permalinks.
  3. Without changing anything, click Save Changes.

WordPress will attempt to regenerate the .htaccess file with the correct rules.

Why This Matters #

Without the correct .htaccess rules, WordPress cannot process URLs properly. Restoring them ensures that:

  • All posts, pages, and custom content types load normally.
  • Permalink structures (pretty URLs) work as expected.
  • Plugins and APIs relying on rewrite rules function correctly.
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