Do 404 Errors Hurt SEO? What Happens When a Broken Page Still Shows in Google

Short answer: a 404 on its own does not hurt your site's rankings. Google has said so for years. What does happen is simpler: pages that keep returning a 4xx error leave the search index over time. And in late 2026, Google's Gary Illyes clarified that for some important URLs, Search can temporarily keep showing a stripped-back result instead of dropping the page at once.

So if you've spotted a broken page still sitting in Google, it isn't a free pass. It's a short window. Fix the page.

This post started life as our reel. Watch "Broken pages still show?" on Instagram.

Do 404 errors hurt SEO?

Google answered this directly in its Search Central Blog: the fact that some URLs on your site return 404 does not affect how your other pages perform in search results. 404s are a normal part of the web. Google even prefers that removed pages return a proper 404 or 410, rather than a soft 404 (Do 404 errors hurt my site?).

So if Search Console is full of 404s for old, deleted or mistyped URLs you don't care about, that list on its own is not a ranking penalty.

You should still look at 404s for pages you care about: a broken product page, a deleted guide that still gets links, or a typo of a URL people meant to visit. Those are worth fixing or redirecting.

What Google does with 4xx pages

Google's crawler documentation is clear about client errors:

• Google doesn't use the content from URLs that return 4xx status codes.
• If a URL was indexed and then starts returning 4xx, Google's systems stop using it over time and remove it from the index.
• Newly found 404 pages aren't processed.

(How HTTP status codes affect Google's crawlers)

In plain English: a broken page doesn't "poison" your site, but it also won't keep ranking indefinitely. The normal path for a lasting 4xx is out of the index.

Why a broken page can still show up in Google

In November 2026, Google's Gary Illyes explained an extra wrinkle. When an important URL starts returning a 4xx, Search can "temporarily protect the URL from falling out of the index right away" so people can still find it for a short while.

There's a catch. Because Google no longer knows what's on the page, the result looks stripped back: just the link and the last good title, with no snippet and no favicon.

That comment was made on LinkedIn about the VLC website briefly serving a 418 ("I'm a teapot") status, which Google treats like other 4xx "not found" responses. Search Engine Roundtable reported the exchange on 5 November 2026 (Google can temporarily protect important URLs from being deindexed).

Two things to keep straight:

1. This is temporary. The normal rule still applies. Pages that keep returning 4xx leave the index over time.
2. You're unlikely to know whether Google considers a URL "important". Treat the grace period as a safety net for searchers, not a strategy for site owners.

What to do if you find broken pages in Search Console

1. Open Search Console and check the pages report (and any crawl or indexing issues that flag not-found URLs).
2. Sort out the ones that matter. Keep the 404s for dead content you meant to remove. Fix or restore important URLs that are erroring by mistake.
3. Redirect when there's a clear replacement. If a useful page moved, a 301 to the new URL is usually better than leaving visitors on a dead end.
4. Use a real 404 or 410 for gone content. Don't leave a "page not found" message on a URL that still returns 200. That soft 404 pattern is what Google's older guidance specifically warns against.
5. Request indexing for a fixed page once it's returning 200 again, then give Google time to recrawl.

The goal isn't a Search Console with zero 404s. It's making sure the pages you still want found aren't the ones broken.

Soft 404 vs a real 404 (quick note)

A real 404 (or 410) tells Google the page is gone. A soft 404 is when the URL returns a success code but the page looks empty or says "not found". Soft 404s show up a lot in Search Console how-tos, and they're a separate fix from the temporary-protection story above. If content is gone, return a proper 404 or 410.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 404 error bad for SEO?

Not by itself. Google has said 404s on some URLs don't hurt how your other pages rank. Fix the 404s that point to pages you still need, and leave intentional 404s alone.

How do you fix a 404 error?

Restore the page, redirect the old URL to a relevant replacement, or keep the 404 if the content is meant to be gone. Then check the URL in Search Console after it returns the status you want.

Why is a broken page still showing in Google Search?

Often because removal from the index takes time. For some important URLs, Google may also temporarily keep a stripped result (link and last title only) instead of dropping it immediately. Either way, fix the page rather than waiting.

Are soft 404 errors the same as 404s?

No. Soft 404s usually mean the server returned 200 with thin or "not found" content. Real 404s and 410s are the cleaner signal when a page is gone.

Final thoughts

404s are normal. They don't automatically damage SEO. What matters is whether the URLs you care about are the ones erroring, and whether you notice in time. Google's temporary protection for important 4xx URLs can leave a broken page sitting in Search for a short stretch, looking bare. Use that as a reminder to check Search Console, not as a reason to leave the page broken.

For the wider picture of Google's confirmed updates this year, see our guide to Google algorithm updates in 2026.