Not Found (404) Errors in Google Search Console: What They Mean & How to Fix Them

Seeing "Not found (404)" URLs in Google Search Console can be alarming, especially when you're working hard to improve the SEO of your Shopify store.

But here's the important part:

A 404 error isn't automatically an SEO problem.

A 404 simply tells Google and visitors that a requested URL doesn't currently have a page at that address. Sometimes that is exactly what should happen.

The real question is whether the URL was intentionally removed—or whether an important Shopify page has accidentally become unavailable.

In this guide, we'll explain what 404 errors mean in Google Search Console, why they appear, which ones you should fix, and how to handle them correctly on Shopify.

If you haven't already read our related guide, start here:

[How to Fix Broken Links in a Shopify Store: A Complete SEO Guide]
Internal link: insert your Blog 1 URL here.

What Does "Not Found (404)" Mean?

A 404 Not Found response means that the server could not find the requested page.

For a Shopify store, this can happen when someone visits:

A deleted product URL
A deleted collection
An old blog post
A mistyped URL
An outdated campaign URL
A previously used product handle
An old URL from a website redesign

For example:

yourstore.com/products/old-product

may no longer exist because the product was removed.

Google can still discover that URL through old links, external websites, previous crawls, or other signals.

Does a 404 Error Mean My Shopify Store Is Broken?

No.

This is one of the most important things to understand.

A store can have 404 URLs while functioning perfectly.

For example, if you intentionally delete a discontinued product and there is no replacement, the old URL may correctly return a 404.

Google's guidance explains that deleted content can appropriately return a 404 or 410 status when it has not been replaced.

So don't treat the number of 404 URLs in Search Console as a simple "SEO score."

Instead, investigate the URLs and determine which ones actually need action.

Why Does Google Search Console Show 404 URLs?

Google may know about a URL even when you no longer link to it.

A URL can be discovered through:

Previous versions of your website
External websites
Old social-media posts
Old advertisements
Previous product URLs
Internal links
Other websites
Google's previous crawls

This is why deleting a page doesn't necessarily make Google forget the URL immediately.

Which 404 Errors Should You Fix?

This is where Shopify store owners should focus their attention.

Fix 404 #1: An Important Product Page

Suppose your best-selling product used to have this URL:

/products/black-water-bottle

You changed the product handle and the new URL is:

/products/large-black-water-bottle

If the old URL still receives traffic or has valuable links pointing to it, a relevant 301 redirect is usually appropriate.

Fix 404 #2: A Changed Collection URL

If you changed a collection URL but the collection still exists, redirect the old URL to the current collection.

This helps visitors reach the correct destination instead of landing on an error page.

Fix 404 #3: An Important Blog Post

If a blog post was moved or its URL changed, redirect the old URL to the new article.

You should also update internal links pointing to the old address.

Fix 404 #4: A Broken Internal Link

If your website contains a link to a 404 page, update that internal link.

For example, if your blog says:

Read our guide to choosing a large water bottle

but the link leads to a deleted article, replace it with the correct live URL.

Google recommends updating internal links after URL changes rather than leaving them pointing to old addresses.

Which 404 Errors Can You Leave Alone?

Not every 404 needs a redirect.

You can generally leave a URL returning a proper 404 when:

The page was intentionally deleted.
The product is permanently discontinued.
There is no relevant replacement.
The URL was created accidentally.
The URL is simply a typo.
The URL has no useful content or purpose.

Forcing every one of these URLs to redirect somewhere else can create a worse user experience.

Google specifically advises against redirecting large numbers of unrelated URLs to a single destination such as the homepage.

301 Redirect vs. 404: Which Should You Use?

Use this simple decision process:

Does the old page have a relevant replacement?

→ Yes: Consider a 301 redirect.

Does the page still exist but the link is wrong?

→ Update the link.

Was the page intentionally deleted with no relevant replacement?

→ A proper 404 or 410 may be appropriate.

Are you considering redirecting everything to the homepage?

→ Don't do this unless the homepage is genuinely the relevant destination.

This simple framework can prevent a lot of unnecessary redirects.

How to Fix a 404 Error in Shopify

Step 1: Open the URL in Your Browser

Copy the URL reported by Search Console and open it.

Confirm whether the page actually returns a 404.

Sometimes the URL may have already been fixed, while Search Console is still showing an older crawl result.

Step 2: Determine What Happened to the URL

Ask:

Was the product deleted?
Was the URL changed?
Was the collection renamed?
Was the blog post removed?
Was the URL typed incorrectly?
Is there a replacement page?

Understanding the cause determines the correct solution.

Step 3: Find the Most Relevant Replacement

If the page moved, identify its new URL.

Don't automatically choose your homepage.

The replacement should satisfy the same or a closely related user intent.

Step 4: Create a Redirect When Appropriate

For a permanently moved page, use a 301 redirect to the relevant new URL.

Google recommends permanent redirects for permanently moved URLs and advises keeping redirect chains short.

For example:

/products/old-gym-bottle

→

/products/large-gym-water-bottle

is much more useful than:

/products/old-gym-bottle

→

/

Step 5: Update Your Internal Links

Don't rely entirely on the redirect.

If your website has 10 articles linking to the old URL, update those articles to point directly to the new page.

This creates a cleaner internal linking structure and provides a better experience for visitors.

What Is a Soft 404?

A soft 404 is different from a normal 404.

A soft 404 occurs when a URL appears to return a normal page, but the content essentially tells users that the page doesn't exist.

For example, a deleted product URL might load a generic page with no useful product content instead of returning an appropriate 404 response.

Google has specific guidance around avoiding soft 404 situations.

The goal is to ensure that your website gives search engines an accurate signal about whether a URL contains real content.

Should You Remove 404 URLs From Google Search Console?

Usually, you don't need to manually "delete" every 404 URL from Search Console.

Instead, fix the underlying problem when necessary.

If the URL was intentionally deleted and correctly returns a 404, there may be nothing you need to do.

If the URL should exist, fix the page or redirect it appropriately.

Google will recrawl URLs over time and update its reports.

What About 404 URLs in Your Sitemap?

Your sitemap should generally represent the URLs you want search engines to discover and index.

If a URL has been permanently removed, it shouldn't remain as an active page in your sitemap.

When changing URLs, Google recommends updating sitemaps and other URL references to the new destinations.

This is another reason to periodically review your Shopify store's URL structure.

How Long Does It Take Google to Remove a Fixed 404?

There isn't a guaranteed instant timeframe.

After you fix a URL, Google needs to crawl and process the change.

For important URLs, you can use Search Console's URL Inspection tool to check the current status and request indexing when appropriate. Google notes that processing changes can take time.

Don't panic if an old 404 report doesn't disappear immediately after you've implemented a redirect.

Common Shopify 404 Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Redirecting Every 404 to the Homepage

This is one of the most common approaches—and one of the least useful.

Only redirect a URL to the homepage when the homepage is genuinely the appropriate destination.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Important 404s

A 404 for a random deleted product may be harmless.

A 404 for a high-traffic product page is much more important.

Prioritize URLs based on:

Traffic
Sales
Backlinks
Internal links
Search visibility
Business importance

Mistake 3: Creating Redirect Chains

Avoid:

Old URL → Intermediate URL → New URL

Instead:

Old URL → Final URL

Google recommends keeping redirect chains short and directing old URLs to the final destination whenever possible.

Mistake 4: Forgetting Internal Links

Creating a redirect solves the destination problem, but your own website should still link directly to the new URL.

Mistake 5: Treating Every Search Console Warning as an Emergency

Search Console is a diagnostic tool.

A reported 404 doesn't automatically mean your rankings are being damaged.

Investigate the URL, determine why it exists, and choose the appropriate action.

A Simple Shopify 404 Checklist

Use this checklist whenever you find a new 404:

Open the URL and confirm the 404.
Determine why the URL no longer works.
Check whether the URL receives traffic.
Check whether it has valuable backlinks.
Look for a relevant replacement page.
Create a 301 redirect if appropriate.
Update internal links.
Remove obsolete URLs from relevant site navigation or content.
Check that your sitemap contains current URLs.
Monitor Search Console after making the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 404 errors bad for SEO?

Not necessarily. A genuine 404 is often the correct response for a page that has been intentionally removed and has no suitable replacement.

The important thing is to fix accidental 404s affecting useful pages and broken internal links.

Should I redirect deleted Shopify products?

Only when there is a relevant replacement.

If a discontinued product has a closely related replacement, a 301 redirect may be useful. If there is no relevant alternative, keeping the old URL as a 404 can be appropriate.

How do I fix "Not found (404)" in Google Search Console?

First, determine why the URL returns 404. If the page should exist, restore it. If it moved, redirect it to the relevant new URL. If it was intentionally removed with no replacement, a 404 may be the correct result.

Why are old deleted Shopify products still appearing in Search Console?

Google may have discovered those URLs in the past through your website, external links, previous crawls, or other sources. Removing the page doesn't necessarily make Google forget the URL immediately.

Should I use a 301 or 404?

Use a 301 redirect when a page has permanently moved to a relevant replacement.

Use a 404 when the page no longer exists and there is no suitable replacement.

Can I redirect all 404 pages to my homepage?

It's generally not a good idea. Google recommends avoiding irrelevant redirects to a single destination such as the homepage because they can create a poor user experience and may be treated as soft 404s.

Final Thoughts

Seeing "Not found (404)" in Google Search Console isn't necessarily something to panic about.

The key is to understand the reason behind each URL.

If an important Shopify product, collection, or blog post has accidentally become unavailable, fix it or redirect it to the most relevant replacement.

If a page was intentionally deleted and has no useful replacement, allowing it to return a proper 404 can be the correct SEO solution.

For more detailed guidance on broken internal links and Shopify redirects, read:

[How to Fix Broken Links in a Shopify Store: A Complete SEO Guide]
https://cart-bliss.store/blogs/news/how-to-fix-broken-links-shopify