Resolving WordPress 404 Errors: Permalink and .htaccess Troubleshooting Guid – Wpcloud

Overview

When WordPress internal pages show 404 errors despite the content existing, it's often due to permalink configuration issues or .htaccess file corruption. This guide provides step-by-step solutions for resolving these issues on your WPCloud-hosted WordPress site.

Quick Solution: Resaving Permalinks

The most common fix is resaving your permalinks:

Go to Settings > Permalinks

Click "Save Changes" without making any modifications

This action regenerates the .htaccess file with correct rewrite rules.

Understanding .htaccess Files

Default WordPress .htaccess

A standard WordPress .htaccess file looks like this:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
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]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

WordPress with LiteSpeed Cache .htaccess

When using WPCloud's LiteSpeed Cache plugin, your .htaccess includes additional optimizations:

# BEGIN LSCACHE
## LITESPEED WP CACHE PLUGIN - Do not edit the contents of this block! ##
<IfModule LiteSpeed>
RewriteEngine on
CacheLookup on
RewriteRule .* - [E=Cache-Control:no-autoflush]
RewriteRule litespeed/debug/.*\\.log$ - [F,L]
RewriteRule \\.litespeed_conf\\.dat - [F,L]

### marker ASYNC start ###
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} /wp-admin/admin-ajax\\.php
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} action=async_litespeed
RewriteRule .* - [E=noabort:1]
### marker ASYNC end ###

### marker CACHE RESOURCE start ###
RewriteRule wp-content/.*/[^/]*(responsive|css|js|dynamic|loader|fonts)\\.php - [E=cache-control:max-age=3600]
### marker CACHE RESOURCE end ###

### marker DROPQS start ###
CacheKeyModify -qs:fbclid
CacheKeyModify -qs:gclid
CacheKeyModify -qs:utm*
CacheKeyModify -qs:_ga
### marker DROPQS end ###
</IfModule>
## LITESPEED WP CACHE PLUGIN - Do not edit the contents of this block! ##
# END LSCACHE

# BEGIN NON_LSCACHE
## LITESPEED WP CACHE PLUGIN - Do not edit the contents of this block! ##
### marker BROWSER CACHE start ###
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
ExpiresActive on
ExpiresByType application/pdf A31557600
ExpiresByType image/x-icon A31557600
ExpiresByType image/vnd.microsoft.icon A31557600
ExpiresByType image/svg+xml A31557600
ExpiresByType image/jpg A31557600
ExpiresByType image/jpeg A31557600
ExpiresByType image/png A31557600
ExpiresByType image/gif A31557600
ExpiresByType image/webp A31557600
ExpiresByType video/ogg A31557600
ExpiresByType audio/ogg A31557600
ExpiresByType video/mp4 A31557600
ExpiresByType video/webm A31557600
ExpiresByType text/css A31557600
ExpiresByType text/javascript A31557600
ExpiresByType application/javascript A31557600
ExpiresByType application/x-javascript A31557600
ExpiresByType application/x-font-ttf A31557600
ExpiresByType application/x-font-woff A31557600
ExpiresByType application/font-woff A31557600
ExpiresByType application/font-woff2 A31557600
ExpiresByType application/vnd.ms-fontobject A31557600
ExpiresByType font/ttf A31557600
ExpiresByType font/otf A31557600
ExpiresByType font/woff A31557600
ExpiresByType font/woff2 A31557600
</IfModule>
### marker BROWSER CACHE end ###
## LITESPEED WP CACHE PLUGIN - Do not edit the contents of this block! ##
# END NON_LSCACHE

Important Note: Do not modify the contents between the LSCACHE and NON_LSCACHE markers. These configurations are managed by the LiteSpeed Cache plugin and will be overwritten automatically when settings are changed through the plugin interface.

Plugin Considerations

Important Note About Security Plugins

Security plugins are not required on WPCloud as we provide comprehensive server-side firewall protection. Installing additional security plugins may cause conflicts and isn't recommended.

Caching Plugin Information

LiteSpeed Cache (recommended): Optimized for WPCloud's infrastructure

Third-party caching plugins: Not recommended and may cause permalink conflicts

WordPress default caching: Not needed with LiteSpeed Cache

Checking for Plugin Conflicts

If 404 errors persist after resaving permalinks, check for plugin conflicts:

Deactivate all plugins except LiteSpeed Cache

Re-save permalinks

Reactivate plugins one by one

Test internal pages after each activation

Modifying .htaccess Permissions

If issues persist, modify .htaccess permissions through cPanel:

Log into cPanel

Open File Manager

Navigate to your site's root directory (usually public_html)

Locate the .htaccess file

Right-click and select "Change Permissions"

Set permissions to 444 (read-only) temporarily

Click "Change Permissions" to save

Important: This is a temporary measure. Once the issue is resolved, return permissions to 644 using the same method.

When to Contact Support

Contact WPCloud support if:

The issue persists after trying all solutions

You notice unusual .htaccess modifications

Multiple pages suddenly show 404 errors

You need help restoring .htaccess permissions

Contact methods:

Support portal: support.wpcloud.ca/clientarea.php

Email: support@wpcloud.ca

Prevention Measures

To prevent future permalink issues:

Use only LiteSpeed Cache for caching

Avoid installing unnecessary security plugins

Use WPCloud's backup system before major changes

Monitor error logs for rewrite rule conflicts

Monitoring and Maintenance

Regular Checks

Monitor WordPress error logs

Review plugin update changelogs

Test internal links periodically

Backup Strategy

WPCloud maintains regular backups

Create additional backups before major changes

Document working configurations

Troubleshooting Checklist

✓ Resave permalinks ✓ Check for plugin conflicts ✓ Verify .htaccess permissions ✓ Monitor error logs ✓ Test in different browsers ✓ Clear cache after changes ✓ Ensure only necessary plugins are active

Remember: While these steps resolve most permalink-related 404 errors, WPCloud's support team is always available to assist if you encounter difficulties or need additional guidance.