Home 🛠️ Troubleshooting 🔍 Why Crawl Monitoring Shows 404 URLs Crawled

🔍 Why Crawl Monitoring Shows 404 URLs Crawled

Last updated on Oct 26, 2026

📌 Overview

You may open Crawl Monitoring and see URLs that do not exist on your website, such as pages that return a 404 (Not Found) status. This can look alarming, but it is common and usually easy to explain. This article covers why it happens, how to find the source, and what to do next.

❓ What Crawl Monitoring Is Showing You

Crawl Monitoring records the URLs that crawlers request from your site and the response each request received. If a crawler asks for a URL and your server answers with a 404, that request is still logged. A 404 entry means the crawler tried to visit the address and your site correctly reported that no page exists there. It does not mean a real page was created or is missing from your site.

🧭 Why Non-Existent URLs Get Crawled

Crawlers find URLs from many places, not only from the pages you see today. The most common sources are:

  • Old or deleted pages: Pages you removed, renamed, or moved in the past may still be remembered by search engines and other crawlers.
  • Outdated internal links: A menu, footer, blog post, or button may still link to a page that no longer exists.
  • External backlinks: Other websites may link to an old address or contain a typo in the link to your site.
  • Old sitemap entries: A sitemap that has not been updated can list pages that have since been removed.
  • URL variations: Differences in capitalization, trailing slashes, or added parameters (such as tracking tags) can create addresses that do not exist.
  • Script-generated links: Some themes, plugins, or scripts create link-like text that crawlers read as URLs, even though the pages are not real.
  • Automated probing: Some bots request common addresses (for example, admin or login paths) to test websites. These requests usually return a 404.
  • Pages that were never live: Staging, test, or draft URLs may have been exposed briefly and picked up.

🔎 How to Find Where the URL Came From

Follow these steps to trace a 404 URL back to its source:

  1. Open Crawl Monitoring and note the exact URL, including capitalization, slashes, and any parameters.
  2. Open the URL in your browser. Confirm that it shows a Not Found page.
  3. Search your website content, menus, and footer for that address or a similar one.
  4. Check your XML sitemap to see whether the URL is listed.
  5. Use a backlink tool to see whether another site links to it.
  6. Check your recent site changes, such as a redesign, URL structure update, or plugin installation.

🛠️ How to Fix It

The right fix depends on the cause and on whether the URL should exist.

  • The page was moved or replaced: Set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the most relevant new page.
  • An internal link is broken: Update or remove the link so it points to a working page.
  • The sitemap is outdated: Regenerate it so it only includes live pages that return a 200 status.
  • The page should exist: Publish or restore it, then confirm it loads correctly.
  • The URL is a typo from another site: If it is a valuable link, add a redirect to the right page. Otherwise, you can leave it alone.
  • The URL was never real: Make sure it returns a proper 404 status and take no further action.

✅ When You Can Safely Ignore a 404

Not every 404 needs to be fixed. A 404 is the correct response for a page that does not exist. You can usually ignore it when:

  • The URL is random, spammy, or clearly generated by a bot.
  • The page was removed on purpose and has no close replacement.
  • The URL receives no traffic and has no valuable backlinks.
  • The number of 404 entries is small and stable over time.

Search engines do not penalize a site simply for having 404 pages. The issue arises when important pages return 404 by mistake, or when your own site keeps linking to broken URLs.

⚠️ When to Take Action Quickly

Look into the problem soon if you notice any of the following:

  • Pages that should be live are returning 404.
  • The number of 404 URLs suddenly rises after a site update or migration.
  • Many 404s share the same pattern, such as a missing folder or a broken parameter.
  • The URLs have backlinks or previously received organic traffic.
  • Your own pages link to the 404 URLs.

🔁 How to Prevent It in the Future

  • Set up 301 redirects whenever you delete, rename, or move a page.
  • Review internal links after any site redesign or URL change.
  • Keep your sitemap clean and up to date.
  • Use consistent URL formats, including lowercase and a single trailing-slash style.
  • Check Crawl Monitoring regularly so you can catch unusual spikes early.

💬 Need More Help?

If you still see URLs you cannot explain, send our team the exact URL, the date it appeared, and what you have already checked. This helps us review it faster. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.