I am facing an issue on my WordPress site where a 404 Not Found error appears under the footer. I am using Gutenberg and Elementor for designing the pages. The error shows up even after updating the content and refreshing the page. How can I fix this issue?
That is a specific and annoying glitch, especially when you're using a hybrid setup like Gutenberg and Elementor. Since the error is appearing specifically under the footer, it's usually not a site-wide crash but rather a "Content Area" conflict or a broken hook in your theme's template files. Essentially, WordPress is trying to load a dynamic part of the page (like a widget area or a post loop) that doesn't actually have any content assigned to it, triggering a 404 response within the layout itself. Immediate Fixes to Try Regenerate Permalinks (The "Magic" Button): This is the most common fix for 404 issues. Go to Settings > Permalinks and simply click Save Changes twice. You don't need to change any settings; this forces WordPress to rewrite its .htaccess file and clear any routing confusion. Check Elementor Display Conditions: If you are using Elementor Pro for your footer, go to Templates > Theme Builder > Footer and check the "Display Conditions." If you have multiple footers or a footer assigned to "All Singular" but a specific page is missing its content, it can cause a layout break. The Gutenberg "Empty Loop" Bug: Sometimes Gutenberg adds a "Query Loop" block or a "Post Template" block at the bottom of a page that is searching for posts that don't exist. Check the very bottom of your page in the Gutenberg editor for any empty blocks or placeholder widgets. Increase PHP Memory Limit: Elementor and Gutenberg together can be heavy. If your server is running out of memory (less than 256MB), it might fail to render the final parts of the page, resulting in a server-side 404 error under the footer. Why This Happens in 2026 With the shift toward "Full Site Editing" (FSE), the way WordPress hooks into the footer has changed. If your theme expects a standard footer but Elementor is trying to inject a custom one, the "gap" between them can sometimes trigger a 404 if the theme's sidebar-footer.php or footer.php file is looking for a widget that was deleted. If you can't track down the specific block causing the leak, it might be time to have an expert audit your Theme Builder logic to ensure your hooks aren't conflicting. https://hireecom.com/hire-developers-shopify-woocommerce-magento/
