How to fix a 404 error in pagination on a WordPress site

A 404 error in pagination on a WordPress site can be caused by several factors, including issues with permalink settings, .htaccess file, or custom query settings. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and fix the issue:

Update permalinks:

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Go to “Settings” > “Permalinks.”
3. Select a permalink structure, such as “Post name” or any other option.
4. Click “Save Changes.”

This action will regenerate the .htaccess file, which may resolve the pagination issue.

Check and edit the .htaccess file:

If updating permalinks doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to check your .htaccess file. You can find the .htaccess file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.

1. Connect to your server using an FTP client or File Manager in your hosting control panel.
2. Locate the .htaccess file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
3. Open the .htaccess file and make sure it contains the following default WordPress rules:

# BEGIN WordPress

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

# END WordPress

4. Save the changes and check if the pagination issue is resolved.

Fix custom queries:

If you’re using custom queries for displaying posts, make sure you’re using the paged parameter correctly. Here’s an example of how to set up a custom query with pagination:

$paged = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;

$args = array(
    'post_type' => 'post',
    'posts_per_page' => 10,
    'paged' => $paged,
);

$custom_query = new WP_Query($args);

if ($custom_query->have_posts()) :
    while ($custom_query->have_posts()) : $custom_query->the_post();
        // Display post content
    endwhile;

    // Display pagination
    $GLOBALS['wp_query']->max_num_pages = $custom_query->max_num_pages;
    the_posts_pagination(array(
        'mid_size' => 2,
        'prev_text' => __('« Previous', 'textdomain'),
        'next_text' => __('Next »', 'textdomain'),
    ));

    // Restore original post data
    wp_reset_postdata();

endif;

Make sure to replace ‘textdomain’ with your theme’s text domain.

Check for plugin conflicts:

Sometimes, plugins can cause conflicts that lead to pagination issues. Try deactivating your plugins one by one and see if the issue is resolved. If the issue disappears after deactivating a particular plugin, that plugin is likely causing the conflict. You can either keep the plugin deactivated or find an alternative plugin with similar functionality.

If the issue persists after trying these solutions, you may want to contact your hosting provider or seek help from the WordPress community for further assistance.