The best 404 pages do two jobs at once. They tell the visitor plainly that the address they asked for is unavailable, and they give a clear next step, such as a search box, a homepage link, or a route to content that is still on the site. Creative touches like illustrations, jokes, and games earn their place only when they leave those two jobs intact, fit the brand, and work with a keyboard and a screen reader.
This roundup draws on recent published collections of error page examples and on official guidance for 404 pages and HTTP status codes. The example descriptions below reflect how each publisher presents its picks. We did not test these pages in a browser, so treat them as design inspiration rather than verified live behavior.
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What a good 404 page has to do
Judge every example against five questions. A page can be striking and still fail the first two, which are the ones that matter most to a visitor who has just hit a dead link.
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- Clarity: Does the page plainly say that the requested page is unavailable, in words a visitor can take in at a glance?
- Recovery: Is there an obvious route forward, such as search, relevant links, or the homepage?
- Brand fit: Do the voice and visuals suit the site and its audience?
- Accessibility and function: Can visitors use the links, search, and any interactive element by keyboard and assistive technology, and does the layout hold up at different screen widths?
- Complexity versus value: Does animation or a game enhance the page without burying the message or hiding the way back?
Examples by pattern
The examples below are grouped by what the page does for the visitor. Each description is attributed to the collection that published it.
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Humor and illustration
Colorlib describes a finger-pointing team illustration from Maxemail, a lost-balls joke from Novak Djokovic, a confused dog on Espry, and a cat-themed page for Petfinder. Humor works best when the line after the joke still says the page is missing. The collection describes these pages by their illustration or joke and does not describe each one’s recovery links, so check that a joke sits above a clear next step before copying the approach.
Pages that offer a route onward
Colorlib describes FlixelPix’s visible error message with a search box, and Swissmiss’s search and homepage options. Petfinder’s page is described as keeping its menu and call-to-action elements, which lets visitors keep navigating the site. This is the pattern to copy first, because it keeps the rest of the site reachable from the error screen.
Audience and product fit
Webflow highlights D&D Beyond’s fantasy-themed copy, shown alongside its menu and search, and Textio’s “Unicorn of Missing Pages.” Themed wording suits an audience that already shares the references. If your visitors include newcomers, test whether the jokes or jargon slow them down before the next step.
Search and discovery
Webflow describes Dribbble’s color browsing and its search for designs or designers. Built for Mars describes an interactive color slider that displays images by color. Discovery features turn a dead end into browsing, but they only help if the search or browse tools work reliably on the page.
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Small interactive experiences
Webflow includes examples built around a Space Invaders game, a Snake game, and interactive toggles. These can make a page memorable. A game that must be played before the visitor sees the links, however, adds a step between the visitor and the content they came for. Keep the recovery route visible from the first screen.
Product demonstrations and archive use
Built for Mars lists Figma’s editable 404, Mobbin’s designer quiz that draws on its archive, and Codecademy’s game that promotes its games course. These show how a 404 page can reflect a product. They are specific to those companies and are not general patterns for other sites.
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Templates
Webflow’s article links cloneable 404 pages for Webflow users, and Colorlib’s article links template resources. Template availability and terms are set by each publisher and can change, so confirm them on the publisher’s own site before you use one.
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| Example | Source | Pattern | Recovery route described |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxemail | Colorlib | Finger-pointing team illustration | Not stated |
| Novak Djokovic | Colorlib | Lost-balls joke | Not stated |
| Espry | Colorlib | Confused dog | Not stated |
| Petfinder | Colorlib | Cat-themed page | Menu and call-to-action elements retained |
| FlixelPix | Colorlib | Visible error message | Search box |
| Swissmiss | Colorlib | Search and homepage options | Search and homepage |
| D&D Beyond | Webflow | Fantasy-themed copy | Menu and search |
| Textio | Webflow | “Unicorn of Missing Pages” wording | Not stated |
| Dribbble | Webflow | Color browsing | Search for designs or designers |
| Built for Mars color slider | Built for Mars | Interactive color slider showing images by color | Not stated |
| Space Invaders and Snake examples | Webflow | Browser games | Not stated |
| Figma | Built for Mars | Editable 404 | Not stated |
| Mobbin | Built for Mars | Designer quiz using its archive | Not stated |
| Codecademy | Built for Mars | Game promoting its games course | Not stated |
“Not stated” means the publisher’s description does not mention a recovery route. It does not establish that the live page lacks one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to build one
Work through these steps in order. Add the creative layer last, and only after the earlier steps pass.
- Keep the standard site header and footer. The CMS Design System’s 404 guidance says to retain them so visitors still see where they are and can move around the site.
- Write the message before the design. State in plain language that the page is unavailable, then offer the next step in the same screen.
- Provide a working search box or a short set of links to relevant sections. Confirm that every link is valid and leads somewhere useful.
- Check the layout at phone, tablet, and desktop widths, and at a browser zoom of 200 percent.
- Notify screen-reader users that the page is an error. The CMS guidance specifically calls for this so assistive technology users know the page is not the one they requested.
- Make the search, the call to action, and any game or toggle operable with the Tab, Enter, and arrow keys.
- Run a keyboard-only pass, a zoomed pass, and a screen-reader pass, and confirm that the reading order puts the explanation before the decorative content.
- Only then add illustration, humor, or an interactive element, and retest steps 6 and 7 after each addition.
The status code behind the page
A custom design is only the presentation. The HTTP response status is a separate matter, and it has to be set correctly on the server. RFC 9110, Section 15.5.5 defines 404 (Not Found) as the origin server not finding “a current representation for the target resource or is not willing to disclose that one exists.” The same section adds that a 404 “does not indicate whether this lack of representation is temporary or permanent.”
That distinction affects how you configure the site:
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- Use 404 when a page is missing and you have no information about whether it will return.
- Use 410 (Gone) when you know the resource has been removed permanently. RFC 9110 says 410 is preferred when the origin server knows the condition is likely permanent.
- Confirm that the server returns the status you intend for missing pages. A well-designed screen does not change the status code it is served with.
- Avoid redirecting every missing URL to the homepage as a substitute for handling the missing resource. A redirect of that kind hides the failure from visitors and from the tools that rely on the status code.
How current these sources are
- Colorlib’s roundup is dated October 2, 2026. It is an editorial list, and its descriptions document the publisher’s choices rather than independent testing.
- Webflow’s examples article was last updated October 24, 2025. It includes illustrative, interactive, and cloneable page examples.
- Built for Mars’ examples collection was updated September 23, 2026.
- The CMS Design System and RFC 9110 are guidance and standards sources, not collections of examples.
- Canva and LottieFiles offer additional creative and animation ideas. The LottieFiles page shows an August 2022 article date, even though a later update is indicated in search results, so we have not treated it as current.
- No reliable, published figure ties 404 page designs to visitor retention or conversions. The creative pages above are design inspiration, not measured business results.
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