Google Search Console uses the Soft 404 label when a page appears to be a not-found page but its response does not carry a 404 status. This differs from a normal 404 response. The visible content and the server’s status need to be reviewed together to understand the mismatch. Source: Google Search Console: Page indexing report

Inspect the reported page

Open the affected address and compare its visible content with the response reported by the website. Use the inspection information alongside the page itself. This helps establish whether useful content is missing or whether the response code misrepresents what the visitor sees.

Fix the intended outcome

Restore the content if the page should exist. If it has genuinely been removed without a suitable replacement, ask the website team to return the appropriate missing-page response. Check the result again so the technical response and the reader’s experience describe the same situation.

Written and updated by Travelgenix. Sources checked on 19 October 2026. Practical advice and examples are Travelgenix editorial guidance.