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Running a successful website means staying alert for errors like broken pages or slow performance. However, sometimes there are problems that you just can’t avoid, and 404 errors are one of them.
A 404 occurs when a user requests a page on your website that doesn’t exist, thus throwing a 404 error page prompting users to return to the right place. No matter how many resources you put into ensuring your website never goes down … there’s always a chance that users could end up here.
It’s inconvenient, but a fact of life. And the reaction of visitors when they land on a nonexistent page can range from “taking it in stride” to “totally losing their minds.”
While there’s nothing you can do about the latter, you can make things a little less of a pain by having a creative error 404 message. This can do wonders to make your website visitors crack a smile in an otherwise frustrating situation.
To get your website design juices flowing, this post will showcase some of our favorite website error pages. Hopefully, you’ll be able to take away a few ideas to snazz up your own 404 message.
What is a 404 Error Page?
A 404 error is a standard HTTP error message code that means the website you were trying to reach couldn’t be found on the server. It’s a client-side error, meaning either the webpage was removed or moved and the URL wasn’t changed accordingly, or the person just typed in the URL incorrectly.
Some customized 404 error pages include a hero image, witty description, site map, search form, or basic contact information.
The Best Funny 404 Page Examples
Over the years, websites have found different ways to inform visitors of a 404 error and channel them back to the right place, some simply, some creatively, and some hilariously. Let’s start by looking at some creative 404 pages, then check out some funny examples that are sure to delight anyone who comes across them.
1. Pipcorn
While a 404 page can easily stick out from a website, Pipcorn’s error page aligns perfectly with the rest of the site’s branding. There’s a nice animated background, a friendly text prompt directing visitors to search the website (complete with a clever pun), and a piece of popcorn used as the “0” in “404.”
2. Spotify
Music streaming giant Spotify has covered its bases with a clever 404 page. With a witty pun off Kanye West’s album “808s and Heartbreak” and a record animation, the website briefly entertains and then sends visitors back to the page they came from.
3. Genially
One simple way to ease the tension on your 404 page is to add a quick “Oops!” message — it helps your site feel more personable as you guide users back to the right place. In the case of Genially’s site, the page also includes a nifty illustration paired with some playful copy.


4. Adobe
As you would expect, Adobe’s 404 error page is both useful and visually pleasing. It lists out popular links that visitors might want alongside some cool digital artwork serving as a visual metaphor for a broken or lost page. Honestly, websites should use visual metaphors more often.
5. Clorox
The 404 page for Clorox cleaning products rotates between three lighthearted photos to signal to visitors that they’ve made a misstep. It’s a smart use of branding to add a brief delight moment while helping out lost users.
6. Duma Collective
Other times, you might not need a witty blurb — just tell visitors that there’s no page at the address and let them move on. Entertainment consulting agency Duma Collective does just this with its error page, though it’s complemented by a background image for some minor flair.
7. Chillhouse
Speaking of flair, self-care brand Chillhouse has put in the extra work to reroute its visitors in style. The 404 page is branded appropriately and even takes visitors on a little journey through a few image stills before they go back to the homepage.
8. Bitly
If you enter an incorrect Bitly link, you’ll be taken to Bitly’s 404 page. We assume this happens a fair amount, which is why the 404 page gets straight to the point. It explains what might have gone wrong and prompts users to visit the Bitly homepage if that’s what they’re after.
9. Ikea
Ikea’s 404 page is similarly minimalist but still manages to sneak some smart branding in there. This example shows that your error pages don’t need to be elaborate to get the point across, but there’s nothing wrong with injecting some fun either.
10. Moxie Design Co.
Sure, “blew up the Internet” might be a bit hyperbolic, but it tells visitors that Moxie Design Co. doesn’t take itself too seriously with small slip-ups like this one. Also, a search bar is conveniently placed at the bottom to send you on your way.
11. McKissack & McKissack
Ah, the classic “we lost the page” trick. Again, an easy way to present a 404 without alienating your audience. If you’re an agency like McKissack & McKissack that manages many client interactions, clear and concise copy is essential for all of your site’s pages, including error pages.
12. CSS Tricks
Ever ripped away a website’s wrapping to see what’s underneath? That’s the concept that CSS Tricks was going for in their 404 error page. This is both witty and reminiscent of what the website is all about: smart use of page styling.
13. Good Old Games
For other websites, you unwrap the front end and there’s … just the vast emptiness of space. This page is a clever reference to GOG Galaxy, which is Good Old Games’ native video game client. Thankfully, a little video game character is there to give visitors a place to report an error if they want.
14. Canva
For something a little different, check out Canva’s 404 page. It includes not just an error message, but a nifty tile puzzle visitors can play for some brief entertainment. There’s no harm in letting your visitors slack off for a couple of minutes, right?
15. Innotech
Similar to Canva’s approach, Innotech features a Pong-esque game on its 404 page to provide some brief entertainment. Chances are you’ll remember a website like this. Plus, the fun detour complements a truly impressive website — seriously, when you’re done playing, head to the home page and take it all in.
16. Myriad
Video agency Myriad has opted for a quirky, on-brand 404 page design that mimics the classic SMPTE color bars that appear on old tapes and TVs. It’s a funny throwback to older technologies while representing the more modern problem of a nonexistent web page.
17. KonMari
Known for her popular cleaning and organization methods and brand, Marie Kondo has brought a similar feel to her website’s 404 page. The copy briefly and humorously harkens back to her tidying philosophy — a small but well-branded detail that fans will recognize.
18. BrandCrowd
Not only is the illustration on this error page detailed and engaging — the copy is clever, too. We love the reference to the Semisonic song “Closing Time”: “You can click anywhere else, but you can’t click here.”
19. Hot Dot Productions
Hot Dot’s error page stays true to its tagline, “the intersection of new technologies and design.” The page is animated by hundreds of tiny dots that change direction in response to where you move your cursor. It’s mesmerizing and a great showcase of the agency’s design capabilities.
20. OrangeCoat
If you’re going to give an error message, why not entertain the user for a few seconds while you help them out? Following a friendly greeting, OrangeCoat offers a flowchart that actually helps users figure out why they reached an error page in the first place.
21. Ervin & Smith
This 404 page does more than redirect users back to active pages. Instead, Ervin & Smith’s 404 page invites you to scroll down and learn why you need a digital marketing agency, and why to choose Ervin & Smith in particular, capped off with a contact form. True to its mission, this agency shows that any page can be a conversion opportunity.
22. DayCloud Studios
… or, your 404 can just be a place to waste time for a minute, as can be seen on the website for DayCloud Studios. Moving the cursor around the screen reveals a 404 message illuminated by lasers shooting from a cat’s eyes. Because why not?
23. Headspace
Another instance of a website smartly incorporating its brand messaging into a 404 page — guided meditation app Headspace makes the effort to calm users, encouraging us to take a deep breath, then return to the main site.
24. Wildwood Bakery
Some websites thus far have integrated clever branded copy in their pages, while others have hosted full-blown online games on theirs. But, there’s nothing wrong with a brief push back in the right direction. Wildwood Bakery’s exquisite site keeps things short and sweet (literally).
25. Astuteo
Design agency Astuteo’s 404 page is a perfect balance of elegant visuals, humor, and helpfulness. The minimal layout gives users the information they need alongside another amusing visual metaphor, a sinking cargo ship and a fleeing figure.
26. LEGO
There’s few words needed on LEGO’s 404 error page — the character’s expression makes everything clear. Plus, fans of the LEGO movie franchise will enjoy the fun reference in the copy.
27. Magnt
In this funny error message, Magnt pokes fun at the fact that, yes, they could have broken something — or, you just can’t type. The visual serves as a quick way to quickly illustrate their point.
28. IconFinder
IconFinder’s error page is simple but delightful. The company’s mascot wearing a robe and appearing weary is a relatable nod to lost visitors. No worries though, since the site lists some of its links to visit down below.
29. Sweet Dreams
Apparently, the team at sleep aid company Sweet Dreams took too many of its products according to the website’s 404 page. Not only is this page humorous — it also blends well with the rest of the site’s front-end aesthetic and messaging for a cohesive feel.
30. GitHub
The line “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for” refers to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi mind trick on Stormtroopers in Star Wars Episode IV, and it’s become a well-known phrase used to tell someone they’re pursuing the wrong course of action. GitHub plays on this famous line in their 404 error message.
31. Patagonia
Patagonia’s custom 404 page captures the brand’s vibe perfectly, complete with a boomerang video of a frisbee twirler, a clever pun combining “404” and “aloha,” and links to its product pages. It’s a friendly and funny way to greet visitors who wound up in the wrong place.
32. Cloud Sigma
Check it out: Cloud Sigma’s letting us in on some behind-the-scenes action. Their 404 error page pretends to be a “junior developer’s homepage” — that junior developer being, well, a cat.
33. AMC Theatres
You might have been to an AMC movie theater before, but you’ve hopefully never seen their website’s 404 page. The website makes use of a quick, funny, and relevant one-liner before it sends you back to the right place.
34. Bruno
It’s no coincidence that creative agencies are great at coming up with cool 404 pages. Here’s another one from the creatives at Bruno that plays off the 2000 cult comedy classic Dude, Where’s My Car? No, it has nothing to do with the company or website, but it’s sure to get a chuckle.
35. NPR
At first, NPR’s error page seems like nothing special. But keep reading and you’ll see how they cleverly link to some of their great stories about lost people, places, and things, like a piece on Amelia Earhart and one on Waldo. This might just make lost users feel a little less alone.
36. Medium
Medium takes a similar approach to NPR’s 404 page, recommending articles about getting lost and losing things. Check these articles out if you have time — they’re quite good reads.
37. HomeStarRunner
HomeStarRunner.com, home to a Flash-animated cartoon series, has had a series of hilarious 404 error pages over the years. The most recent features characters from the cartoon series in a scene that could’ve come straight out of one of their episodes. If you turn the sound on when you load the page, you’ll hear their character Strong Bad — known for yelling phrases out loud — saying, “404’d!”
38. Blizzard Entertainment
Here’s a simple idea that ends up looking slick: Blizzard Entertainment’s 404 page features an animated character lost in an actual blizzard and some humor that World of Warcraft fans will appreciate.
39. Hello Big Idea
A quick trip around marketing and social media experts Hello Big Idea’s website will tell you what you need to know about its bold and blunt style of copy. And, of course, its 404 error page is no exception.
40. HubSpot
It happens to us, too! This is the message we put up to tell our site visitors that there are some website issues. Our goal was to stay true to HubSpot’s brand voice by being as lovable, empathetic, and helpful as possible.
41. Bluegg
Visual imagery is common in 404 pages, but relying solely on content can also have just as much impact.
Bluegg made a kind of obituary for ‘the goat’, which apparently refers to their error page. You will see many death-related jokes in 404 pages. The same kind of gags can work for your pages if you are a fan of dark humor.
42. Drift
The element of surprise is key to successfully offering novel 404s.
Drift added a low-quality selfie video of Dj Khaled, apparently lost at sea. They turned the situation upside down by showing that things could be much worse – the visitor could be lost at sea like the DJ.
Showing an exaggerated scenario that overshadows the visitor’s current circumstances is a great way to make them feel better.



43. 9Gag



44. Flywheel
Flywheel created a 404 page that is a perfect fit for its sophisticated designer-oriented audience. Turning the ‘0′ into a black hole and adding ‘this really sucks’ is a nice spin. It’s simple and avoids trying too hard to jest.



45. Slack
Slack’s 404 content is straight to the point, but they added a panorama illustrated background animation that is, well… so wacky that it works. You land in a Xanadu dream-like world with hovering farm animals. There’s no relation to a lost page other than the fact that if you’re there – you are surely lost.



46. Dan Woodger
In this example, we see a cute hamburger cartoon on skates holding a sorry sign. It’s proof that a picture is worth a thousand words. Using illustration is a great way to make your 404 page witty without words.
Woodger also cleverly connects the visitor to his portfolio with the line ‘You were probably looking for my illustration work…’



47. Team Coco
Even though it apparently has some bugs and shows bare HTML, Conan O’brien‘s site doesn’t fail to amuse, using a series of gifs to shine a spotlight on Andy and Conan’s predicament.



48. Comedy Central
Comedy Central was smart enough to display several characters from their shows and to attribute a 404 page related quote to each one. For example, The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah appears with a confused face and a quote related to the ‘Moment of Zen’ segment from his show.



49. NMFH
I just had to show this example, because it’s the 404 page for a small museum of funeral history. I’m sure they don’t have a huge web design budget, yet they still managed to devise a creative 404 page with an open grave, telling visitors: ‘You have made a grave mistake! The page you are looking for has vanished into the afterlife.’



50. HBO
HBO’s 404 is one of my favorites. It shows how to use inside jokes to get a chuckle. In this case, they added the ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ image behind the 404 letters, and added the text: ‘Looks like this link is pretty, pretty, pretty broken.’ Anyone who has seen the show will immediately get it.



51. The New Yorker
The New Yorker example shows just how to take an already funny brand asset related to getting lost, and featuring it on a 404 page. The cartoon is from a 2011 issue displaying a mouse wearing a GPS – the perfect cartoon to use on a ‘page not found’ page.



52. Blizzard
Here’s another 404 page design that is original and unexpected. Blizzard Entertainment has a broken window, a menu that appears to have fallen, and an accusation: ‘Grats (congrats). You broke it.’
Blizzard had the ‘chutzpah’ to turn the tables and blame the visitor. You get a kick out of it because it’s the exact opposite response to the expected apologetic tone you normally read on 404 pages. At the same time, it’s a very human trait to accuse someone else of your own mistake. It’s like a little kid getting caught by their parent for spilling milk and then blaming it on their dad.



53. eharmony
As we’ve already seen drawing unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated things requires both ingenuity and humor. You wouldn’t normally associate a dating site with a ‘page not found’. eharmony does this well by presenting a message that the ‘page is unavailable’, unlike a million other eharmony singles.



54. Distilled
Distilled’s 404 page has a comic British conversation filled with phrases like ‘old chap’ and ‘blasted’. They call their 404 ‘Four hundred and fourth message of error’, which is funny in itself.
While accents are currently a controversial issue in comedy (as the Simpsons creators can attest), they are still bloody funny. Luckily, a posh English accent is still an accepted laughable target.
Distilled are themselves British, which makes the whole page even sillier. It reminded me of the Four Yorkshiremen sketch by Monty Python, which always cracks me up.



55. Emailcenter
This error page is one of the funniest, precisely because it’s so personal. It also takes landing on a ‘page not found’ to the extreme by showing the four possible culprits from the development team and offering you the chance to pick the one to be fired for this ‘unacceptable failure’. It’s so off the wall, it proves this company has both a sense of humor and can poke fun at themselves.



56. IMDB
IMDB presents a seemingly simple, yet well-thought-out error page that adapts famous film quotes to error messages. For movie fans that frequent IMDB, it delivers a delightful experience and entices them to refresh the page to read more quotes.



57. Orangecoat
While this is not the most compelling 404 page, it does get points for delivering an inventive and interactive experience that is also visual in nature.
Using charts is actually a good idea for these pages. Whether it’s flowcharts, ven-charts, or any other chart you can think of. It works because it’s a completely different way to display the unavailable page. I wonder if a pie chart would also work.



58. Github
Github’s audience are geeky developers. Their Star Wars-inspired scene featuring the Octocat mascot and the quote ‘This is not the web page you are looking for’ is a well-matched message for their audience. Notice, also, how, by placing the search bar at the center, they provide an excellent solution for navigation from this page.



59. CSS-Tricks
CSS Tricks manages to surprise visitors by using sheer minimalism. No text, no messages, just a blank page with a rip in it with CSS code revealed in the background. They successfully deliver a message without words, which is a challenging thing to do. It’s similar to why silent films still make us laugh today because they rely on non-verbal humor.



60. Mashable
This page has all the elements of an entertaining 404 page. A giant image of a torn sock with a smiley drawn on the toe, alluding to all the single socks people lose in the laundry. Even though it has nothing to do with the actual website, it’s very silly and that’s why it works.



61. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is known as a brand that knows how to crack a joke on social media. Their 404 page also gets a laugh, with its taco animation and silly text: ‘THE PAGE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR DOES NOT EXIST (Unless you were looking for a page with an animation of a taco tripping and literally spilling the beans. If that’s the case, it definitely exists, and you definitely found it.)’



62. Steve lambert
Last but not least, this hilarious 404 page was created with almost no budget or special effects. As if landing on a broken link isn’t awkward enough, Steve Lambert takes it to the next level by presenting ‘The Most Awkward 404 Not Found Pages on the Internet’. The page shows a video of Lambert mumbling strangely to the visitor. The video reminded me of the awkward moments of Silicon Valley.



Funny 404 Page Takeaways
Nobody wants to land on a 404 page — they’re annoying and unexpected. However, you can’t really avoid them, so it’s always a good idea to have a 404 page to fall back on for your website.
And, from a user experience perspective, your 404 page should be a small speed bump, not a brick wall. The right design can be the difference between a frustrated bounce and a possible conversion, so why not make it fun?