We’ve all been there. You’re clicking around a website and stumble upon a 404 error page that leaves you stranded. Your experience is instantly broken, leaving you confused and frustrated.
But some 404 pages do the complete opposite. They surprise you, make you laugh, or continue to tell the brand’s story.
Looking for some inspiration to make your website’s 404 page surprisingly delightful? We spent some time on Dribbble and gathered our favorite 404 page designs.
By Zazuly Aziz. Playful copy and bold graphics make you forget that you landed on a page you weren’t supposed to see.
By Igor Plac. This adorable illustration of a missing page on a milk carton makes us want to drop everything and go search for it.
By Timothy J. Reynolds. Created for Twitch, a video platform and community for gamers, this error page truly speaks to the target audience with isometric graphics that are so common in video games and pixel art.
By Ernest Asanov. Somewhere in a land far, far, away is a 404 page nestled in the branches of a bush bursting with color. Now who wouldn’t want to visit that world?
By Lena Zaytseva. Your error page doesn’t have to be static. This page features the website’s name, then shows the words being broken apart by “404.” It’s a clever way to incorporate movement on to a page.
By Viktor Kern. The illusion of depth on this 404 page sucks you into the design and makes you feel like you’re really floating around in space (and conveniently makes you forget you landed in the wrong place!).
By Mei. How cute is this Halloween-themed error page? While it definitely requires extra planning and work, incorporating seasonal elements to a 404 page is a great way to surprise customers.
By Kostya Vargatiuk. Designed for a digital creative agency, this page shows how important font treatment is to the overall look and feel of a page. Here, the font is meant to look like handmade watercolor.
By Rizvan Baghirli. This 404 page may seem basic with only one color choice and simple 3D illustrations, but it’s different enough to make you stop and explore the design before trying to navigate home.
Did we miss your favorite 404 page design? Share it with us on Twitter: @InVisionApp.
by Jake Peters
Jake is the CEO of HelpDocs, self-serve customer support software for teams. When he's not helping customers or writing code, you'll probably find him in the kitchen cooking something delicious.
Emily has written for some of the top tech companies, covering everything from creative copywriting to UX design. When she's not writing, she's traveling the world (next stop: Japan!), brewing kombucha, and biking through the Pacific Northwest.
