What is the difference between 404 and 410?

404 means the resource was not found and may or may not exist later. 410 explicitly states the resource existed before but has been permanently removed.

How does 410 affect SEO?

Search engines remove 410 URLs from their index faster than 404 URLs because 410 explicitly signals permanent removal.

HTTP 410 Gone — What It Means & How to Fix It

Error4xx client error

Overview

The HTTP 410 Gone status code indicates the resource is no longer available and has been permanently removed with no forwarding address.

Key Details

Unlike 404, this explicitly states the resource existed before but has been intentionally removed.
Search engines will deindex the URL faster when they receive a 410.
There is no redirect or alternative location for the resource.
It is useful for APIs that deprecate endpoints or remove features.
Clients should remove any references to the resource.

Common Causes

A resource was intentionally and permanently removed.
An API endpoint was deprecated and shut down.
Content was taken down for legal or policy reasons.
A user account or profile was permanently deleted.

Steps

1Remove bookmarks and links to the resource as it will not return.
2Check if an alternative or replacement resource exists.
3Update any integrations that depend on the removed resource.
4If you control the site, ensure the 410 is intentional and not a misconfiguration.