How to Fix 404 on AMP Pages After Deactivating the AMP Plugin

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Note: You should noindex /amp/ pages first.

Do you want to redirect AMP permalink to the Non-AMP URL? This guide is going to help you.

You might know well, Twitter has also started serving AMP pages. Therefore, using redirection is very important to prevent from 404 hits for old AMP WordPress permalink. After deactivating the plugin, you will receive Error 404 for all AMP permalinks.

To fix this problem, you need to setup a redirect from the AMP to NON-AMP(canonical) URL.

  1. Go to Yoast SEO Plugin > Tools > File Editor
  2. In the .htaccess field add AMP to Non-AMP path redirection rule
    yoast tools file editor htaccess
  3. and Save changes
# Redirect from AMP to non-AMP path
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/amp(.*)$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/wp-content/(.*)$ 
RewriteRule ^ %1/ [R=301,L]

Important changelog IST 3:15 PM 5/11/2017
* Excluded wp-content, concerning images which may contains ‘amp’ in the name.

What if you don’t have control to .htaccess?

Alternatively, you can also prevent 404 by doing a redirect from AMP to non-AMP path (canonical) pages using a free plugin called “Redirection“.

redirection
  1. Install a free plugin called “Redirection“
  2. Go to WordPress Dashboard > Tools > Redirection
  3. Add a new 301 Redirection
  4. Keep source /(.*)\/amp
  5. Target URL https://www.yourdomain.com/$1

Kindly note: These steps should be implemented after disabling/noindexing AMP properly.

How do I set AMP to Canonical Redirect in case of NGINX?

location ~ /amp/?$ { rewrite ^(.*/)amp/?$ $1 permanent; }

Where I can find .htaccess file? 🤔

In the Apache server, .htaccess file is typically located in public_html directory. Or using Yoast File Editor or via WP File manager plugin can also be helpful.

Which method should I use .htaccess or Redirection?

If you’re using Apache web server then go with .htaccess else plugin way is easy.

My Search Console is still showing 404

Search Console may take some time to refresh data. Wait for few days and check again.

I hope this guides helps in fixing 404 for AMP URLs. If you have any specific query, please feel free to ask. Thanks!

Any question? Please ask at Gulshan Forum.

Leave a Comment

41 thoughts on “How to Fix 404 on AMP Pages After Deactivating the AMP Plugin”

  1. Hi Gulshan,

    Thanks for sharing this useful info on rectifying the AMP page errors on how to remove 404 error pages after disabling the AMP plugin

    Please post about more amp errors like user modified javascript errors and user modified css types of amp errors, I am struggling to rectify them, my webmaster reports are flooded with this errors.

    Thanks in advance!!

    Reply

  2. Hi Bro,

    Shall I know its rewrite the .htaccess files are best or we need to use the redirect plugin?

    Which option is the best bro?

    Can you share the opinion bro?

    Thank you

    Reply

  3. Hi Gulshan!

    I read your post but I got a little stuck where you show the .htaccess field because mine looks different than yours, mine starts as follows:

    # Use PHP56 Single php.ini as default
    AddHandler application/x-httpd-php56s .php

    # BEGIN W3TC Browser Cache

    Do you think it’ll still work?

    The other question is what you mean when you put:

    Important changelogs IST 3:15 PM 5/11/2017
    * Excluded wp-content path concerning images which may contain ‘amp’ in the name.

    Would you please explain what that means? Do we have to do something else with that info?

    Thank you! I really appreciate your help!

    Reply

    • Hi,

      Thanks for the comment. Let me explain you in the detail. When I had written “AMP to non-AMP redirect” code for the first time, it was

      # Redirect from AMP to non-AMP path
      RewriteEngine On
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/amp(.*)$
      RewriteRule ^ %1/ [R=301,L]

      But after few months, I noticed that some of my images with file name “amp” were not loading.
      That’s why, I decided to exclude wp-content path completely.

      So, as per my current knowledge, below code is correct and it should work for you.

      # Redirect from AMP to non-AMP path
      RewriteEngine On
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/amp(.*)$
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/wp-content/(.*)$
      RewriteRule ^ %1/ [R=301,L]

      Here, RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/wp-content/(.*)$ means redirection is excluded for static files of wp-content. path.

      I had forget to update my screenshot after updating this thing in the changelogs.
      Thanks for reminding. Due to your question, I felt encouraged to update the screenshot.

      Feel free to use this code, it should work for you. You should add this code just above # BEGIN W3TC Browser Cache since you are using a Cache plugin.

      If you have any more queries, please feel free to ask.

      Thanks & Regards,
      Gulshan

      Reply

      • Thank Gulshan! I am not very tech about stuff like this. Do you think this system works no matter what type of plugins a website has installed ( I mean compatibility) or the type of robot.txt someone has set up?

        As I don’t know much about this stuff I want to be sure I won’t screw my site even more lol. A girl put that AMP plugin on my website saying it would help with my ranking and it was worse! all the tables on my website look completely wrong.

        Thanks Gulshan!

        Reply

  4. Sorry I was referring to the plugin Real-Time Find and Replace, I should’ve asked this question on the previous page. My mistake.

    Reply

  6. thank you very much for such a wonderfull information, sir
    this is 100% working solution

    # Redirect from AMP to non-AMP path
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/amp(.*)$
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/wp-content/(.*)$
    RewriteRule ^ %1/ [R=301,L]

    how many days this code need to be place there
    as i am not using AMP further

    Reply

  8. Hi, I love this except when I test links to my site from SERPS it still takes me to the AMP version of the page. i.e. the URL is actually pointing to a Google server such as https://google.com/amp/s/mypagepath. Is this just because I need to wait until Google de-indexes the AMP version and restores the versions of my pages that point to my server?

    Reply

  9. Hello Sir,
    I have just deactivated amp plugin but I got trouble
    How to solve this
    I’d like to redirect domain.com/posting/?nonamp=1 to domain.com/posting/
    Thanks

    Reply

  10. Hi,

    Your code is working fine for posts AMP URLs but not for home page. When I am going to https://example.com/amp, it’s redirecting to https://example.com/amp/

    However, if post AMP URL is https://example.com/post-name/amp then it’s properly redirecting to https://example.com/post-name.

    How do I fix the home page redirect issue?

    Reply

      • Hey Gulshan,

        I have already redirected all amp errors via the yoast redirect plugin. I heard that redirecting the 404 errors to my homepage is not the best idea but I have already done it. Should I do the .htaccess method as well? Should I also delete the redirects if I do the .htaccess option? What do you recommend I do?

        Reply

          • Will using the .htaccess be enough to get rid of the amp errors? I did that and deleted the redirects. Is that okay to do or will the errors come back?

  12. Hey, gulshan thanks for this informative article. Iam having problem with 404 after disabling amp plugin. I have Followed each and every steps carefully but still having lots of 404 errors on webmaster. Plz help

    Reply

  13. Hi, gulshan

    I wish, I got your good piece of article before. But unfortunately, I deactivated the amp for wp plugin without disabling/noindexing AMP properly. Now what i can do about the amp pages that shows 404. Should I do redirection or google will take them out after some time.

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • If your AMP pages are still present in Google SERPS, then install AMP for WP first and noindex it properly. Then, after few weeks when all AMP pages goes from SERPs, then set redirect.

      Reply

  14. Hey Gulshan,

    How are you? It’s been a long time.

    I have a quick question. I am using AMP on my website. In that case, should I optimize my default mobile pages also for speed? Will there be any impact?

    Reply

  15. Hi Bro,
    Actually, I have done everything with your method, within some time error gone from the AdSense. Yesterday I disabled Find and Replace plugin.
    Today, when I open my adsense, account its showing. I tried to open my home page like http://www.jiofiber.in/amp ist showing.
    But if i open my post with amp version, then my all post are opening. What is the issue can you tell me, please.

    Reply

  16. Hai Gulshan I need your suggestion.
    Now my amp posts are not showing up in google.com when checked using this format with my blog /*/amp/ , but in google search console it shows I valid post.

    Can I deactivate the ampforwp plugin and delete it.

    As far as for setting up redirect to avoid 404 errors I can add this code to my rank math plugin .htacess editor right.

    # Redirect from AMP to non-AMP path
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/amp(.*)$
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/wp-content/(.*)$
    RewriteRule ^ %1/ [R=301,L]

    But I don’t know whether my server is Nginx or not , I am using sitegrounds managed wordpress gogeek hosting plan. So please help me out now I am seeing lots of 404 redirections in wp admin. Thank You for your time.

    Reply

  17. Dear Gulshan, I read your post and tried to redirect my amp urls to my normal url with your information but it doesn’t work

    I have an AMP URL that looks like this: https://www.mydomain/mypost?amp and for that the regex rule: /(.*)\/amp –> https://www.yourdomain.com/$1 doesn’t work 🙁 I also have tried redirect ?amp pages –> source: ^/(.*?)/\?amp=.* –> Target: /$1/ but here the redirection tool tells me that $ for target is wrong. What should I do?

    Thanks for your help.
    Greetings Kathrin

    Reply

  18. Hello

    Apke batai hui method pe Mein AMP ko delete kiya or uske baad meri Google Search Console account mein or ek error ayya “Reference Amp url is not an Amp” (https:/eample.com/url/to/amp/document.html) ye error arrahihe Gulshan bhai please bataye eshe kaise solve karun.

    Google mein aphi ese mile jisne AMP remove karneka solution essay method se bataya
    Thank you

    Reply