Resolving 404 Error for home.aspx in SharePoint Online
Fix the "Page not found" error when accessing migrated SharePoint sites by setting the correct home page.
Overview
After migrating a SharePoint site to SharePoint Online, users may encounter a 404 error when trying to access the site's home page. This typically occurs because the home page reference was not properly migrated or the default page needs to be manually designated.
HTTP 404 - Page Not Found
The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
https://yourdomain.sharepoint.com/sites/sitename/SitePages/home.aspx Symptoms
- Users receive a 404 error when navigating to the site's main URL
- The site was recently migrated from another environment
- Direct URLs to specific pages within the site work, but the root URL fails
- The error specifically references
home.aspx
Cause
This error occurs when SharePoint Online cannot locate the designated home page for the site. Common causes include:
Migration Issues
The home page setting didn't transfer during migration.
Page Rename
The original home page was renamed or deleted.
Permission Issues
The page exists but users don't have permission to view it.
File Missing
The home.aspx file was not included in the migration scope.
Solution
Step 1: Access the SharePoint Site
- 1
Sign in to the SharePoint Admin Center using the target migration account
- 2
Search for the affected site in the site list
- 3
Click View site to open the site in a new browser tab
Step 2: Access Site Contents
Navigate directly to the site's content list by appending the following to your site URL:
/_layouts/15/viewlsts.aspx?view=14 Full URL example:
https://yourdomain.sharepoint.com/sites/sitename/_layouts/15/viewlsts.aspx?view=14
Why use this URL?
This URL bypasses the home page and takes you directly to the site contents, allowing you to access site settings even when the home page is broken.
Step 3: Set the Home Page
- 1
Navigate to Site Contents → Site Pages
- 2
Locate the Home page (typically named
home.aspx) - 3
Click the three dots (...) menu next to the page
- 4
Select "Make homepage" from the dropdown menu
Page Not Found in Site Pages?
If the home.aspx file doesn't exist in Site Pages, you may need to create a new page and set it as the home page, or re-run the migration for the missing page.
Verification
Expected Result
- The site loads without errors when accessing the root URL
- The designated page displays as the site's home page
- All users can access the site without encountering the 404 error