---
title: "Troubleshooting: site errors, slow loading, and mobile issues"
shortDescription: Fix 404 errors, slow-loading pages, and broken mobile layouts on your Fourthwall site.
articleType: Troubleshooting
primaryTopic: site-errors-troubleshooting
categories:
  - Troubleshooting
  - Store Design
tags:
  - 404-error
  - slow-loading
  - mobile-layout
  - site-errors
  - browser-cache
  - image-optimization
  - custom-domain
  - dns-issues
  - responsive-design
  - site-display
  - 404-page-customization
tasks:
  - Fix 404 errors on your site
  - Speed up slow-loading images and pages
  - Fix broken mobile layout
  - Clear browser cache to resolve display issues
  - Diagnose a blank or partially empty page
  - Troubleshoot site display problems
  - Escalate an admin dashboard 404 to support
terms:
  - 404 error
  - page not found
  - slow loading
  - site won't load
  - mobile layout broken
  - site looks broken
  - browser cache
  - images loading slowly
  - DNS
  - custom domain error
  - blank page
  - custom 404 page
  - customize error page
  - broken on phone
  - admin dashboard 404
labels:
  - troubleshooting
  - site-errors
  - store-design
contextString: Applies to all plans. Relevant when a creator's site shows errors, loads slowly, or displays incorrectly on mobile devices.
breadcrumbPath: "FAQs > Account & Plans > Troubleshooting: site errors, slow loading, and mobile issues"
relatedModules: []
last_updated: '2026-06-16'
path: frequently-asked-questions/account-and-plans/troubleshooting-site-errors-slow-loading-and-mobile-issues
---

# Troubleshooting: site errors, slow loading, and mobile issues

Most site errors, slow pages, and broken mobile layouts on Fourthwall have straightforward fixes you can handle yourself. This article covers 404 errors, slow-loading images and pages, blank pages, and mobile display issues, with step-by-step resolution for each.

## Quick fixes to try first

Before troubleshooting a specific issue, try these steps. They resolve most display and loading problems:

1. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the page.
2. Open your site in an incognito or private window to rule out cached data or browser extensions causing the issue.
3. Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) to confirm the issue isn't browser-specific.
4. Check the [Fourthwall Status Page](https://status.fourthwall.com) for any ongoing outages or maintenance.

If supporters report an issue you can't reproduce, ask them to try these same steps.

## 404 "Page not found" errors

A 404 error means the URL a supporter visited doesn't match any page on your site. Common causes include recent DNS changes, renamed product URLs, removed pages, and hidden products.

**Cause: You recently connected a custom domain.** DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to go into effect worldwide. To resolve:

1. Go to [**Settings**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/settings/?redirect) > **Domains** in your dashboard.
2. Confirm your DNS records match the values shown in the setup instructions.
3. Wait up to 48 hours. If the 404 persists after that, contact Fourthwall support.

Once a custom domain is active, traffic routes through it. Your default `yourshop.fourthwall.com` URL showing a 404 is expected behavior.

**Cause: A product or page URL changed.** If you renamed a product or changed its URL slug, the old link returns a 404. Supporters who bookmarked the old URL or links shared on social media will hit this error. To resolve:

- Check [**Products**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/products/?redirect) to confirm the product still exists and note its current URL.
- Update any links shared on social media, your bio, or other platforms.
- If a product was deleted, supporters visiting its old URL will always see a 404.

**Cause: A page was removed or never published.** If you removed a page from your site in the site designer, or if a product is set to **Hidden**, the URL returns a 404. To resolve:

1. Go to [**Site Designer**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/site-designer/?redirect) and check your published pages.
2. Confirm the product's visibility is set to **Published**, not **Hidden**.

**Cause: You get a 404 on your own admin dashboard.** An admin-dashboard 404 (on a URL like `my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/...`) is different from a storefront 404. Admin access can be blocked by account-level state that only Fourthwall can inspect, such as plan flags, account suspension, or permission issues. Before contacting support, collect:

- A screenshot of the 404 page including the full URL bar.
- Your browser and device (for example, Chrome on macOS, Safari on iOS).
- Whether the 404 also occurs in an incognito or private window.
- A list of any custom code recently added to your shop.

Send these details to [support@fourthwall.com](mailto:support@fourthwall.com) so the team can diagnose the issue on the first reply.

**Can I customize my 404 error page?** No. The 404 error page uses a built-in template provided by your active theme. You can't edit, redesign, or replace it through the dashboard or Site Designer. The page renders inside your theme's default layout and automatically picks up your theme's header, footer, and general styling. It shows a "Resource not found" message with links back to the homepage and the visitor's previous page. If you switch themes, the 404 page updates to match the new theme's template.

## Slow-loading pages and images

A slow site frustrates supporters and can reduce sales. The three most common causes are large image files, too many sections on one page, and third-party scripts.

**Cause: Large image files.** Oversized images are the number one cause of slow page loads. Images uploaded at full camera resolution (often 5 MB or more per file) take much longer to load, especially on mobile connections. To resolve:

- Use WebP format for product images whenever possible. WebP files are smaller than JPEG or PNG at the same quality.
- Resize images before uploading. For product images, 1500 x 1500 pixels is a good target. Larger files don't improve how the image looks on your shop.
- Check your product images by going to [**Products**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/products/?redirect) and reviewing any recently uploaded photos.
- Free tools like [Squoosh](https://squoosh.app) let you convert and compress images to WebP in seconds.

**Cause: Too many sections on one page.** Each section on your homepage loads its own images, text, and styling. Pages with 15 or more sections can feel sluggish, especially on slower connections. To resolve:

- Open [**Site Designer**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/site-designer/?redirect) and review your homepage.
- Remove or consolidate sections that are redundant or rarely seen by supporters scrolling down.
- Move less critical content to separate pages instead of stacking everything on the homepage.

**Cause: Third-party scripts and custom code.** Custom JavaScript, tracking pixels, or embedded widgets from other platforms can slow your site. Each script adds extra network requests that delay page rendering. To resolve:

1. Go to [**Settings**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/settings/?redirect) > **Custom Code** in your dashboard.
2. Review any scripts you've added. Remove anything you're no longer using.
3. If you're unsure which script is causing the slowdown, remove them one at a time and test your site speed after each removal.

## Page appears blank to visitors

Sometimes a page looks fine in your dashboard preview but shows up blank, missing sections, or partially empty for supporters. This usually points to a visibility, save state, or caching issue rather than a true error. Work through these five checks in order.

**Check 1: Section visibility.** Each section in Site Designer has an eye icon next to its name. If the eye is crossed out, the section is hidden from visitors even though it still appears in your editor. To resolve:

1. Open [**Site Designer**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/site-designer/?redirect) and select the page in question.
2. Look at the section list on the left.
3. Click the eye icon on any section that should be visible. A solid eye means the section is live for supporters.

**Check 2: Custom HTML section content.** A Custom HTML section that renders blank usually contains empty content, only HTML comments, or an iframe that the visitor's browser blocks. Browsers block iframes when the embedded site sends an `X-Frame-Options` header or a strict cross-origin policy. To resolve:

1. In Site Designer, open the **Custom HTML** section.
2. Confirm the section has actual rendered content, not just comments or whitespace.
3. If you embedded an iframe, open your live shop in an incognito window and check the browser console for cross-origin or `X-Frame-Options` errors. If the third-party site blocks embedding, swap the iframe for a direct link or an embed code the provider supports.

**Check 3: Published-but-not-saved state.** If you added or edited a section in Site Designer and clicked **Publish** without first clicking **Save**, the live site may publish without your latest changes. To resolve:

1. Open Site Designer for the affected page.
2. Click **Save** to commit any pending edits.
3. Click **Publish** again to push the saved version live.

**Check 4: Theme version mismatch or preview-vs-live cache.** The Site Designer preview shows your most recent saved draft. The live shop serves the most recent published version, which your browser may also be caching from an earlier visit. To resolve:

- Click **Publish** in Site Designer to make sure the latest saved version is live.
- Open your live shop in an incognito window to bypass your browser cache.
- If the live site still looks outdated, hard-refresh the page: Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, or Cmd + Shift + R on Mac.

**Check 5: Cookie banner overlay.** For supporters in the EU and UK, your shop displays a GDPR cookie banner on first paint. On smaller screens or with longer banner copy, the banner can cover content above the fold and make the page look blank until a supporter dismisses it. To resolve:

- Open your shop in an incognito window from a desktop and a mobile device.
- Watch for the cookie banner on first load and confirm it doesn't fully obscure your hero section.
- If the banner covers critical content, shorten your hero text, raise the hero section's height, or move key calls to action lower on the page.

## Mobile display issues

If your site looks correct on desktop but broken on a phone or tablet, the issue is usually related to custom code or content width. Fourthwall's built-in themes are responsive by default and automatically adjust for smaller screens.

**Fix: Check the mobile preview in Site Designer.**

1. Go to [**Site Designer**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/site-designer/?redirect).
2. Click the mobile preview icon in the top bar to see how your site appears on smaller screens.
3. Check each page for overlapping text, cut-off images, or sections that extend beyond the screen width.

**Fix: Review custom HTML or CSS.** Desktop-only code is the most common cause of broken mobile layouts. Custom code added through **Custom Code** settings may not include responsive styles. To resolve:

- Review any custom HTML and CSS in [**Settings**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/settings/?redirect) > **Custom Code**.
- Make sure your custom code uses responsive techniques like percentage-based widths or CSS media queries instead of fixed pixel widths.
- Test your changes using the mobile preview in Site Designer after every edit.
- If you remove custom code and the mobile layout looks correct again, the issue is in your code, not in Fourthwall's theme. Re-add your custom code piece by piece to find the specific block causing the problem.

**Fix: Images or embeds wider than the screen.** A single image or embedded widget that's wider than the mobile viewport will push the entire page layout off-screen, creating a horizontal scroll bar. To resolve:

- Avoid setting fixed pixel widths on images in custom code. Use `max-width: 100%` so images scale down on smaller screens.
- Check any embedded iframes (YouTube, Spotify, etc.) for hard-coded width values. Replace fixed widths with responsive embed code.

## When to contact Fourthwall support

If you've tried the steps above and the issue persists, reach out to support with the following details:

- The URL where the issue occurs.
- A screenshot or screen recording showing the problem.
- The browser and device you (or your supporter) are using.
- Whether the issue happens in incognito mode.
- Any custom code you've added to your site.

Contact [support@fourthwall.com](mailto:support@fourthwall.com) with these details so the team can diagnose the issue faster.