Okta 404 Error Occurs When Signing In to a SAML Application

A 404 error occurs during a Service Provider (SP)-initiated sign-in attempt to a Secure Assertion Markup Language (SAML) application because the application uses an incorrect Okta endpoint. Resolve this issue by locating the correct Okta endpoint in the application setup instructions or metadata and updating the service provider configuration. The error occurs when the application login page attempts to redirect to Okta, resulting in the following message:

404 - Page Not Found

• Okta Identity Engine (OIE)
• Okta Classic Engine
• Secure Assertion Markup Language (SAML)-Enabled Applications
• Service Provider (SP)-Initiated Sign-On

The application configuration contains an incorrect Okta application endpoint. A 404 error indicates that the browser or application attempted to connect to a resource on a server that does not exist.

What resolves the 404 error for a SAML application?

Navigate to the application sign-on settings in the Okta Admin Console, view the setup instructions, and verify the Okta endpoint in the service provider administrator console as detailed in either the video demonstration or the written instructions.

1. In the Okta Admin Console, navigate to Applications and select the affected application.
2. Select the Sign On tab.
3. Select View SAML Setup Instructions on the right side of the page.
4. Locate the section that displays the Okta endpoint (usually named the Identity Provider Single Sign-On URL in Okta). The name of this entry varies by application, but resembles the following format:

   https://<tenant>.okta.com/app/<application_name>/exk1qu4k9hF3a61Hple7/sso/saml.

5. Sign in to the service provider administrator console as directed in the setup instructions and verify the Okta endpoint in the appropriate field.

What actions resolve the issue if the application setup instructions lack the endpoint?

Extract the Okta endpoint directly from the Identity Provider (IdP) metadata and update the service provider configuration by performing the following actions.

1. In the Okta Admin Console, navigate to Applications and select the affected application.
2. Select the Sign On tab.
3. Under Metadata details, copy the metadata URL and paste it into a new browser tab.
4. Use Cmd + F for macOS or Ctrl + F for Windows to search for sso/saml, and copy the entire URL that contains it. The metadata may contain multiple identical URLs containing sso/saml.
5. Sign in to the service provider administrator console and enter the copied Okta endpoint in the appropriate field.