How to Redirect a URL in WordPress: 4 Easy Methods (2026)

You changed a blog post’s URL, deleted an old article, or moved your website to a new domain. Now, when someone visits the old link, they see a 404 error instead of the content they wanted. This is where a WordPress redirect helps.

A redirect automatically sends visitors from an old URL to a new one. It can also help search engines understand where your content has moved. The easiest way to set up a WordPress 301 redirect is with the free Redirection plugin. You can also create redirects through an SEO plugin, your .htaccess file, or cPanel. In this guide, you’ll learn how each method works, how to test your redirect, and how to fix common problems without putting your website at risk.

What Is a WordPress Redirect?

A redirect automatically sends someone who visits one URL to another. For example, suppose your old blog post lives at https://example.com/wordpress-tips/, but you change its URL to https://example.com/wordpress-guide/. A redirect can send visitors from the old address to the new one without asking them to find it themselves.

Redirects also tell browsers and search engines whether the move is temporary or permanent. Choosing the right type matters, especially when your blog receives traffic from Google, social media, or affiliate links.

Common redirect types

For most bloggers, a 301 redirect is the right choice when a page has permanently moved. It signals that the old URL has a new permanent destination and can help search engines consolidate signals associated with the old and new URLs.

A 302 redirect suits a temporary change, such as a short-term campaign. Google can process both permanent and temporary redirects, but they communicate different intentions. Don’t choose a 301 simply because you want a ranking boost. Choose it because the move is permanent.

When Do Bloggers Need Redirects?

You don’t need a redirect every time you publish a post. However, certain changes can leave visitors and search engines following outdated links.

Here are common situations where redirects help.

• You change a post’s slug. You rename /best-blogging-tools/ to /blogging-tools/ but still want old links to work.
• You merge two articles. You combine two overlapping tutorials into one stronger guide and redirect the outdated URL to the relevant replacement.
• You delete an article. If a useful replacement exists, send visitors there instead of leaving a broken link. If no relevant replacement exists, a 404 or 410 response may be more appropriate.
• You move from Blogger to WordPress. You may need to preserve old URLs or map them to their new WordPress destinations. If you’re planning a migration, read our guide to WordPress vs. Blogger.
• You switch from HTTP to HTTPS. Your website should consistently send visitors to its secure version.
• You change domains. When moving to a new domain, map old URLs to their corresponding pages on the new site.
• You manage affiliate links. A link-management tool can create short, trackable URLs. Keep these separate from content migration redirects when planning your setup.

Before creating a redirect, ask yourself one question: does the new page genuinely replace the old one? A relevant destination helps visitors find what they need. Sending every deleted article to your homepage can confuse users and may cause search engines to treat the destination as a soft 404.

If you’re planning to move your blog from Blogger to WordPress, read our WordPress vs Blogger guide to understand the differences before migrating your content and setting up redirects.

How to Redirect a URL in WordPress

You can create a WordPress redirect in several ways. The best method depends on your experience, hosting environment, and existing plugins.

If you’re new to WordPress, start with the Redirection plugin. It offers a straightforward dashboard and doesn’t require you to edit server files.

Method 1: Use the Redirection plugin

The Redirection plugin is a popular option for bloggers who want to manage redirects from the WordPress dashboard. You don’t need to edit code, and you can manage your rules in one place.

Step 1: Install the plugin

Log in to your WordPress dashboard and follow these steps:

1. Open Plugins > Add New Plugin. Older WordPress versions may show slightly different labels.
2. Search for Redirection.
3. Check the plugin name and author details to make sure you’ve selected the intended plugin.
4. Click Install Now, then Activate.

You can also find the plugin on the official WordPress.org Redirection page.

Step 2: Complete the initial setup

After activation, open Tools > Redirection. Follow the setup prompts displayed by your installed version.

The plugin may ask you to confirm basic options and run checks before you finish setup. Follow the on-screen instructions rather than assuming every version displays identical screens.

Step 3: Add a new redirect

Once setup is complete, find the section for adding a new redirect. You’ll generally need two values:

• Source URL: The old path visitors currently use.
• Target URL: The new page where visitors should land.

For example, suppose your old post was:

/old-wordpress-guide/

Your updated article now lives at:

https://example.com/wordpress-guide/

Enter /old-wordpress-guide/ as the source and the new destination as the target. If the plugin offers a redirect type selection, choose 301 Permanent for a permanent move.

The exact field labels and options may vary by plugin version.

Step 4: Save and test the redirect

Save the rule, then open the old URL in a new browser tab. It should take you to the new article.

Don’t stop there. Test the response code using a redirect checker or browser developer tools. You want the old URL to return a 301 response and the destination to load successfully.

If it works, update internal links in your older articles so they point directly to the new URL. This keeps your site easier to maintain and avoids unnecessary redirect hops.

Best for: Beginners, bloggers who change URLs regularly, and site owners who prefer managing redirects without editing files.

Method 2: Use your SEO plugin’s redirect manager

If you already use an SEO plugin, check whether your installed version includes a redirect manager. This can save you from installing another plugin, although availability depends on the product and plan.

Rank Math

Rank Math provides a Redirections module. Open the Rank Math dashboard and look for the module in your installed version. Enable it if necessary, then open the Redirections area.

Add the old path, enter the destination URL, choose a permanent redirect for a permanent move, and save the rule. Test it just as you would with a dedicated redirect plugin.

Yoast SEO

Yoast’s redirect functionality depends on the product edition and current feature offering. Check the official Yoast SEO website and the documentation for your installed version before relying on it.

Don’t assume that every redirect feature is available in the free edition. Product features and pricing can change, so verify them before recommending a paid upgrade.

Redirection plugin vs. SEO plugin

Which should you choose? If you only need redirect management, start with the dedicated Redirection plugin. If your existing SEO plugin already supports the redirects you need, check whether using its built-in feature is more convenient. Avoid maintaining duplicate rules in multiple plugins because conflicting rules can cause unexpected behavior.

Method 3: Create a WordPress redirect without a plugin using .htaccess

If you want to redirect a URL without a plugin, you can add a rule to your .htaccess file on Apache-compatible hosting. This method gives you direct control, but it requires more care than using a dashboard.

Important: Back up your site and the existing .htaccess file before making any changes. A misplaced directive or incorrect rule can cause errors or make parts of your site inaccessible. If you’re unsure, use a staging site or ask your hosting provider for help.

This method applies to Apache configurations that support the relevant directives. LiteSpeed setups commonly support compatible .htaccess rules, but your hosting configuration still matters. Nginx uses a different server configuration syntax and does not read .htaccess files.

Example 1: Redirect one old URL to a new URL

Open the existing .htaccess file in your site’s document root. Add the following rule before WordPress’s standard rewrite block, unless your hosting configuration requires a different placement.

Redirect 301 /old-post/ https://example.com/new-post/

Replace example.com, /old-post/, and /new-post/ with your actual domain and paths.

This rule permanently redirects the old path to the new destination. The Apache Redirect directive comes from the mod_alias module. Check your hosting configuration if the rule doesn’t work as expected.

Example 2: Redirect an old domain to a new domain

For a domain migration, you may want to preserve the path of each page instead of sending every visitor to the same destination.

For example, a request to:

https://old-example.com/blogging-tips/

should lead to:

https://new-example.com/blogging-tips/

A common Apache approach uses a virtual-host configuration with mod_rewrite, particularly when you need to preserve paths and query strings. The exact configuration depends on your server, so use your hosting provider’s migration instructions rather than pasting an untested rule into a live site.

If your hosting setup supports the following rule in the relevant Apache configuration, it can redirect requests from the old host to the new host while preserving the requested path:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?old-example\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^ https://new-example.com%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]

Replace both domains with your own. This example assumes that the rule runs in an appropriate server or virtual-host context and that the new domain can serve the matching paths. Test it on a staging environment or with your host before deployment. If the old and new domains use different URL structures, create explicit URL mappings instead.

Example 3: Redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS

A secure WordPress site should use HTTPS consistently. Many hosting providers offer an SSL or HTTPS redirect setting, which is usually the safest starting point.

If you manage the Apache configuration yourself, an HTTP-to-HTTPS rule can look like this in a suitable virtual-host or rewrite context:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]

Use this only when your server correctly identifies whether the original request uses HTTPS. Sites behind a reverse proxy or CDN may require provider-specific configuration. Incorrect HTTPS rules can cause redirect loops, especially if the proxy and origin server disagree about the connection’s security.

After saving your changes, test the homepage, an internal article, and any important landing pages. If the site returns a server error, restore your backup and contact your host.

Best for: Users comfortable with server configuration and sites hosted on compatible Apache or LiteSpeed environments.

Method 4: Create a redirect through cPanel

If your host provides cPanel, its Redirects interface may offer a simpler alternative to manually editing .htaccess.

Step 1: Open cPanel

Sign in to your hosting account and launch cPanel. Look for Domains > Redirects or the Redirects tool. Menu labels can vary between cPanel versions and hosting providers.

Step 2: Choose the redirect type

Select Permanent (301) if the URL has moved permanently. Choose a temporary redirect only when the move is genuinely temporary.

Step 3: Enter the old URL

Choose the relevant domain and enter the path of the old page. Depending on the interface, you may need to select a specific directory or enter only the path after the domain.

Step 4: Enter the destination

Provide the complete destination URL, including https://. If the interface offers a wildcard option, leave it disabled for a single-page redirect unless you intentionally need to redirect a matching set of paths.

Step 5: Save and verify

Create the redirect and test the old URL. Confirm that it sends visitors to the correct destination and returns the expected status code.

Keep in mind that cPanel often creates server-level rules behind the scenes. If you already have redirects in .htaccess or a plugin, check for duplicate or conflicting rules.

Best for: Site owners whose hosting accounts include cPanel and who prefer a graphical interface.

Does WordPress automatically redirect changed URLs?

WordPress may automatically redirect certain changed post URLs in some situations. However, behavior depends on the content type, WordPress version, permalink settings, and plugins.

Don’t assume that changing a slug always creates a working redirect, especially for pages or custom post types. On a test site, change a post slug and request the old URL. Check the actual HTTP response and destination before relying on automatic behavior on your live site.

How to Test a WordPress Redirect

Creating a redirect is only half the job. You also need to confirm that it sends visitors to the right page and uses the correct HTTP status code.

A redirect can look fine in your browser while still pointing to the wrong destination or passing through several unnecessary URLs. Follow these checks after creating any important redirect.

1. Open the old URL

Enter the old URL directly into your browser’s address bar. Confirm that it takes you to the intended new page.

Check the page content, not just the address bar. If you redirected an old tutorial to an updated guide, make sure the new article actually covers the original topic.

2. Check the HTTP status code

Use a reputable online redirect checker or inspect the request in your browser’s developer tools.

For a permanent redirect, you generally want to see:

• 301 Moved Permanently: The old URL redirects permanently.
• 200 OK: The final destination loads successfully.

A temporary redirect may return 302 or 307, depending on how you configured it. Don’t assume a redirect is correct just because the browser eventually displays the new page.

3. Check for extra redirects

Suppose you changed your article URL twice. The old URL might lead to the first replacement, which then redirects to the current page.

That creates a redirect chain:

Old URL → Previous URL → Current URL

Whenever possible, update the rule so the old URL goes directly to the current destination. Fewer hops make the setup easier to maintain and reduce unnecessary requests.

4. Test in a private browser window

Open the old URL in an incognito or private window. This helps you identify issues caused by browser cache or cookies.

If the redirect still behaves unexpectedly, clear the relevant cache and test again. Remember that caching can also happen at your WordPress caching plugin, hosting provider, or CDN.

5. Inspect the URL in Google Search Console

Open Google Search Console and use URL Inspection to check the old and new URLs.

This can help you understand how Google sees each page and whether the destination is available for indexing. After a significant URL change, you can request indexing of the new URL.

A request does not guarantee immediate crawling or indexing. Google needs time to process the change.

Testing checklist

• The old URL opens without an unexpected error.
• The old URL returns the intended redirect status.
• The destination returns a successful response.
• The redirect leads to relevant content.
• No unnecessary redirect chain or loop exists.
• Important internal links point directly to the new URL.

You can also use a Google Analytics plugin to monitor website traffic and identify changes in visits after updating important URLs.

Common WordPress Redirect Mistakes

Even a simple redirect can create problems if you configure it incorrectly. Watch out for these five mistakes.

1. Creating redirect chains

If URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C, visitors and search engines must follow extra steps.

Whenever you can, update the original rule so URL A points directly to URL C. Also update internal links to use the final destination.

2. Sending every broken URL to the homepage

Redirecting all deleted posts to your homepage may seem like a quick way to avoid 404 errors, but it often gives visitors an irrelevant result.

Redirect an old article to a genuinely related replacement. If no suitable replacement exists, leaving the URL as a 404 or returning a 410 for permanently removed content may be the better choice.

If you need help identifying broken URLs, read our guide to WordPress 404 errors.

3. Using a 302 instead of a 301

A 302 indicates a temporary move, while a 301 indicates a permanent move. Choose the status code that matches your actual intention.

You don’t need to replace every 302 with a 301. A temporary campaign or short-term change may need a temporary redirect.

4. Editing .htaccess without a backup

One incorrect character can break a rule or cause unexpected behavior. Save a copy of the original file before editing it, and test changes carefully.

If you lose access to your site after changing the file, restore the backup through your hosting File Manager or ask your hosting provider for help.

5. Forgetting internal links

A redirect can preserve access to an old URL, but it doesn’t mean you should leave outdated links across your website.

Update links in your navigation, older posts, resource pages, and important landing pages. This reduces unnecessary redirect hops and keeps your site’s structure consistent.

How to Fix a WordPress Redirect Loop

A WordPress redirect loop occurs when URLs keep sending visitors back and forth instead of loading a page. Your browser may display a message such as “ERRTOOMANY_REDIRECTS.”

This often happens when two redirect rules conflict, or when WordPress, your hosting server, and a CDN disagree about the correct URL or HTTPS status.

Try the following steps in order.

Step 1: Clear your browser cache and cookies

Open the affected URL in a private window. If it works there, clear the relevant browser cache and cookies before testing again.

If the error remains, continue to the next step.

Step 2: Review your redirect rules

Open your redirect plugin or SEO plugin’s redirect manager. Look for rules that send the destination back to the original URL.

For example:

/old-post/ → /new-post/

/new-post/ → /old-post/

These rules create a loop. Correct or remove the conflicting rule, then test both URLs.

Step 3: Check HTTPS and CDN settings

If you recently enabled SSL, changed your hosting provider, or configured Cloudflare or another CDN, review the HTTPS settings at each layer.

Your origin server and proxy should agree on how to handle secure requests. Don’t add another HTTPS redirect rule until you understand which existing rule causes the problem.

Step 4: Check your WordPress URL settings

If you can access the dashboard, open Settings > General and compare the WordPress Address and Site Address.

Both should use the intended domain and protocol. For most standard sites, that means HTTPS and a consistent choice between the www and non-www versions.

Don’t change these settings casually because an incorrect value can make the dashboard inaccessible.

Step 5: Investigate server rules safely

Back up .htaccess before changing anything. Review custom redirects and HTTPS rules, then disable or correct only the rules you have identified as problematic.

If you cannot identify the cause, contact your host or test the configuration on a staging site. Resetting the entire file without understanding its contents can remove necessary hosting or WordPress rules.

Step 6: Review plugin conflicts

If the problem started after activating or updating a redirect plugin, investigate that plugin first.

If necessary, use your hosting File Manager to temporarily disable the relevant plugin by renaming its directory. Do this only if you understand the implications, and restore the original name after testing.

Important: Don’t disable every plugin or change multiple server settings at once. Make one controlled change, test the result, and keep a record of what you changed.

Final Thoughts: Set Up Your WordPress Redirects the Right Way

A good redirect keeps visitors from hitting dead ends and helps search engines understand where your content has moved. For most beginners, the Redirection plugin is a sensible starting point. If you prefer server-level control, .htaccess and cPanel offer alternatives when your hosting supports them.

Start by listing your old URLs and matching each one to the most relevant destination. Create the redirects, test their status codes, and update your internal links. A few careful checks now can save you from broken links, confusing redirect chains, and avoidable SEO problems later.

If you’re still planning your site, read our WordPress vs. Blogger guide to understand your options before migrating.