WordPress Permalinks Not Working: 3 Easy Ways to Fix Them

Permalinks in WordPress are the web addresses (URLs) for your posts, pages, and other content. People click on these to visit a specific part of your website. For example, if someone wants to go to the About Us page, the permalink may look like this: yourwebsite.com/about-us. These links are important because they stay the same, making it easy for visitors and search engines to find your content.

Good permalinks are essential for both navigation and SEO. A clear and simple URL helps search engines understand your page, which can improve your rankings. For visitors, clean permalinks make your site easier to browse and look more professional. Imagine visiting a site and seeing a confusing link like yourwebsite.com/?p=123. It’s not very inviting, right? That’s why permalinks should be user-friendly and consistent.

But sometimes you may find WordPress permalinks not working. You may click on a link and get an error like 404 Page Not Found. This can be frustrating for both you and your visitors. It can also hurt your site’s reputation and SEO if search engines can’t access your pages. So, fixing this problem quickly is important to keep your website accessible to everyone.

In this guide, we look at how to fix broken permalinks in WordPress step by step and the common causes behind this problem.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Permalinks in WordPress are important for making your site user-friendly and improving SEO.
• Broken permalinks can cause 404 Page Not Found errors and hurt your WordPress site’s traffic and rankings.
• Resetting the permalink settings is a quick and simple fix for many permalink issues.
• Replace or regenerate the .htaccess file to resolve problems caused by file corruption or accidental changes.
• Disabling all plugins and reactivating them individually can help you identify and fix conflicts affecting permalinks.
• Updates to WordPress core, themes, or plugins can sometimes disrupt permalinks, so always back up your site before updating.
• Migrating your site to a new domain or server requires updating URLs and resetting permalinks to avoid broken links.
• Always use reputable plugins and regularly update them to prevent conflicts with your permalink structure.
• Regular backups are essential to recover from any permalink issues quickly and safely.
• Fixing permalink issues and learning how to update permalinks in WordPress ensures your site stays accessible, professional, and easy to navigate for users and search engines.

Effective Methods To Fix WordPress Permalinks Not Working

If you find WordPress permalinks not working, you can fix this issue in the following ways:

1. Reset Permalinks WordPress

2. Replace .htaccess File

3. Deactivate WordPress Plugins.

Let’s start with the first and then continue with the other two approaches.

Reset WordPress Permalinks Settings

If your WordPress Permalinks aren’t working, one of the easiest methods to resolve the issue is to reset permalink settings. This process refreshes the URL structure of your WordPress website and can solve many common problems like broken links or 404 Page Not Found errors.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to update permalinks WordPress settings:

First, sign in to your WordPress admin area. In the left-hand menu, look for Settings and click Permalinks. This will take you to the page where you can adjust your permalink structure.

On the Permalinks page, you’ll see several options like Plain, Day and Name, Post Name, and more. Take note of your current setting (e.g., Post Name).

Now, temporarily select a different permalink structure. For example, if using Post Name, switch to Plain or choose another option. Next, scroll down and click Save Changes. This step tells WordPress to reset the URL structure.

After that, return and re-select your original permalink structure (e.g., Post Name in our example) and click Save Changes again. This double-save action refreshes your permalinks entirely.

After resetting the permalinks, test a few pages or posts on your site to ensure everything works properly. If you still see errors, the issue may require further troubleshooting.

Replace .htaccess File

If resetting your permalinks doesn’t fix the issue, the problem may be with your .htaccess file. This file is crucial in managing how your WordPress site handles URLs. However, if it’s missing or has incorrect rules, your permalinks will not function properly.

Additionally, it can get corrupted or accidentally modified; this may also lead to WordPress Permalinks not working issue. In this case, replacing the .htaccess file can help resolve this issue.

Here’s how you can locate and replace your .htaccess file step by step:

First, you need access to your site’s files to work with the .htaccess file. To do this use an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla) or the File Manager in your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel). For this tutorial, we use the Hosted® control panel; however, if you wish to use FileZilla, you can refer to the following guide to connect to your WordPress website:

How To Configure A Site In FileZilla

Login to the Hosted® control panel (cPanel) and go to Files → File Manager. If you’re new to Hosted® you can refer to the following guide to see how to login to the Hosted cPanel:

How To Login To cPanel

Next, look for the public_html, a root folder of your WordPress installation. Inside this root folder, look for a file named .htaccess.

Important: If you don’t see the .htaccess file, ensure hidden files are visible. In cPanel File Manager, click Settings (in the top-right corner) and enable Show Hidden Files (dotfiles). If using FileZilla, choose Force showing hidden files under the Server menu.

Before making any modifications, create a backup of your current .htaccess file. To do this, right-click on the file and choose Download to save a copy on your PC. This ensures you can restore the original file if needed.

Now, you can replace it with a default version. To do this, right-click on your .htaccess file and choose Edit. This will open it in the cPanel’s built-in editor.

Write the following default .htaccess content and click Save Changes to save the file:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c> 
RewriteEngine On 
RewriteBase / 
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L] 
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f 
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d 
RewriteRule . /index.php [L] 
</IfModule> 
# END WordPress

Important: If you’re editing the .htaccess file locally, upload it to your root folder to replace the existing file.

After replacing the file, return to your WordPress Admin Dashboard and reset your permalinks (as described earlier) by navigating to Settings → Permalinks and clicking Save Changes.

Then, check your WordPress website’s links to ensure everything works correctly.

If the issue persists, there may be another cause, such as a plugin conflict, which you can troubleshoot further.

Disable WordPress Plugins

Plugins are powerful tools that add useful functionality to your WordPress site, but sometimes, they can cause conflicts, especially with permalinks. A plugin may interfere with your site’s URL structure or even modify critical files like .htaccess. If you’re facing the WordPress Permalinks not working issue then disabling plugins is a great way to identify the problem. Here’s how to do it step by step:

Go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Installed Plugins. Here, you’ll see a list of all currently active plugins on your site.

To check if a plugin is causing the issue, disable all of them. You can do this by selecting all plugins using the checkbox at the top, choosing Deactivate from the dropdown menu, and clicking Apply. Don’t worry – disabling plugins won’t delete them or your data. It simply turns off their functionality temporarily.

After deactivating all plugins, check if your permalinks are working again. Visit a few pages or posts on your WordPress site to see if the error is resolved. If the WordPress Permalinks not working issue is fixed, you’ve confirmed that one or more plugins are causing the problem.

To pinpoint the plugin(s) causing the conflict, reactivate them individually. To do this:

Return to Plugins → Installed Plugins. Activate the first plugin on the list. Next, check your permalinks to see if they’re still working. Repeat the process with the next plugin. This step-by-step approach helps you identify the exact plugin responsible for the issue.

Once you find the problematic or incompatible WordPress plugin, you have a few options:

Check for Updates: Sometimes, simply updating the plugin can fix compatibility issues.

Contact the Developer: Reach out to the plugin’s support team to report the issue. Many developers are quick to provide fixes.

Find an Alternative Plugin: If the plugin is outdated or unsupported, consider replacing it with a similar one that’s actively maintained.

After that, the WordPress permalinks not working problem should be resolved.

Why Are My WordPress Permalinks Not Working

WordPress permalinks not working can happen for several reasons. Knowing what causes these problems can help you fix them quickly and prevent them from happening again. Here are the most common reasons and how they impact your site:

Installing New Plugins

Plugins are great for adding features to your website, but sometimes they can interfere with your WordPress Permalinks. For example, a plugin may add custom rules to your .htaccess file or change how URLs are structured.

If a plugin is poorly coded or incompatible with your WordPress version, it can create conflicts with other themes or plugins, leading to broken permalinks. Avoid this by always using reputable plugins with good reviews and regular updates. Moreover, check if a plugin is compatible with your WordPress version before installing it.

Updates

Updating WordPress core, themes, or plugins is essential for security and performance. However, these updates can sometimes disrupt your permalink settings. For example, a major WordPress update may introduce changes that require your plugins or themes to adapt.

Avoid issues by updating WordPress, themes, and plugins regularly, but do this carefully. Create a backup of your site before making any updates so you can restore it if something goes wrong.

Migrating WordPress to a New Server or Domain

Moving a WordPress website to another domain or server can cause permalink problems. This happens because URLs and file paths may need to be updated during migration. If these changes are not made correctly, your permalinks may break.

To ensure your permalinks work after migration:

1. Update the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) in your WordPress settings.
2. Regenerate the .htaccess file by resetting permalinks in Settings → Permalinks
3. Check your database to ensure all old domain references are updated to the new domain.

Changes in .htaccess File

The .htaccess file is a critical part of how WordPress handles URLs. It contains rules that direct web traffic and make your permalinks work properly. If the .htaccess file is accidentally modified or deleted, it can cause errors like 404 Page Not Found.

Plugins, manual edits, or server configurations can also change this file. To fix it, you can replace the .htaccess file with a default version or regenerate it to reset permalinks in WordPress. Always be careful when editing this file, as mistakes can cause your site to stop working.

Restoring WordPress Backup

Restoring a backup is helpful when something goes wrong with your WordPress site. However, this can also lead to broken permalinks. This happens if the backup doesn’t include the latest changes to your permalink settings or .htaccess file. To prevent this, follow these best practices:

• Regularly back up your site, including your WordPress database and files.
• Use a reliable backup plugin (like UpdraftPlus and Duplicator) or a WordPress hosting service that restores specific parts of your site separately, like the database or .htaccess file.
• After restoring a backup, check your permalinks and reset them if needed.

By understanding these common causes of WordPress Permalinks not working issue, you can take steps to prevent them and keep your WordPress site running smoothly. Whether choosing the right plugins, updating carefully, or handling migrations properly, these small actions make a big difference.

FAQS

How do I know if my permalinks are broken? 

You’ll know your permalinks are broken if clicking on links leads to errors like 404 Page Not Found or when pages that previously worked no longer load correctly. Additionally, tools like Google Search Console may alert you to issues with your URLs. Test your links regularly to ensure they work as expected. 

What happens if I don’t fix broken WordPress permalinks? 

Ignoring broken WordPress permalinks can harm your website in several ways. Visitors may leave your site if they encounter errors, leading to a poor user experience. Additionally, search engines may struggle to index your content; this results in lower rankings and reduced traffic. However, fixing permalinks quickly helps maintain your site’s reputation and functionality. 

What is the default WordPress permalinks structure, and should I change it? 

The default WordPress permalinks structure is Plain, which creates URLs like yourwebsite.com/?p=123. While this works, it’s not ideal for SEO or user experience. Rather switch to a structure like Post Name (yourwebsite.com/sample-post) or a custom structure that matches your WordPress site’s needs. You can change this in Settings → Permalinks. 

What’s the best permalink structure for SEO? 

The Post Name structure (yourwebsite.com/post-title) is considered the best for SEO. It’s short, descriptive, and helps search engines understand your content. Avoid structures that use plain query strings, as they are less user-friendly and don’t provide any SEO benefits. 

What is a redirect, and why is it important for permalinks? 

A redirect automatically sends visitors from an old URL to a new one. For example, if you change a permalink from yourwebsite.com/old-post to yourwebsite.com/new-post, a redirect ensures visitors are taken to the correct page. Additionally, redirects are important for maintaining SEO rankings and avoiding 404 Page Not Found errors when URLs are updated. 

Other Tutorials of Interest

– How to Reinstall WordPress: Troubleshooting Guide

– How to Create an FTP Account A Step-by-Step Guide

– WordPress Admin Dashboard Tips for Accessing and Using WP Admin

– How to Update WordPress Plugins: A Step-by-Step Guide

– How To Configure WordPress Error Logs: Identify & Fix Issues