WordPress Changed Permalink Now Links Not Working: A Comprehensive Guide
Have you recently changed your WordPress permalink structure and now find that your links are not working? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. This issue is quite common among WordPress users, and there are several reasons why it might happen. In this article, I will walk you through the possible causes and provide you with step-by-step solutions to fix the problem. Let’s dive in!
Understanding Permalinks
Before we proceed, let’s quickly go over what permalinks are. Permalinks are the URLs of your posts and pages. They are designed to be user-friendly and search engine-friendly. By default, WordPress uses a query string in the URL, which is not very appealing. Changing the permalink structure to something more readable and meaningful is a common practice.
Common Causes of the Problem
There are several reasons why your links might not work after changing the permalink structure. Here are some of the most common causes:
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Not Saving Changes | After changing the permalink structure, you must save the changes in the WordPress settings. If you forget to do this, your links will not update. |
| Incorrect Rewrite Rules | WordPress uses rewrite rules to generate permalinks. If these rules are incorrect, your links will not work. |
| Missing .htaccess File | The .htaccess file is crucial for permalinks to work correctly. If it’s missing or corrupted, your links will break. |
| Plugin Conflicts | Some plugins may interfere with the permalink structure, causing links to break. |
Step-by-Step Solutions
Now that we understand the possible causes, let’s move on to the solutions. Here’s a step-by-step guide to fix the problem:
Step 1: Check if Changes Were Saved
Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings > Permalinks, and make sure the changes you want to apply are selected. Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page. If you see a message saying “Permalinks updated,” you’re good to go.
Step 2: Verify .htaccess File
The .htaccess file is a critical component for permalinks to work. If it’s missing or corrupted, your links will break. To check the .htaccess file, follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Tools > File Editor.
- Locate the .htaccess file and open it.
- Check for any errors or missing rewrite rules.
- Save the file and close the editor.
Step 3: Reset Rewrite Rules
Resetting the rewrite rules can help fix the problem if the rules are incorrect. To do this, follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Tools > Database.
- Click on the “Run a query” button.
- Paste the following SQL query into the text box:
- UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = ” WHERE option_name = ‘rewrite_rules’;
- Click “Go” to execute the query.
- Go back to Settings > Permalinks and save the changes again.
Step 4: Disable Plugins
Disabling plugins can help identify if a plugin is causing the issue. To do this, follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Deactivate all plugins at once.
- Go to Settings > Permalinks and save the changes.
