How to create 301 redirects in WordPress

A 301 is an HTTP response that tells a client a resource has moved permanently. It is a server-side redirect, not an alternative to one. Use it when an old page has a permanent, relevant replacement, including a planned URL change. Google's redirect guidance explains how permanent redirects help it identify the destination as canonical.

Map the old URL to the right destination

List the old paths and their closest replacements. Keep a working URL when its subject has not changed. If a page is removed with no useful replacement, a genuine 404 or 410 can be more appropriate than redirecting everything to the homepage. A redirect should help someone who followed the old link reach the content they expected.

Set up redirects with a WordPress plugin

Use a maintained redirect-management tool compatible with your installation. Add an exact source path and its destination, select a permanent redirect, and test it while logged out. Check whether the tool matches query strings, trailing slashes or regular expressions before enabling broad rules. Back up the configuration first.

Creating a redirect in .htaccess

On a compatible Apache setup, a simple exact-path redirect can use Redirect 301 /old-page https://example.com/new-page. Replace both example paths with the actual mapping. Hosting configuration matters: ask your provider which mechanism applies if you use a different web server or managed redirect layer. Do not add several competing rules for the same source.

Test the response and the destination

• Confirm that the source returns a 301 or 308 and the intended destination returns 200.
• Check HTTP, HTTPS and slash variants for loops or unnecessary hops.
• Verify that campaign parameters survive when the destination needs them.
• Update internal links, canonical tags and the sitemap to use the final URL.
• Retest forms and application routes if the redirect pattern could match them.

Redirects during a hosting move

Changing hosting alone does not require renaming your pages. Preserve the domain and paths where possible and carry existing redirect rules to the destination. The hosting migration checklist covers the surrounding DNS and data checks. If you are moving to our WordPress hosting, include your old redirect list when arranging the migration.