WordPress .htaccess File – How to Use & Edit 

Your WordPress site is running smoothly, pages load fast, URLs are clean and security is tight. But then, something breaks—maybe your permalinks stop working or a redirect goes haywire. Suddenly, you’re scrambling for a fix. 

That’s where the WordPress .htaccess file comes in. It’s a small but powerful configuration file that controls how your website interacts with the server. From setting up redirects to enhancing security and improving performance, this hidden file does a lot behind the scenes. 

But how does it work? Where can you find it? And how can you edit it safely without crashing your site? Let’s break it down and explore how the WordPress .htaccess file can give you more control over your website. 

How to find and access the .htaccess file in WordPress 

The WordPress .htaccess file is located in your site’s root directory, within your hosting account, but it’s often hidden by default. To edit or modify it, you need access to your website’s files through cPanel, an FTP client or a security plugin. Here’s how you can find and access it. 

Using cPanel file manager 

If your hosting provider offers cPanel, this is one of the easiest ways to locate and edit the WordPress .htaccess file.  Many hosting services provide a user-friendly cPanel that allows direct access to your website files. If you use Bluehost hosting services, you can: 

1. Log in to your Bluehost (or other hosting provider) account and open cPanel. 
2. Navigate to File Manager and go to the public_html directory. 

3. Look for the .htaccess file. If you don’t see it, enable Show Hidden Files in the settings.  

4. Once located, right-click the file and select Edit to make changes. 

Using an FTP client like FileZilla 

For those who prefer more control, an FTP client like FileZilla allows direct access to the WordPress .htaccess file. Follow the underlying steps: 

1. Download and install FileZilla and connect to your website using FTP credentials. 
2. Navigate to the public_html directory or the folder where WordPress is installed. 
3. Locate the .htaccess file. If you can’t find it, make sure hidden files are visible. 
4. Download the file to your computer, edit it using a text editor and upload it back to the server. 

Using a WordPress security plugin 

If you’re not comfortable editing files manually, the htaccess file editor plugin can help manage WordPress .htaccess rules automatically. Plugins like All In One WP Security & Firewall or Wordfence allow you to modify .htaccess redirect WordPress settings without direct file access. 

Additionally, Bluehost offers built-in security tools that handle many .htaccess configurations for you, reducing the need for manual changes. These tools help with firewall rules, brute force protection and redirect settings, making security management easier for beginners. 

By using any of these methods, you can safely access and edit your WordPress .htaccess file to enhance your website’s performance and security. 

How to edit the .htaccess file safely 

The WordPress .htaccess file is powerful but editing it incorrectly can break your website. Whether you’re setting up .htaccess redirect WordPress rules or tweaking WordPress .htaccess rules for security, it’s crucial to make changes carefully in different places. Here’s how to do it the right way: 

Creating a backup before making changes 

Before editing .htaccess, always create a backup. This ensures you can restore the original file if something goes wrong. To create backup with Bluehost, follow the steps below: 

1. Using cPanel – Navigate to File Manager, find .htaccess and download a copy. 
2. Using FTP – Connect via FileZilla, locate the file in public_htmla and save it to your computer. 
3. Using a Plugin – Security plugins like All In One WP Security can create automatic backups of .htaccess before modifying it. 

Read more: How to Create a Manual Backup 

Editing .htaccess using cPanel 

Editing the .htaccess file using cPanel is a straightforward process.  This file is crucial for configuring various aspects of your website, such as redirects, security rules, caching, and URL rewriting. For those using Bluehost, editing .htaccess via cPanel is even simpler. Follow these steps: 

1. Log into cPanel and open File Manager. 
2. Go to the public_html folder and locate .htaccess. 
3. Right-click the file and choose Edit. 

4. Make your changes carefully, then click Save. 

Editing .htaccess via FTP 

If you prefer FTP, follow these steps: 

1. Open FileZilla and connect to your server. 
2. Navigate to the public_html directory. 
3. Download .htaccess and open it with a text editor like Notepad++. 
4. Edit the file, save changes and upload it back to your server. 

Using a WordPress plugin to modify .htaccess 

If you’re not comfortable with manual edits, WordPress plugins can modify .htaccess safely. 

• Yoast SEO helps manage redirects. 
• All In One WP Security & Firewall lets you apply security rules. 
• Redirection Plugin simplifies .htaccess redirect WordPress setups. 

Bluehost also includes built-in security tools that handle many WordPress .htaccess rules automatically, reducing the need for manual edits. 

By following these methods, you can safely modify .htaccess without risking your site’s stability. 

Common .htaccess tricks to improve your WordPress site 

The WordPress .htaccess file isn’t just for basic configuration—it’s a powerful tool that can enhance your website’s performance, security and SEO. By tweaking WordPress .htaccess rules and utilizing code snippets, you can set up redirects, enable caching, boost security and fix common errors.  

Here are some of the most useful .htaccess tricks to optimize your WordPress site. 

Redirecting URLs and setting up 301 redirects 

When you change a page’s URL or move content to a new domain name, set up 301 redirects. This ensures visitors (and search engines) find the correct page instead of landing on a 404 error. 

To set up a 301 redirect for your entire website in .htaccess, add this code: 

Redirect 301 /old-page.html (https://[yourwebsite].com/new-page.html) 
 

Replace “yourwebsite” with your domain name. 

For multiple redirects, you can use: 

RewriteEngine On 
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/old-page$ [NC] 
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://[yourwebsite].com/new-page/ [L,R=301] 
 

If you’re migrating your entire site, you can redirect everything to a new domain like this: 

RewriteEngine On 
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://[newdomain].com/$1 [R=301,L] 
 

Replace “newdomain” with your chosen domain name. 

Using .htaccess redirect WordPress rules properly helps maintain SEO rankings and ensures a seamless user experience. 

Improving website security with .htaccess 

The .htaccess file can block unauthorized access, prevent hotlinking and protect sensitive files. Here are some essential security tricks: 

1. Block access to wp-config.php (Your site’s most sensitive file) 

<Files wp-config.php> 
order allow,deny 
deny from all 
</Files> 
 

2. Disable directory browsing (Prevents hackers from viewing your files) Options -Indexes 
3.  Restrict admin access to specific IPs 

<Files wp-login.php> 
order deny,allow 
Deny from all 
Allow from XX.XX.XX.XX 
</Files> 
 

(Replace XX.XX.XX.XX with your IP address.) 

Using these WordPress .htaccess rules can significantly strengthen your site’s security. 

Optimizing website performance with caching rules 

Caching helps reduce server load and speeds up your website. You can enable browser caching by adding this to .htaccess: 

<IfModule mod_expires.c> 
ExpiresActive On 
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 year" 
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year" 
ExpiresByType image/gif "access plus 1 year" 
ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year" 
ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 month" 
ExpiresByType text/javascript "access plus 1 month" 
ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 1 month" 
ExpiresByType text/html "access plus 1 hour" 
</IfModule> 
 

This forces browsers to store static files (like images and CSS) for a set period, reducing load times for returning visitors. 

Enabling GZIP compression to speed up loading time 

GZIP compression reduces file sizes, allowing your website to load faster, including various types of files. You can enable it by adding this code to .htaccess: 

<IfModule mod_deflate.c> 
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml text/css text/javascript application/javascript 
</IfModule> 
 

This compresses HTML, CSS and JavaScript files before they are sent to the browser, improving page speed and performance. 

Fixing permalinks and common WordPress errors 

Sometimes, WordPress permalinks stop working, leading to 404 errors on all pages. Resetting .htaccess can fix this issue. Add the default WordPress .htaccess rules: 

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

This helps restore broken permalinks and resolves common issues with URLs. 

By leveraging these .htaccess tricks, you can improve your site’s speed, security and overall performance. Whether you’re setting up .htaccess redirect WordPress rules or optimizing caching, these tweaks give you greater control over your WordPress website. 

How to create a new .htaccess file if it’s missing 

If your WordPress .htaccess file is missing, your site may face issues like broken permalinks, redirect errors or security vulnerabilities. Fortunately, regenerating or manually creating a new .htaccess file is straightforward. 

Using WordPress settings to regenerate .htaccess 

WordPress can automatically generate a new .htaccess file through its settings as a file name. Here’s how to do it: 

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard. 
2. Navigate to Settings > Permalinks. 
3. Without changing anything, scroll down and click Save Changes. 

This forces WordPress to create a new .htaccess file in your root directory. If the issue persists, your server might have file permission restrictions—contact your hosting provider for assistance. 

Manually creating and uploading a new .htaccess file 

If WordPress fails to regenerate the file, you can create one manually: 

1. Open a text editor (Notepad or Notepad++). 
2. Copy and paste the default WordPress .htaccess code: 

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

3. Save the file as .htaccess (without a file extension). 
4. Upload it to the public_html directory using cPanel File Manager or FTP (FileZilla). 
5. Set file permissions to 644 to ensure WordPress can access it. 

After this, refresh your site and check if the missing file issue is resolved. 

Frequent .htaccess errors and how to fix them 

Since .htaccess directly affects how your website interacts with the server, misconfigurations can lead to serious errors. Here’s how to troubleshoot the most common issues. 

Internal server error (500 Error) and how to resolve it 

A 500 Internal server error usually means .htaccess has conflicting rules or incorrect syntax.  

To fix it: 

1. Rename .htaccess – Use cPanel File Manager or FTP to locate .htaccess in public_html. Rename it to .htaccess_old and check if your site loads. 
2. Regenerate .htaccess – If renaming the file works, create a new .htaccess using the steps above. 
3. Check for PHP Errors – Sometimes, a faulty plugin or theme can cause a 500 error. Try disabling plugins via wp-content/plugins to see if the issue is resolved. 

If you are a Bluehost user, our 24/7 support team can assist you in troubleshooting server-related issues instantly. 

Website redirect loops and incorrect rewrite rules 

If your website keeps redirecting users back to the same page (or to an error page), it’s likely due to incorrect .htaccess redirect WordPress rules. To fix this: 

1. Check your redirect rules in .htaccess. Look for multiple conflicting rules like: 

Redirect 301 / https://[yourwebsite].com/ 
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^yourwebsite.com [NC] 
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.[yourwebsite].com/$1 [L,R=301] 
 

If both exist, remove one to prevent conflicts. 

2. Disable plugin redirects – Plugins like Redirection or Yoast SEO might be causing unnecessary loops and ensure SSL is configured correctly and try disabling them and checking your site. 
3. Clear cache – If you’re using a caching plugin, clear the cache and refresh the page. 

Fixing WordPress login issues caused by .htaccess changes 

If .htaccess modifications prevent you from accessing your wp-admin page, try these fixes: 

1. Rename .htaccess – This disables any conflicting rules. If you regain access, regenerate the file as mentioned earlier. 
2. Disable security rules – If you’ve added restrictive access rules to wp-login.php, remove them and check if you can log in. 
3. Reset file permissions – Sometimes, incorrect file permissions block access. Ensure .htaccess is set to 644. 

By keeping a backup of your .htaccess file and making changes carefully, you can avoid most issues and maintain a stable WordPress site.  

Final thoughts 

The WordPress .htaccess file may be small, but it holds immense power. From redirects to security tweaks, it helps shape how your site behaves. A single line of code can fix errors, speed up performance or lock out threats. But with great power comes great responsibility—one wrong tweak can break your site. 

That’s why backups are your best friend. Always save a copy before making changes. If something goes wrong, don’t panic. Simply restore the file or regenerate it through WordPress. 

Need a hosting provider that makes .htaccess management easy? Bluehost offers cPanel tools, built-in security features and 24/7 support to help you navigate any WordPress challenge.  

Ready to take control? Explore Bluehost today. 

FAQs