Imagine walking through a set of doors where each door just leads to another door and you end up going in circles. That’s what happens with the “too many redirects” error on a WordPress website.
Your website keeps sending users back and forth between different pages but never gets to the actual page they want to visit. After a while, visitors who can’t access the information they want will get frustrated and leave your website. This, in turn, leads to lost traffic, engagement and sales.
With that in mind, we’ll cover what the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS message is, why it happens and what steps you can take to solve it.
What does “too many redirects” mean?
Basically, “too many redirects” means your website is stuck in a loop of sending visitors from one page to another and can’t settle on the page they’re supposed to see. After a while, your browser realizes something’s wrong, gives up and shows them an error message saying there are “too many redirects.”
What causes the “too many redirects” error in WordPress?
There are many common causes of the “too many redirects” error in WordPress. Let’s explore some of the top reasons this message might appear:
Plugin misconfiguration issues
If you install plugins that conflict with one another, it could cause your website to keep redirecting. For example, let’s say you install two plugins on your WordPress site: an SEO plugin and a security plugin.
Here’s how these two plugins might interact and conflict:
- SEO plugin: It’s designed to manage your website’s search engine optimization. But part of its functionality is to ensure that all your site’s URLs are consistent. So it redirects all non-www URLs to www URLs (or vice versa).
- Security plugin: It’s meant to secure your website. Among its features is a setting that forces all traffic to use HTTPS instead of HTTP and redirects all HTTP requests to HTTPS.
Now let’s assume both plugins try to modify the same URL. The SEO plugin redirects http://example.com to http://www.example.com, while the security plugin redirects http://www.example.com to https://www.example.com.
Due to a misconfiguration, however, the SEO plugin also tries to redirect HTTPS back to HTTP for certain URL formats, creating a loop. As a result, the visitor’s browser gets stuck bouncing between http://www.example.com and https://www.example.com, which results in a “too many redirects” error.
Other plugins that might cause this error message if not properly configured include:
- Caching plugins: These are designed to speed up your website by caching content; however, misconfiguration or conflicts with other plugins or themes can cause redirection issues.
- Redirection plugins: They manage redirects and can easily cause loops if two or more redirects conflict or aren’t set up correctly.
- SSL plugins: Plugins that force your website to use HTTPS can cause redirect loops if you haven’t properly configured your server or WordPress settings to handle HTTPS connections.
.htaccess file errors
The .htaccess file is like a traffic cop for your website: It directs visitors where they should go. It’s pretty sensitive, though. Even small mistakes can lead to issues like the “too many redirects” error.
For example, suppose you manually edit the .htaccess file and make syntax errors like typos or incorrect commands. In that case, the errors you introduced could corrupt the file and cause the entire web server to behave unexpectedly.
In addition, some WordPress plugins or themes may automatically make changes to the .htaccess file, which can alter how your website functions. If these plugins or themes aren’t properly coded or conflict with other plugins or server settings, they could create erroneous or conflicting rules that lead to a “too many redirects” error.
Mismatched URLs
WordPress has two main settings for your website’s address: the WordPress Address and the Site Address. If these don’t match or aren’t set up right, WordPress might keep trying to switch between the two, causing the redirect error message.
SSL configuration problems
SSL certificates help keep your website secure. But if there’s a problem in how they’ve been installed, like using both secure (HTTPS) and non-secure (HTTP) addresses, the result could be endless redirecting.
Content delivery network issues
A content delivery network (CDN) helps your website load quickly. If it’s not calibrated correctly, however, it could cause redirect issues. For example, a “too many redirects” error message might appear if your CDN tries to serve a version of your website that doesn’t match your current settings.
How to fix the “too many redirects” error in WordPress
The “too many redirects” WordPress error can be frustrating and affect your website’s reputation. Don’t worry, though. There are some practical ways to resolve this issue.
1. Force refresh the page in your browser
Sometimes your browser holds on to outdated information that it shouldn’t. Forcing a refresh tells your browser to ignore the stored (cached) version of your site and load the newest version from the WordPress site.
Here’s how to force refresh a page on different browsers:
- Chrome on Windows: Ctrl + F5
- Chrome on Mac: Command + Shift + R
- Firefox on Windows: Ctrl + F5
- Firefox on Mac: Command + Shift + R
- Microsoft Edge: Ctrl + F5
- Safari: Command + Option + R
2. Clear your browser cookies and cache
Occasionally, old data stored in your browser can cause the “too many redirects” error message. A simple fix is to clear the cookies and cache in your web browser.
Let’s look at how to clear your browser cache (we’ll use Google Chrome for this example).
On Chrome, click the three dots at the top right corner of the window, then select Clear browsing data.
A popup box will appear.
Choose how much data you’d like to erase (expressed as a time range) and check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
After that, click Clear data.
Alternatively, you can clear your WordPress cache with a free caching plugin like WP Super Cache. After deleting the cache data, try accessing your website to see if it’s back to functioning properly.
3. Check your WordPress URL settings
If clearing your cookies and cache doesn’t do the trick, go to your WordPress site and check if your WordPress Address and Site Address match. If they don’t, that mismatch might be what’s causing the redirect issues.
To check this, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Settings, then General.
Ensure the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are the same. If they aren’t, correct them and then click Save Changes.
4. Deactivate your WordPress plugins temporarily
Plugins are an integral part of the WordPress ecosystem. They help you extend your website’s functionality without modifying the core code.
As we explained earlier, though, plugins can sometimes conflict (especially when one is misconfigured) and cause the redirect error message.
As a result, you may have to deactivate all your plugins temporarily to figure out which is causing the problem.
To deactivate your plugins, go to your WordPress admin dashboard and click on Plugins; then click on the top check box to select all the plugins and choose Deactivate. Now press Apply.
If your WordPress site returns to normal after deactivating the plugins, it means that one of them is causing the issue. Reactivate them one by one until your WordPress site delivers another “too many redirects” message. Voila! You’ve found the culprit
If the issue isn’t the plugins, it may be the theme. Try switching to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four to see if your current theme is causing the problem.
5. Reset your WordPress permalinks
A WordPress permalink is simply the web address used to link to the content on your website. Other people use the URL to visit a specific post, page or other content on your WordPress site.
The “permalink” part implies that it’s a permanent link, meaning you shouldn’t change it because other websites and users will use it to find your content.
If the permalink settings in your WordPress website aren’t configured correctly or don’t match the configuration on your web server, it can result in a redirection loop.
Resetting the permalinks refreshes these settings, which can clear out any misconfigurations or errors causing the redirects issue.
To reset your permalinks, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Settings, then Permalinks.
Choose a different permalink structure, save it, then revert to your original structure and save it again.
6. Check your SSL settings
Misconfigured SSL settings can also cause redirect issues. For example, if you force HTTPS on your WordPress site without setting up an SSL certificate or fail to install the SSL certificate correctly, you could get the “too many redirects” error.
To prevent that from happening, make sure to install your SSL certificate correctly and that the change to HTTPS is reflected in your website’s URL settings (in Settings > General).
7. Turn off your CDN temporarily
The “too many redirects” error message can also be related to your CDN settings. A CDN like Cloudflare helps deliver your website’s content to users more quickly. However, if it’s not configured correctly, it can cause redirect issues.
Here’s how to check if your CDN is causing the error:
- Temporarily disable your CDN. This option is usually available in your CDN’s dashboard.
- After turning it off, try accessing your website.
- If your website works fine with the CDN turned off, the issue might be with the CDN’s settings. Look specifically for settings related to URL redirects or SSL/TLS. These are often the culprits.
- Make sure your CDN’s SSL settings match your website’s settings. For example, if your website is on HTTPS, your CDN should also be configured to use HTTPS.
8. Check for manual redirects in your code
If you manually added redirect rules to your website’s files, they might be causing the error message.
Check the wp-config.php file and your theme’s functions.php file for any redirect rules or functions that might be causing the problem.
To access these files, go to your hosting provider’s control panel (we’ll be using Bluehost) and click on File Manager. Then, open your WordPress files folder to access the wp-config.php to check for any redirect rules that could be causing the issue.
Also, access your theme’s functions.php file (which you can find in your wp_content folder) and check for the same.
9. Reset your .htaccess file
As we mentioned earlier, the .htaccess file is sensitive, and even the small mistakes in it can lead to issues. If the rules in this file get messed up, it can send visitors in circles by creating too many redirects.
If you’ve attempted all the other solutions we’ve discussed but still get the same redirects error, you might have to reset this file manually.
To do so, connect to your website using an FTP client or the File Manager in your hosting account’s control panel. Then, locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress files folder.
Note: Before you do anything to the .htaccess file, download it to your computer so that if anything goes wrong you can upload it and return to where you started.
Now rename the file to something like .htaccess_old and return to your WordPress admin area. Click on Settings, then Permalinks and hit Save Changes (you don’t have to change anything).
This will generate a new .htaccess file.
If the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS issue was due to a problem with this file, it should be fixed now.
10. Increase WordPress memory limit
Once in a while, a “too many redirects” error occurs when your website tries to do more than your web server can handle. To prevent that, you need to increase your WordPress memory limit.
Here’s how to do that: Connect to your website using an FTP client or the File Manager in your hosting account’s control panel and find the wp-config.php file.
Press Edit, then add the following code: define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’).
This code increases the memory limit to 256 MB, which should be enough for most WordPress websites.
11. Contact your hosting provider
If the fixes above haven’t solved your redirects problem, you may have to contact your hosting provider. Sometimes the problem is with the server itself, or you might be unaware of specific configurations for your hosting environment.
How to prevent the “too many redirects” error in WordPress
The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. So let’s go over some techniques you can use to avoid the frustrating “too many redirects” error from occurring and ensure your WordPress site keeps running smoothly.
Invest in a good hosting provider
Your hosting service plays a big part in your website’s health. Therefore, choose a hosting provider known for good performance and excellent customer support. If anything goes wrong, you want to be sure you have an expert team ready to help you out.
A web hosting provider like Bluehost offers fast, reliable and secure hosting. Bluehost even gives you a free domain name for one year after signing up.
Use themes and plugins from trustworthy sources
The best plugins have high reviews, lots of active installations and a recent “Last Updated” date.
WordPress core is also regularly updated to improve performance and enhance security. As a result, an outdated theme or plugin may be incompatible with the latest version and not function as intended. This could lead to errors or conflicts, including redirect problems.
To prevent that from happening, take care to install regularly updated plugins, as updates often fix bugs that could cause redirect issues.
You can also turn on auto-updates for your themes and plugins.
Here’s how to turn on auto-updates for plugins:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Select all the plugins by checking the Plugin box.
- On the Bulk actions drop-down menu, click on Enable auto-updates.
Here’s how to do it for themes:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
- Click on a theme thumbnail on the Appearance screen, then click on the Enable auto-updates action link.
Set up redirect rules properly
If you need to set up redirects, make sure you do so correctly. Redirects are like road signs on your website that guide browsers. But if you set them up incorrectly, they can send your browser in circles, causing the redirect error.
Use a reliable plugin like 301 Redirects to help you set up redirects if you’re unsure how to configure them manually.
Back up your website regularly
Always ensure you have a recent backup of your website. That way if something goes wrong, you can restore your website to a previous version before the issue started.
Think of it like having a spare tire in your car — you hope you don’t need it but it’s a lifesaver if you do.
Final thoughts: How to fix the “too many redirects” error in WordPress in 2024
While not overly complicated, dealing with the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS message in WordPress can be annoying and time-consuming. Lucky for you, Bluehost has a team of experts available 24/7 to help you with redirection errors and other common issues you may face while building your website.
We offer WordPress hosting plans with features like round-the-clock support, top-notch security and faster site speeds. Contact us today to learn how we can help support the growth of your WordPress site.
