How to Regenerate Your Permalinks in WordPress

Are you struggling with broken permalinks on your WordPress website? No worries, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of regenerating your permalinks, step by step.

First, we’ll show you how to reset the permalinks structure through the WordPress Dashboard. Simply navigate to Settings → Permalinks, choose an alternative structure, and then switch back to the standard one.

If that doesn’t fix the issue, we’ll guide you in disabling the most recently installed or updated plugin that might be causing the problem. We’ll also explain how to replace the .htaccess file or restore a backup as potential solutions.

And if you still need help, we’ll provide guidance on using an FTP client or reaching out to our Customer Success team.

Let’s get those permalinks regenerated in WordPress!

Resetting Permalinks Structure

To reset your permalinks structure in WordPress, follow these steps.

First, log in to your WordPress Dashboard and navigate to the ‘Settings’ menu. From there, click on ‘Permalinks’ to access the permalink settings.

In the permalink settings page, you’ll see different options for the structure of your permalinks. By default, WordPress uses the ‘Plain’ structure, but you can choose a different option like ‘Day and name’ or ‘Month and name’.

If you want to use a custom structure, you can enter it in the ‘Custom Structure’ field.

Once you’ve made your changes, click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to reset your permalinks. This will update the permalink structure for your WordPress site, ensuring that your URLs are working correctly.

Disabling Plugins

To disable plugins in WordPress, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Click on ‘Plugins’ in the left-hand menu.
3. Locate the plugin causing the broken permalinks and click ‘Deactivate’ underneath its name.
4. Refresh your website to see if the permalinks are now working correctly.

Disabling plugins can help identify if a specific plugin is causing issues with your custom permalinks. By deactivating the most recently installed or updated plugin, you can determine if it’s the culprit behind the broken permalinks. If disabling the plugin resolves the issue, you can consider either finding an alternative plugin or contacting the plugin’s developer for support.

Remember to save any changes you make, and if the problem persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting methods or seek further assistance.

Replacing .htaccess File

If you’re still experiencing broken permalinks in WordPress after trying other methods, you can resolve the issue by replacing the .htaccess file.

The .htaccess file is a configuration file that controls the server’s behavior for your website. It contains rules that determine how URLs are handled, including the structure and format of permalinks. When the .htaccess file is corrupted or contains incorrect rules, it can cause broken permalinks.

To replace the .htaccess file, you can access your website’s files using an FTP client like FileZilla. Locate the .htaccess file in the root directory of your WordPress installation and delete it.

Then, go to your WordPress Dashboard and navigate to Settings → Permalinks. Click on the Save Changes button to regenerate the .htaccess file with the default WordPress code.

This should fix any issues with broken permalinks and restore the correct permalink structure for your website.

Regenerate Custom Permalinks

To regenerate custom permalinks in WordPress, you can navigate to the Settings » Permalinks in the WordPress admin menu and save changes to rebuild and repair the permalink structure. This process can help fix broken links and resolve issues caused by changes or migrations.

Here are four important things to keep in mind when regenerating custom permalinks:

1. Choose the appropriate permalink structure: Select the permalink structure that best suits your website’s needs and preferences. WordPress offers various options, such as post name, numeric, or custom structures.
2. Save changes to rebuild the permalink structure: After selecting the desired permalink structure, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the ‘Save Changes’ button. This action will regenerate the permalinks and update the permalink structure accordingly.
3. Clear your browser cache: To ensure that the changes take effect, it’s recommended to clear your browser cache after regenerating the custom permalinks. This step helps prevent any caching issues that may interfere with the new permalink structure.
4. Test the permalinks: After regenerating the custom permalinks and clearing your browser cache, test the permalinks on your website to ensure that they’re working correctly. Click on various links to check if they redirect to the intended pages without any 404 errors or broken links.

How to Exclude Custom Permalinks

To exclude custom permalinks from the regeneration process in WordPress, you can specify which URLs shouldn’t be affected by selecting ‘Don’t auto-update Custom permalink’ in the Permalink update section of the URI Editor.

This feature allows you to exclude specific custom permalinks from being processed by the regeneration tool. By utilizing this option, you can ensure that the structure of your custom permalinks remains unchanged during the regeneration process.

This is particularly useful if you have certain URLs that you don’t want to be affected by the regeneration. By excluding these custom permalinks, you can prevent unintended changes and maintain their original structure.

This gives you greater control over your permalinks and allows for flexibility in managing them.

How to Automatically Update Single Permalinks

To maintain the original structure of your custom permalinks during the regeneration process in WordPress, you can automatically update single permalinks by utilizing the ‘Restore Default URI’ button or the Regenerate/reset tool in the Permalink Manager settings. These options provide a straightforward way to update individual permalinks without affecting the rest of your site’s URL structure.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Click on the ‘Restore Default URI’ button: This will reset the permalink for the specific post or page back to the default structure set in the Permalink Manager settings.
2. Use the Regenerate/reset tool in the Permalink Manager settings: This tool allows you to regenerate permalinks for single posts or pages, ensuring that they match the current settings.
3. Manually update the permalink using the URI editor: If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can edit the permalink directly in the URI editor and save the changes.
4. Enable auto-update in the Permalink Manager settings: This option automatically updates permalinks whenever changes are made to the post or page title.

How to Regenerate Native Slugs

To regenerate native slugs in WordPress, you can enable the ‘Regenerate native slugs’ option in the Permalink Manager settings. This option allows new native slugs to be created from post or term titles.

It’s important to note that once the native slugs are regenerated, the original slugs can’t be restored unless you have a database backup. Therefore, it’s recommended to backup the wp_posts and wp_terms tables before using the Native slugs mode.

The ‘Regenerate native slugs’ option can be found in the Mode option field in the Permalink Manager settings. By selecting this option, you can ensure that your permalinks are regenerated and any issues with broken permalinks are resolved.

Effective Steps to Resolve 404 Errors

To resolve 404 errors when regenerating permalinks in WordPress, you can follow these effective steps:

1. Reset the permalinks structure: Go to the WordPress Dashboard, navigate to Settings → Permalinks, and select an alternative structure. Then, change it back to the standard structure. This can often fix the broken permalinks causing the 404 errors.
2. Disable recently installed or updated plugins: If the issue started after installing or updating a plugin, try deactivating the most recent one. This can help identify if a specific plugin is causing the problem.
3. Replace the .htaccess file: Sometimes, the .htaccess file may get corrupted or misconfigured, leading to 404 errors. You can replace it with the default WordPress .htaccess code. This can be done by deleting the existing .htaccess file and saving the Permalinks settings again.
4. Restore from backup: If the broken permalinks occurred after a specific update, consider restoring a previous backup of your WordPress site. This can revert any changes that may have caused the 404 errors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Reset Permalinks?

To reset your permalinks in WordPress, go to Settings > Permalinks in the Dashboard. Change to a different structure, save, and then switch back to the original structure if needed.

How Do I Update All Permalinks in WordPress?

To update all permalinks in WordPress, go to Settings → Permalinks in the Dashboard. Select a different structure, then switch back to the desired one. This will regenerate all permalinks and ensure they are up to date.

How Do I Fix Permalink Issues in WordPress?

To fix permalink issues in WordPress, reset the permalinks structure in the Dashboard or disable recently installed plugins. If that doesn’t work, try replacing the .htaccess file or restoring a backup. Seek help if needed.

Where Are Permalinks Stored in WordPress?

Permalinks in WordPress are stored in the database. To find them, go to the WordPress Dashboard, click on Settings, then Permalinks. From there, you can customize the structure of your permalinks to create unique URLs for your posts and pages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, regenerating permalinks in WordPress can be a simple process with a few troubleshooting steps. By resetting the permalinks structure, disabling problematic plugins, and replacing the .htaccess file, you can easily resolve broken links on your website.

If you encounter any difficulties, reaching out to the Customer Success team or using an FTP client like FileZilla can provide further assistance.

Don’t let broken permalinks frustrate you, take action and get your links back on track.