{"id":4830,"date":"2025-11-18T11:22:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cheapsslsecurity.com\/blog\/?p=4830"},"modified":"2025-11-18T11:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:22:42","slug":"how-to-migrate-wordpress-website-from-http-to-https","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheapsslsecurity.com\/blog\/how-to-migrate-wordpress-website-from-http-to-https\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Migrate Your WordPress Website from HTTP to HTTPS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s Note: This article on how to migrate WordPress from HTTP to HTTPS was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2019, 2020, and (most recently) in 2025 to reflect more up-to-date industry recommendations on how to enable HTTPS and make HTTPS the default for your WordPress website.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a WordPress website owner<\/strong>, it\u2019s high time to migrate your WordPress website from HTTP to HTTPS. While most people know that they\u2019re supposed <\/em>to do this, not everyone necessarily understands  how to go about making the shift from WordPress HTTP to HTTPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to keep your website secure and Google-friendly by migrating WordPress from HTTP to HTTPS<\/strong>. We\u2019ll explain how to switch to HTTPS in a way that helps you understand not just how<\/em> but why<\/em> you should migrate your WordPress website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prerequisites Before You Can Switch WordPress from HTTP to HTTPS<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"WordPress
HTTPS means that your communication with the website is secured against eavesdroppers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Before you start the process of migrating WordPress from HTTP to HTTPS, you need to have the following details sorted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy a Publicly Trusted SSL\/TLS Certificate.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need an SSL certificate that digitally binds a cryptographic key to your website\u2019s digital identity. This enables secure, encrypted connections from the web server to a browser. If you choose an SSL\/TLS certificate with business validation as a minimum (i.e., an organization validation<\/a> or extended validation SSL\/TLS certificate<\/a>), then you\u2019ll have an added layer or protection that comes in the form of authentication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
sHOP ssl Certificates<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

You should select a 2048-bit key certificate or higher. Some of the popular vendors for SSL certificates are DigiCert<\/a>, GeoTrust<\/a>, Sectigo<\/a>, RapidSSL<\/a>, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generate a CSR and Private Key<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need to generate a certificate signing request (CSR) and private key<\/a> before you can generate your SSL certificate. Most web hosting platforms (like cPanel) provide a simple interface for you to complete this. You\u2019ll need to upload your CSR<\/a> to your certificate provider to get the certificate authority (CA) to issue your SSL certificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the certificate has been issued, you must download it so it can be installed on your server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Process to Migrate a Website from HTTP to HTTPS in WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Install the SSL\/TLS Certificate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Provide your web host with your certificate and private key to finalize the installation of SSL into your WordPress. Once done, make sure everything is alright by running an SSL Server Test<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Get an SSL cERTIFICATE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now that your hosting account is SSL-enabled, you can start the process to migrate WordPress itself from HTTP to HTTPS in WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Update WordPress Settings to Redirect URL to HTTPS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need to inform WordPress that you\u2019ll be using HTTPS from now on. To do so, log into your WordPress admin dashboard and go to Settings<\/strong> > General Settings<\/strong>. In the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL), enter the HTTPS URLs for your website, like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WordPress<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Redirect All HTTP Requests to HTTPS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve made that update, your website is (at least somewhat) functional with both the unsecured HTTP and the secured HTTPS version. However, there\u2019s still more work to do. You must make your website and all associated files accessible exclusively via HTTPS. This will ensure that whenever someone enters the HTTP version of your URL, they are automatically redirected to the new HTTPS URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, all your HTTP links will continue working, but visitors will be automatically redirected, so they still only have access to the HTTPS version of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve this, go to .htaccess and add the following rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RewriteEngine On\n\nRewriteCond %{HTTPS} off\n\nRewriteRule (.*) https:\/\/%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
4. Use WordPress Plugins to Fix Mixed Content Warnings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you receive a mixed content warning like this on your site, then your site still contains images and media files using HTTP URLs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"An
Image caption: An example of a mixed content error message in Chrome<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
To ensure your site isn\u2019t displaying any mixed content warnings<\/a> and does display the secure padlock icon or \u201cConnection is secure\u201d message, then do one of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n