WordPress Redirect Loop After Moving Host Fix

Clear Browser Cache & Cookies

Before diving into server-side changes, eliminate client-side caching issues. Your browser might be stubbornly holding onto old redirect instructions. Clear your browser's cache and cookies entirely, then try accessing your site in an incognito/private window. This confirms the issue isn't local to your machine.

Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data > All time > Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files.
Firefox: Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data...
Edge: Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear > All time > Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files.

✓ ~2 minutes. Essential first step to rule out local issues.

Verify WordPress Address (URL) in wp-config.php

The most common cause of a wordpress redirect loop after changing site url is a mismatch in the siteurl and home settings. These can be hardcoded in wp-config.php, overriding database values, or set directly in the database. First, check your wp-config.php file in your WordPress root directory via SFTP/FTP or file manager. Ensure these values match your actual domain exactly, including http:// or https://.

define('WP_HOME','https://yourdomain.com');
define('WP_SITEURL','https://yourdomain.com');

If these lines exist and are incorrect, update them. If they don't exist, proceed to the next step to check the database. If they are correct, temporarily comment them out (add // at the start of each line) to ensure they aren't interfering, then re-test. Remember to replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain.

✓ ~5-10 minutes. Crucial for resolving wordpress siteurl redirect loop issues.

Update WordPress Address (URL) in Database

If wp-config.php didn't resolve it, or the lines weren't present, the problem lies in your database. Access your database via phpMyAdmin or a similar tool. Locate the wp_options table (your table prefix might be different, e.g., wpfx_options). Find the option_name rows for siteurl and home. Edit their option_value to your correct domain, ensuring the protocol (HTTP/HTTPS) matches your server configuration.

UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://yourdomain.com' WHERE option_name = 'siteurl';
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://yourdomain.com' WHERE option_name = 'home';

After updating, clear any server-side cache if you have access (e.g., LiteSpeed Cache, WP Rocket). This is often the definitive fix for a wordpress redirect loop after domain change or wordpress redirect loop after moving host.

✓ ~5-15 minutes. Directly addresses fundamental URL mismatches.

Reset Permalinks & Regenerate .htaccess

A corrupted or incorrect .htaccess file can cause a wordpress redirect loop after changing permalink structure or after a migration. Via SFTP/FTP, navigate to your WordPress root directory. Rename your existing .htaccess file (e.g., to .htaccess_old). WordPress will automatically generate a new, clean one when you next save permalinks. If you can access your admin area, go to Settings > Permalinks and simply click "Save Changes" without altering anything. If you cannot access the admin, the basic WordPress permalink structure will be active, which might allow you to gain access.

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

This is the standard WordPress .htaccess content. If renaming the file resolves the loop, compare the old and new files to identify the problematic rule. For deeper issues, refer to our WordPress Too Many Redirects Error — General Fix guide.

✓ ~5 minutes. Resolves issues stemming from permalink or rewrite rule conflicts.

Deactivate Plugins & Theme

If the above steps haven't worked, a plugin or theme is likely causing the conflict, especially if you're experiencing a wordpress redirect loop after plugin install or a specific wordpress redirect loop woocommerce issue. You'll need to deactivate them manually via SFTP/FTP. Rename the wp-content/plugins folder (e.g., to plugins_old). This will deactivate all plugins. If your site comes back online, rename it back to plugins, then reactivate plugins one by one through the WordPress admin to find the culprit. Do the same for your active theme by renaming wp-content/themes/your-active-theme (WordPress will fall back to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four).

# Via SFTP/FTP or file manager:
Rename /wp-content/plugins/ to /wp-content/plugins_old/
Rename /wp-content/themes/your-active-theme/ to /wp-content/themes/your-active-theme_old/

Once you identify the problematic plugin or theme, you can either remove it, seek an update, or find an alternative. For more general redirect issues, our WordPress Too Many Redirects Error — General Fix also covers common plugin-related causes.

✓ ~10-30 minutes. Isolates conflicts with third-party code.

Check for Server-Level Redirects (Advanced)

For advanced users or if previous steps failed, inspect your server configuration files. On Apache, look for Redirect or RewriteRule directives in httpd.conf or virtual host files. On Nginx, check server blocks in nginx.conf or site-specific configuration files for rewrite or return directives. These often occur during migrations or when SSL is improperly configured. If you recently migrated to HTTPS, review our guide on WordPress Redirect Loop After SSL or HTTPS Migration.

# Example Apache .conf snippet (check for conflicting rules):
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomain.com
    Redirect permanent / https://yourdomain.com/
</VirtualHost>

# Example Nginx .conf snippet (check for conflicting rules):
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

Incorrectly configured server redirects can override WordPress settings and create a loop. Always back up configuration files before making changes.

✓ ~15-30 minutes. Requires server administration knowledge.