how to fix WordPress error too many redirects

Diagnosing The “Too Many Redirects” Error in WordPress

The “Too Many Redirects” error in WordPress is a common issue where the website becomes trapped in an endless redirection loop. This inherently frustrating problem can result from incorrect settings or conflicts in the website’s configuration. Understanding and troubleshooting this issue involves a systematic approach to identifying and resolving the factors causing the endless redirection.

1. Clear Your Browser Cookies and Cache:
Before diving into more complex solutions, start with the simplest one by clearing your browser’s cache and cookies. Too often, outdated or corrupted data stored in your browser can lead to repeated redirect issues. After clearing the cache, try accessing your site again to see if the error persists.

2. Check Your WordPress URL Settings:
WordPress URL settings can trigger redirect loops if your website’s address is incorrectly configured. To verify this:

• Access your WordPress admin area. Navigate to Settings > General.
• Ensure that the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields are correct, reflecting the actual URL you intend to use. Both should be consistent, either with or without the ‘www’.

If you can’t access your WordPress admin, use FTP to modify the wp-config.php file:

• Open wp-config.php and add the following lines just before /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:

define('WP_HOME','http://example.com');
define('WP_SITEURL','http://example.com');

Replace http://example.com with your actual URL.

3. Plugin Conflicts:
Plugins often cause redirection issues, especially caching and redirection plugins. Deactivate all your plugins through the WordPress admin. If that’s not possible, use FTP:

• Connect to your server via FTP.
• Navigate to wp-content and rename the plugins directory to plugins_old.
• This will deactivate all plugins. If this resolves the error, revert the folder name to plugins and activate each plugin one by one to identify the culprit.

4. Check Your .htaccess File:
A corrupted .htaccess file could be another root cause. Fix it by:

• Accessing your site through FTP and finding the .htaccess file in the root directory.
• Rename this file to .htaccess_old to deactivate it, then visit your WordPress dashboard at Settings > Permalinks and simply click ‘Save Changes’ to generate a new .htaccess file.

5. Check Redirects on Your Server:
Using cPanel or a similar hosting dashboard, check for any redirection rules that might have been manually set up:

• Log in to cPanel and navigate to the ‘Redirects’ section.
• Verify that no unintended redirects are set here that could cause a loop.

6. Debugging With WordPress Debug Mode:
If none of the above steps pinpoint the issue, turn on WordPress’s debug mode:

• Connect to your site via FTP.
• Edit the wp-config.php and set WP_DEBUG to true:

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );

This might reveal specific errors directly related to the redirection issue on your site.

7. Contact Customer Support:
When all else fails, reaching out to your hosting provider or seeking help from a professional WordPress developer might be necessary. Hosts can provide server logs that may offer insights into what’s causing the redirection issue.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the “Too Many Redirects” error in WordPress. Each solution targets a specific set of potential issues, from simple browser glitches to more complex server-side problems. Always ensure you have a backup of your website before making any changes, allowing you to restore previous settings if necessary.