Fix WordPress too many redirects (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS)

If you encounter the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error on your WordPress site, it means your browser is stuck in an infinite redirect loop. This prevents your site from loading properly and frustrates visitors. The quick fix usually involves correcting your WordPress URL settings or your server’s redirect rules.

Quick Fix

Access your WordPress database via phpMyAdmin or a similar tool.
Locate the wp_options table.
Find the siteurl and home entries.
Ensure both URLs use the same protocol (http or https) and domain, for example: https://example.com.
Clear your browser cache and cookies.
If you use a caching or redirect plugin, temporarily disable it.

Alternatively, you can add the following lines to your wp-config.php file to hardcode the URLs:

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

Replace https://example.com with your actual site URL.

Why This Happens

The ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error occurs when your browser is redirected between URLs repeatedly without reaching the final destination. Common causes include:

Mismatched URL settings: WordPress URL settings use HTTP while your site forces HTTPS (or vice versa).
Conflicting redirect rules: Server-level redirects (in .htaccess or Nginx config) conflict with WordPress or plugin redirects.
Plugin conflicts: Plugins that handle redirects or SSL can cause loops if misconfigured.
Incorrect SSL setup: Partial SSL implementation or mixed content issues.

Step-by-step Fix for Nginx and Apache (cPanel/Plesk)

1. Check WordPress URL Settings

Make sure WordPress URLs are consistent and correct.

-- Access your database via phpMyAdmin or command line
SELECT option_name, option_value FROM wp_options WHERE option_name IN ('siteurl', 'home');

-- Update URLs if needed
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://example.com' WHERE option_name = 'siteurl';
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'https://example.com' WHERE option_name = 'home';

2. Fix wp-config.php (optional)

Add these lines to enforce correct URLs:

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

3. Review Apache .htaccess Redirects (cPanel/Plesk)

Check your .htaccess file in the WordPress root directory for conflicting redirects. A typical WordPress .htaccess looks like this:

# 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

If you have HTTPS redirects, ensure they are correct and not looping:

# Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]

4. Review Nginx Redirects

Check your Nginx server block configuration for redirect loops. A proper HTTPS redirect looks like this:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;

    ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;

    root /var/www/html;
    index index.php index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    }

    location ~ .php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock;
    }
}

5. Disable Redirect or SSL Plugins

Temporarily deactivate plugins like Really Simple SSL, Redirection, or any caching plugins that might cause redirect loops.

6. Clear Browser and Server Cache

Clear your browser cache and cookies. Also clear any server-side caches (e.g., LiteSpeed cache, Varnish, or CDN caches).

Works on

Web servers: Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed
Hosting control panels: cPanel, Plesk
WordPress versions: 4.x, 5.x, 6.x
SSL setups: Let’s Encrypt, commercial SSL certificates

FAQ

Q1: Why does ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS happen only on some browsers?

Browser cache or cookies can cause this error to appear inconsistently. Clearing cache and cookies usually resolves this.

Q2: Can a plugin cause redirect loops?

Yes. Plugins that manage redirects, SSL, or caching can conflict with server redirects or WordPress settings, causing loops.

Q3: How do I know if my SSL is causing the redirect loop?

If your WordPress URLs use HTTPS but your server redirects HTTP to HTTPS incorrectly or partially, it can cause loops. Verify SSL configuration and redirects.

Q4: Is it safe to hardcode URLs in wp-config.php?

Yes, hardcoding WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL is a quick way to fix URL mismatches but should be used carefully to avoid issues during migrations.

Q5: What if none of these fixes work?

Check your server error logs, disable all plugins and switch to a default theme to isolate the issue. Contact your hosting provider if needed.