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How to switch your WordPress addresses to HTTPS with a plugin

After you install an SSL certificate, your old addresses still say http. This guide shows how to change them all to https.

WordPress2 min read18 steps5 screenshots

What is HTTPS?

HTTPS is the safe version of a web address. It hides what visitors send to your site, like passwords. An SSL certificate is the small file on your server that makes this possible. You see a padlock in the browser when it works.

Even with a certificate, your posts and images may still use the old http:// address. This causes "mixed content" warnings, where some parts of the page are not secure. The old addresses live in your database. A database is the place where WordPress stores all of its content.

Before you start, make sure your SSL certificate is installed. Ask Hostvento support if you are not sure.

Warning: Take a full backup of your site and database first. Changes in the database are hard to undo.

Step 1: Change the main addresses

  1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Go to Settings and then General.
  3. Change WordPress Address (URL) to the https version.
  4. Change Site Address (URL) to the https version.
  5. Click Save Changes. You may be asked to log in again.

Step 2: Use a search and replace plugin

A plugin is an add-on for WordPress. Better Search Replace finds text in your database and swaps it for new text.

Screenshot: A plugin is an add-on for WordPress. Better Search Replace finds text in your database and
  1. Go to Plugins and then Add New.
    Screenshot: Go to Plugins and then Add New .
  2. Search for Better Search Replace.
  3. Click Install Now and then Activate.
    Screenshot: Click Install Now and then Activate .
  4. Go to Tools and then Better Search Replace.
    Screenshot: Go to Tools and then Better Search Replace .
  5. In Search for, type http://yourdomain.com.
  6. In Replace with, type https://yourdomain.com.
  7. Select all the tables in the list.
  8. Keep Run as dry run? ticked and click Run Search/Replace.
    Screenshot: Keep Run as dry run? ticked and click Run Search/Replace .
  9. Read the result. It shows how many changes would be made.
  10. If it looks right, untick the dry run box and run it again.

Use your own domain name in place of yourdomain.com.

Step 3: Clear the cache and test

  1. Clear your cache plugin and your browser cache. A cache is a saved copy of pages for faster loading.
  2. Open your site and look for the padlock.
  3. Click through a few pages and posts.

Step 4: Redirect old addresses

Visitors who use the old http address should be sent to https. Many SSL or security plugins have a switch for this. Or ask Hostvento support for help.

Tip: Remove the search and replace plugin when you finish, if you no longer need it.

Quick recap

  • Install your SSL certificate first.
  • Change the two addresses in Settings, General.
  • Use a search and replace plugin to update the database, with a dry run first.
  • Clear caches and test.