WordPress Changed Permalink Now Links Not Working: What to Do?

If you’ve recently changed the permalink structure on your WordPress website and noticed that links aren’t working as expected, you’re not alone. A common issue when modifying permalinks is broken links or 404 errors, which can severely impact your site’s SEO and user experience. But don’t worry! In this guide, we’ll walk you through why this happens, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

What are Permalinks in WordPress?

Permalinks are the URLs that lead to your individual posts, pages, and other content on your WordPress site. These links are crucial for both your website’s usability and SEO. WordPress allows you to set a custom permalink structure to create clean, readable URLs that are user- and search engine-friendly.

For example, a default WordPress URL might look like this:

ruby
http://example.com/?p=123

But you can change it to a more readable and SEO-optimized format like:

bash
http://example.com/2024/11/19/how-to-fix-permalinks/

While this customization is excellent for improving your site’s SEO, any change to the permalink structure can cause problems if not handled correctly.

Why Do Permalink Changes Cause Links to Stop Working?

When you change your permalink structure in WordPress, the system assigns new URLs to your existing posts and pages based on the new settings. If you had shared or indexed old links (the previous permalinks), they will no longer match the new URL structure. As a result, users and search engines will encounter 404 errors, meaning they won’t be able to find the page they’re looking for.

Common Problems After Changing Permalinks:

Broken Links (404 Errors): Users clicking old links will be directed to a “Page Not Found” error.

Search Engine Indexing Issues: If search engines have indexed the old URLs, they may not find the correct page, causing a drop in search rankings.

Internal Linking Problems: Any links pointing to older URLs from within your own site will break.

External Links: Any external websites that link to your previous URLs will also experience 404 errors.

Also Read: WordPress Maintenance: Must-Do Tasks To Keep Your Website Running Smoothly

How to Fix Broken Links After Changing Permalinks

The good news is that you can fix broken links and restore your site’s functionality. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get everything back on track:

Step 1: Update Permalink Settings in WordPress

First, double-check your permalink settings to ensure they are properly configured.

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Choose the desired permalink structure. You can choose from options like:
   • Plain (default)
   • Day and name
   • Month and name
   • Numeric
   • Post name
3. Once you’ve selected the structure, click Save Changes.

Changing permalinks should automatically update most of your internal links, but external links or those from older posts may still not work properly.

Step 2: Flush Rewrite Rules

WordPress uses “rewrite rules” to determine how URLs should be structured. After changing the permalink settings, these rewrite rules need to be refreshed to ensure everything works properly.

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks.
2. Without changing anything, click Save Changes.

This action refreshes the rewrite rules and often solves the issue of broken links.

Step 3: Set Up Redirects (301 Redirects)

One of the most effective ways to fix broken links after changing permalinks is by setting up 301 redirects. A 301 redirect tells search engines and browsers that a page has moved permanently, redirecting users to the new URL. This preserves your SEO rankings and user experience.

To set up redirects:

1. Use a Redirect Plugin: Install a plugin like Redirection or Yoast SEO Premium. These plugins make setting up 301 redirects straightforward.
   • Install and activate your chosen plugin.
   • Add the old URL and the new URL where you want the redirect to go.
2. Manually Add Redirects via .htaccess: For users comfortable with coding, you can add redirects manually by editing the .htaccess file on your server. For example, you could add a line like:
   bash

   Redirect 301 /old-post-url http://example.com/new-post-url

3. Using the WordPress Functions File: Alternatively, you can add redirects by inserting code in the functions.php file of your theme:
   php

   function custom_redirects() {
if (is_page('old-page-url')) {
wp_redirect('http://example.com/new-page-url', 301);
exit;
}
}
add_action('template_redirect', 'custom_redirects');


Redirects ensure that visitors (and search engines) are automatically sent to the new location, preventing 404 errors and helping maintain SEO rankings.

Step 4: Check and Update Internal Links

After changing permalinks, it’s a good idea to check and update internal links that may still point to old URLs. There are plugins available that help you find and fix broken internal links:

• Broken Link Checker: This plugin will scan your WordPress site for broken links (including those caused by permalink changes). Once found, you can either remove or fix these links.
• Search and Replace Plugin: If you need to change a lot of internal links, a plugin like Better Search Replace can help you search for the old URLs and replace them with the new ones across your entire site.

Step 5: Update Sitemap and Submit to Google Search Console

Changing permalinks also affects your XML sitemap, which search engines use to crawl your site. If you’re using an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO, it will automatically regenerate the sitemap when permalink changes are made. However, you still need to:

1. Go to Google Search Console and re-submit your sitemap.
2. Monitor the Crawl Errors report in Search Console to ensure Googlebot is correctly crawling your new URLs.

Step 6: Check External Links and Contact Webmasters

If external websites link to your old permalinks, those links will result in 404 errors. You have two options here:

1. Reach Out to Webmasters: If the external site is valuable and its link is important, you can contact the site owner and ask them to update the link to your new URL.
2. Use 301 Redirects: Ensure that your 301 redirects are properly set up so that external visitors are still directed to your new URLs.

Step 7: Monitor Your Site’s Performance

Once you’ve made the necessary fixes, it’s important to monitor your site’s performance. Use tools like Google Analytics to track traffic and see if users are still encountering broken links. Additionally, you can use tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider to crawl your site and find any remaining broken links.

How to Prevent Broken Links in the Future

To avoid future issues with broken links after permalink changes, follow these best practices:

Plan Changes Carefully: Before changing your permalink structure, carefully consider the long-term effects on your site’s URLs. If possible, avoid making significant changes after your site has been indexed by search engines.

Test Links Before Changing Permalinks: Test your site’s links to ensure they work correctly before making any structural changes.

Use a Staging Site: Set up a staging site where you can test permalink changes before making them live.

Implement Redirects Immediately: If you absolutely need to change permalinks, make sure to set up redirects right away.

Final Thoughts: Fixing Broken Links After Changing Permalinks

Changing permalinks in WordPress is a powerful tool to improve your site’s SEO and user experience, but it can also cause broken links if not handled properly. Fortunately, with the right steps—such as flushing rewrite rules, setting up 301 redirects, updating internal links, and monitoring performance—you can resolve broken link issues and ensure your site remains SEO-friendly.

If you have already changed your permalinks and noticed broken links, don’t panic. By following the tips in this guide, you can fix the issue and keep your site running smoothly, without harming your search engine rankings or user experience.

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