How to Change WordPress Permalinks
WordPress permalinks determine the permanent URLs used for your website’s pages, posts, categories, and other content. A clear and descriptive URL helps visitors understand what a page is about before opening it. It can also make your website easier to navigate and maintain.
When you install WordPress, it may use a URL structure that includes a post ID or other parameters. You can change this structure to create more readable URLs that better reflect your content.
For example, instead of using:
you could use:
WordPress allows you to change permalink settings directly from the administration dashboard without editing code.
In this guide, you will learn what WordPress permalinks are, how to change them, which URL structure to choose, and how to avoid broken links when updating an existing website.
What Are WordPress Permalinks?
A permalink is the permanent URL assigned to a particular piece of content on your WordPress website.
For example, if you publish an article titled “How to Install WordPress,” its URL might be:
This URL is the permalink for that article.
Permalinks can be used for:
- Blog posts
- Pages
- Categories
- Tags
- Custom post types
- Other publicly accessible WordPress content
The exact URL structure depends on your WordPress permalink settings and, in some cases, your theme or plugins.
Why Should You Change WordPress Permalinks?
Choosing an appropriate permalink structure can make your website easier to use and manage.
1. Create Readable URLs
A descriptive URL gives visitors a better idea of what they will find on a page.
For example:
is less descriptive than:
2. Make URLs Easier to Share
Short, meaningful URLs are easier to copy, share, and remember.
3. Improve Website Organization
A consistent URL structure can help organize content, particularly on websites with many articles and categories.
4. Support SEO
Descriptive URLs can help users and search engines understand the topic of a page. However, changing permalinks alone does not guarantee higher search rankings.
5. Maintain Consistency
A suitable permalink structure helps keep URLs consistent as you publish new content.
Common WordPress Permalink Structures
WordPress provides several permalink structures. You can select one based on the needs of your website.
| Permalink structure | Example |
|---|---|
| Plain | example.com/?p=123 |
| Day and name | example.com/2026/09/28/sample-post/ |
| Month and name | example.com/2026/09/sample-post/ |
| Numeric | example.com/archives/123 |
| Post name | example.com/sample-post/ |
| Custom structure | example.com/blog/sample-post/ |
The examples above assume your website uses example.com as its domain.
Plain
The Plain structure uses a query parameter containing the post ID.
Example:
This structure is functional, but it does not provide a descriptive URL.
Day and Name
This structure includes the publication year, month, day, and post slug.
Example:
It can be useful for news websites or publications where the publication date is important.
Month and Name
This structure includes the year and month.
Example:
It provides date information while keeping the URL slightly shorter than the Day and Name structure.
Numeric
The Numeric structure uses an archive path and a numerical identifier.
Example:
It provides a consistent format but does not describe the content.
Post Name
The Post Name structure uses the post’s slug.
Example:
This is a popular choice for blogs, business websites, and many other WordPress installations because it creates short, readable URLs.
Custom Structure
WordPress also allows you to create a custom permalink structure using available structure tags.
For example:
/blog/%postname%/
This produces URLs such as:
Custom structures can be useful when you want to include a specific prefix or organize content under a particular path.
How to Change WordPress Permalinks
Follow these steps to update the permalink structure of your WordPress website.
Step 1: Log In to WordPress
Open your WordPress login page.
Usually, it is available at:
Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.
Enter your administrator username and password, then click Log In.
Step 2: Open Permalink Settings
From the WordPress Dashboard, navigate to:
Settings → Permalinks
The Permalink Settings page displays the available URL structures.
You may see options such as:
- Plain
- Day and name
- Month and name
- Numeric
- Post name
- Custom Structure
The available interface may vary slightly depending on your WordPress version.
Step 3: Select a Permalink Structure
Choose the structure you want to use.
For example, select:
Post name
Your URLs will generally use the post slug after your domain.
For an article titled “How to Change WordPress Permalinks,” the resulting URL might be:
The exact slug can be edited separately when creating or updating a post.
Step 4: Configure a Custom Structure (Optional)
If you want a custom URL structure, select Custom Structure.
You can use the available structure tags to build your preferred format.
For example:
/blog/%postname%/
Common structure tags include:
| Tag | Purpose |
|---|---|
%year% | Publication year |
%monthnum% | Publication month |
%day% | Publication day |
%hour% | Publication hour |
%minute% | Publication minute |
%second% | Publication second |
%post_id% | Post ID |
%postname% | Post slug |
%category% | Category associated with the post |
%author% | Author name |
Use only the tags needed for your website.
For most blogs and business websites, a simple structure is easier to maintain than a complicated one.
Step 5: Save Your Changes
After selecting your preferred structure, scroll to the bottom of the page.
Click:
Save Changes
WordPress will save the new permalink settings.
Depending on your hosting configuration, WordPress may also update the rewrite rules used to process your URLs.
Step 6: Test Your Website
Visit your homepage and open several pages and posts.
Check that:
- The homepage loads correctly.
- Blog posts open successfully.
- Pages display as expected.
- Category and tag archives work.
- Internal links lead to the correct content.
- No unexpected 404 errors appear.
If your website uses caching, clear the relevant caches before testing again.
How to Change the Permalink of an Individual WordPress Post
Changing the global permalink structure affects the URL format across your website. However, you can also change the slug of an individual post.
For example, you may want to change:
to:
Follow these steps.
Step 1: Open the Post
Go to:
Posts → All Posts
Find the post you want to edit and click Edit.
Step 2: Find the URL or Slug Setting
In the WordPress block editor, select the post title or open the post settings.
Depending on your WordPress version, the permalink or slug setting may appear in the editor’s settings sidebar.
Look for a field named URL, Permalink, or Slug.
Step 3: Enter the New Slug
Enter your preferred slug.
For example:
wordpress-editor-guide
Use lowercase letters and hyphens to separate words.
Step 4: Update the Post
Click Update to save the changes.
Visit the new URL to confirm that the post loads correctly.
Important: Changing a post slug changes its URL. If the old URL has already been shared, indexed, or linked from other websites, set up a redirect from the old URL to the new one.
How to Change a WordPress Page Permalink
You can change the slug of a WordPress page in a similar way.
- Go to Pages → All Pages.
- Find the page you want to edit.
- Click Edit.
- Locate the URL or slug setting.
- Enter the new slug.
- Click Update.
- Test the new page URL.
For example, you could change:
to:
Before changing a page URL, check whether other pages, navigation menus, or external websites link to the existing address.
How to Create SEO-Friendly WordPress Permalinks
A well-planned permalink structure makes URLs easier to read and manage.
Follow these practices when creating URLs.
1. Use Descriptive Slugs
Choose a slug that clearly describes the page.
For example:
Good:
Less descriptive:
2. Keep URLs Concise
Avoid unnecessarily long URLs.
A short slug that accurately describes the content is usually easier to read and share.
3. Use Hyphens Between Words
Use hyphens to separate words.
For example:
wordpress-permalink-guide
Avoid creating slugs with unnecessary punctuation or difficult-to-read combinations.
4. Use Lowercase Letters
Lowercase slugs provide a consistent URL format.
For example:
/wordpress-security/
is preferable to mixing uppercase and lowercase characters without a clear reason.
5. Avoid Unnecessary Dates
If publication dates are not important to your website’s content structure, you may prefer URLs without dates.
For example:
example.com/wordpress-guide/
is shorter than:
example.com/2026/09/28/wordpress-guide/
However, date-based URLs may be appropriate for news websites and time-sensitive publications.
6. Avoid Changing URLs Without a Reason
Once a page has been published and its URL is in use, changing it can create additional work.
Choose a suitable permalink structure early and keep it consistent where possible.
How to Change WordPress Permalinks Without Losing SEO Value
Changing permalinks on an established website requires additional care.
If a URL changes, the old address may no longer lead directly to the content. Visitors and search engines could encounter a 404 error unless the old URL is redirected or otherwise handled.
Before making changes, take these precautions.
1. Back Up Your Website
Create a complete backup of your WordPress files and database.
A backup gives you a recovery option if the change causes unexpected problems.
2. Record Existing URLs
For a large website, make a list of important existing URLs before changing the structure.
Pay particular attention to:
- Popular blog posts
- Important landing pages
- Pages receiving search traffic
- URLs linked from other websites
- URLs used in marketing campaigns
3. Set Up 301 Redirects
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a URL has permanently moved.
For example:
Old URL:
New URL:
A suitable redirect can send visitors from the old address to the new one.
The exact redirect configuration depends on your hosting server, existing URL structure, and redirect tools.
4. Update Internal Links
Review your menus, buttons, content links, and other references to changed URLs.
Update links where necessary so that they point directly to the new addresses.
5. Check Search Console
If you use Google Search Console, monitor indexing reports and page errors after the change.
A large URL migration can take time to be reflected in search results.
6. Test Redirects
Open important old URLs and verify that they redirect to the correct new destinations.
Avoid redirecting every old URL to the homepage when a more relevant destination exists.
What Happens When You Change the Permalink Structure?
When you update the global permalink structure, WordPress changes the URL format used for supported content.
For example, a post that previously used:
might use:
after switching to the Post Name structure.
The content itself is not normally deleted or recreated. However, the old URL may stop resolving to that content unless a redirect or other compatible rule is in place.
Changing the permalink structure can affect:
- Existing bookmarks
- External links
- Internal links
- Search engine indexing
- Marketing links
- Analytics reports
- Cached pages
For this reason, avoid changing a live website’s permalink structure casually.
WordPress Permalink Settings Not Working? Try These Fixes
Sometimes, WordPress permalink changes do not work as expected. The following solutions can help.
Problem 1: Pages Show a 404 Error
If your pages or posts return a 404 error after changing permalinks, first try refreshing the rewrite rules.
Go to:
Settings → Permalinks
Without changing the selected structure, click Save Changes.
Then test the affected URLs again.
This can refresh WordPress rewrite rules.
Problem 2: Permalink Changes Are Not Saved
Confirm that you are logged in with an account that has permission to manage WordPress settings.
Try saving the settings again and check whether WordPress displays an error message.
If the problem continues, review your hosting configuration and WordPress logs.
Problem 3: Pretty Permalinks Do Not Work on Apache
WordPress commonly uses rewrite rules to support pretty permalinks on Apache servers.
Check that:
- Apache’s rewrite functionality is enabled.
- The website’s document root permits the required rewrite configuration.
- The
.htaccessfile is writable when WordPress needs to update it. - Apache allows the relevant directory overrides.
If you use managed hosting, contact your hosting provider if you cannot modify the server configuration.
Problem 4: Permalinks Do Not Work on Nginx
Nginx does not use .htaccess files.
Pretty permalinks generally require appropriate rewrite handling in the Nginx server configuration.
If you manage your own VPS, review the WordPress location rules in your Nginx configuration. If you use managed hosting, ask your provider to check the rewrite configuration.
Do not copy Apache .htaccess rules directly into an Nginx configuration.
Problem 5: The Old URL Still Appears
The old URL may still appear in search results, external links, browser history, or cached content.
Check whether the old URL redirects correctly and whether your internal links have been updated.
Search engines may take time to process URL changes.
Problem 6: A Plugin Is Interfering With URLs
Some plugins modify rewrite rules or custom post type URLs.
If only specific content types are affected, check the settings of plugins that manage:
- SEO
- Custom post types
- Multilingual content
- Redirects
- Membership pages
- E-commerce products
Test plugin changes carefully, preferably on a staging site.
Should You Include Categories in WordPress Permalinks?
WordPress allows category-based custom structures, such as:
/%category%/%postname%/
This can create URLs like:
Category-based URLs can help communicate how content is organized, but they also introduce considerations.
- A post’s URL may depend on its assigned category.
- Changing a category can affect the URL.
- Posts assigned to multiple categories can require careful planning.
- Category changes may require redirects.
For many websites, the simpler Post Name structure is easier to maintain.
If you choose a category-based structure, plan your category hierarchy and URL conventions before publishing large amounts of content.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where are WordPress permalink settings located?
Go to Settings → Permalinks in the WordPress Dashboard.
2. Which permalink structure should I use?
The Post Name structure is a common choice for blogs and business websites because it creates readable URLs. Other structures may suit websites where dates or numerical archives are important.
3. Can I change a permalink after publishing a post?
Yes. You can edit an individual post’s slug. However, if the old URL is already in use, set up a redirect to the new URL.
4. Will changing permalinks affect SEO?
It can affect how search engines access and interpret existing URLs. If old URLs are not handled properly, visitors and search engines may encounter errors. Appropriate redirects and updated internal links help manage the transition.
5. Do I need a plugin to change WordPress permalinks?
No. WordPress includes built-in permalink settings. A plugin may be useful for managing redirects or more advanced URL requirements.
6. Can I use custom permalink structures?
Yes. WordPress supports custom structures using tags such as %postname%, %year%, and %category%.
7. Why are my WordPress pages showing 404 errors?
The problem may be related to rewrite rules, server configuration, plugins, or caching. Start by visiting Settings → Permalinks and clicking Save Changes.
8. Does changing permalinks change my domain name?
No. Permalink settings control the URL structure after your domain. They do not change your domain registration or the WordPress Address and Site Address settings.
9. Should I include dates in my permalinks?
Dates can be useful for news and time-sensitive content. For evergreen tutorials and business pages, a URL without dates may be easier to maintain.
10. Can I change permalinks on a live website?
Yes, but plan the change carefully. Back up your website, identify affected URLs, configure redirects where necessary, update internal links, and test the results.
Conclusion
WordPress permalinks determine how your website’s content is addressed. A clear and consistent URL structure makes pages easier to understand, share, and maintain.
To change your permalink structure, open Settings → Permalinks, select your preferred option, and click Save Changes. The Post Name structure is a common choice for blogs and business websites, although the right format depends on your site’s needs.
If your website is already established, take extra care before changing its URLs. Back up your site, configure appropriate redirects, update internal links, and check for 404 errors.
With a well-planned permalink structure, you can keep your WordPress URLs readable, organized, and easier for visitors to use.