How to Fix Error Too Many Redirects Issue in WordPress (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS)

Are you trying to fix the ‘ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS’ issue on your WordPress website? This error is known as the WordPress redirect error and can easily be troubleshot.

The error is common in WordPress and may occur due to a plugin or incorrect settings. It causes WordPress users to be locked out, which is an extremely frustrating situation.

In this article, we’ll explain how to fix the WordPress error ‘Too many redirects’.

So let’s get started!

What Is ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS?

The ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error results from a browser being unable to connect to the correct server of your website.

When your browser tries to find your WordPress website, it goes back and forth between multiple URLs and servers.

Consequently, the website locks users into a never-ending redirection loop.

Fortunately, there are multiple ways to fix the WordPress ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error. The article will cover each one in more detail, but first, let’s see why this error happens.

Why Does the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS Happen?

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error example

Error ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS occurs in case of a misconfigured redirection in WordPress. In such a situation, your browser cannot connect to the correct server. 

In WordPress itself, new URLs are assigned to posts and pages via redirection. Using another tool improperly can cause a looping effect.

The URL optimization of your web pages can lead to loops in some cases. For example, several SEO tools give you a great deal of control over how URLs are redirected. These plugins, when editing redirections, can create conflicts between redirection rules and create an infinite loop.

When a web page cannot be resolved because it is continually redirected, the redirect error appears in the browser.

Fixing the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error in WordPress

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly which method is best for fixing this error, but there are a few options. Test out each and every method below until you find one that works.

Step 1: Clear Your Browser’s Cookies

Both Google and Mozilla recommend just below the error to “try clearing your cookies.” Cookies may contain corrupted data which could cause the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error. 

Even if you’re encountering an error on a page you do not control, you can still try this suggestion.

Since cookies are responsible for keeping your “logged in” status on sites and settings, we recommend deleting the cookie(s) on the site that is having problems. 

Step 2: Fix WordPress URLs

This error can also be caused by a misconfiguration in WordPress URL settings. The config can be edited under the Settings tab of the General page.

url structure wordpress

The WordPress Address and Site Address fields are supposed to be the same. Sometimes, however, people may put www in one URL but non-www in the other.

Because you might not have access to the WordPress admin area, you might need to fix the WordPress URLs with an FTP client or File Manager.

Go to the theme folder of your WordPress site using an FTP client.

Locate and open the functions.php file with your HTML editor.

You will need to add the following code at the bottom:

update_option( 'siteurl', 'https://mysite.com' );
update_option( 'home', 'https://mysite.com' );

Make sure to substitute https://mysite.com with the URLs for your website. Now that you have made your changes, you can save the file and upload it back to your website.

Once you have done this, you can go to your website to see if the error is resolved.

Step 3: Clear WordPress Site Cache

The WordPress admin dashboard might still be accessible if you encounter a redirect loop. Your cache plugin allows you to easily clear the cache within its settings.

clear W3 total cache

If you cannot access WordPress admin, you can probably clear your cache on your WordPress site using one of the tools in your host’s control panel.

If you don’t know how to do it, reach out to your hosting support.

Step 4: Temporarily Deactivate Your WordPress Plugins

Having all your WordPress plugins temporarily disabled can be an effective way to spot problems quickly with WordPress.

You can implement redirects using plugins such as Redirection or SEOPress. Plugin updates or settings can conflict with redirections already in place on your server and cause a redirect loop.

You can deactivate plugins through the File Manager provided by your hosting provider or by using an FTP client, such as FileZilla.

Rename your plugins folder to something like plugins_deactivation. Then check your site again.

You will need to test each plugin separately if it works. Once your plugin directory has been renamed, go through each plugin folder inside, renaming them one by one until you locate the guilty one.

Step 5: Reset WordPress .htaccess File

Website servers use the .htaccess file to manage redirects. WordPress also uses the .htaccess file to implement SEO friendly URLs.

The .htaccess file on your website may be modified by WordPress plugins, causing this error. In some cases, deactivating a plugin won’t remove those alterations from your .htaccess file.

Your .htaccess file will need to be manually reset in such situations.

To access your website, you must use an FTP client or your hosting account’s file manager.

You’ll see the .htaccess file in the root folder of your website once you’re connected.

Simply right-click the file to rename it ‘htaccess_disabled’ and check if your site is now working correctly.

If this has troubleshot the issue, delete the .htaccess file and create a new one.

Open your favorite text editor and add these lines of code:

# 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

Save your file, name it .htaccess., and upload it in the root folder of your website.

Too Many Redirects in WordPress: Better Safe Than Sorry!

I hope that the above steps have resolved the redirect issue on your website. You need to speak with your WordPress hosting provider if the issue has not been fixed.

Redirection is a hard topic for WordPress beginners. Whether you are using a plugin or not to do so, you should always be cautious when you try to implement some redirections on your websites.

I hope this article helped you to fix the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error in WordPress!