One of the more frustrating WordPress issues I have faced is the too many redirects error, but this article will show you how easy it is to fix this.
The ‘WordPress too many redirects’ error occurs when WordPress tries to redirect a user and the WordPress backend mechanism is unable to process it. This can be caused for a number of reasons, but to fix it you need to try each of the following methods one by one until you find one that works for your site.
Steps To Troubleshoot The Error
Table of Contents
Clear Browser Cache
First, you should try to solve the problem from your browser. This is the simplest fix, and it is a common reason why the problem happens to so many WordPress sites.
Switch to a different browser or device and see if the page can load there, or you can try using Incognito mode to access your site. If it loads, then clear the cookies and cache of your regular browser and everything should work fine.
WordPress Host
You should also try to fix the WordPress too many redirects error by contacting your WordPress host. If your WordPress site is hosted on WordPress.com or Blogger, you will be able to contact WordPress support via the contact form before logging into your WordPress account.
Otherwise, you can speak to the customer service representatives at whatever hosting service provider you use. WordPress hosts have been known to be extremely helpful when WordPress is causing major issues.
WordPress Plugin
If methods 1 and 2 fail, you should try to solve the ‘WordPress too many redirects’ error by cleaning out your WordPress plugin directory. This can be done by deactivating your WordPress plugins, one after another until you find the plugin with the problem. When you deactivate one, reload the page so that you can check if the faulty plugin has been taken care of. Be sure to put your site into maintenance mode while you do this, or your users could end up with a broken site during this process.
When you find the culprit, be sure it’s updated to the latest version, else contact support to check for possible conflicts on your site and patch up the plugin.
Method 4: Change WordPress URL
Finally, if none of the above methods worked, you can try to fix the WordPress too many redirects errors by changing your WordPress URL. You can do this via WordPress Settings > General.
Check if the URLs in the fields for WordPress URL and site URL are the same. If not, copy and paste one to the other field. When you’re done, click “Save Changes.”
WordPress should show you a message saying that the process was successful, and you can reload the page to see if it worked.
Method 5: Resetting the .htaccess file
If none of the previous four methods worked, you may need to manually edit the .htaccess file. Some plugins make changes to this file, which is vital for proper site functioning, and if one of those plugins malfunctions, the site could start facing errors such as too many redirects errors.
To fix this file, you’ll need to access your site’s database using FTP or your hosting dashboard in-built file explorer. Ask your hosting service provider for guidance on how to access the files if you’re not certain.
Once you’ve located your .htaccess, you should see the .htaccess file in the root folder of your website. Download a copy as a backup and delete the one on the server. Reloading your site should generate a new .htaccess file, and the error should be resolved.
Conclusion
If you follow the steps on this page, your WordPress site should be back up and running in no time! While WordPress’ too many redirects error has various causes, like most WordPress errors in general, they are usually easy to fix. I hope you found this article useful and that you now have an error-free site.