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We have a Wordpress HTTP site which we wish to convert to HTTPS or SSL. Do we have to find all mentions of hard coded HTTP resources or can we simply do a 301 redirect in .htaccess, and how do we do that?

We are a not for profit website and I have limited knowledge of Wordpress and webmastering (although I am a power user of browsers and can edit basic html).

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3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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There are few steps to convert WordPress site to HTTPS.

  1. Take a full backup of your DB and website files.

  2. In WP admin > Settings: Change to HTTPS under WordPress Address and Site Address.

  3. .htaccess: Do required changes to redirect front-end to https.

  4. Images Path: You may need to change some images path. You can open full db in text file and replace http://yourdomain.com to https://yourdomain.com.

Make sure your preferred domain is same everywhere.

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  • 'm not fully sure what you mean by "redirect front-end"
    – Darryn Brisdaz
    Jul 25, 2017 at 2:15
  • Front-End: Meaning doing required changes in .htaccess sot that it (website pages) will get redirected to https.
    – TopQnA
    Jul 25, 2017 at 2:54
  • Can opening the database be done in cpanel? Let me google that.
    – Darryn Brisdaz
    Jul 25, 2017 at 3:24
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    I may not recommend you to do this task unless you are familiar with WP, hosting, DB and basic knowledge of HTML, PHP, .htaccess etc.
    – TopQnA
    Jul 25, 2017 at 3:27
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The simplest method consists of:

  1. Access your cpanel and press control + f (search for encrypt). Enter the section let's encrypt

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  1. Click on issue.

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  1. Click on issue again about all the options.

  2. Install the following plugin: Really Simple SSL.

  3. Activate it from your wp-admin

With these steps you will already have your certificate working. Since you say that it is not a site that seeks benefits and you do not have more experience, it is the simplest and free method.

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This answer will build upon what the other two answers stated:

  1. Do you need to change hard-coded URL's? You don't need to, but you may want to. If you implement global 301's in your .htaccess file, any link on your website that starts with http should redirect to https automatically. However, I would still go through menus, widgets, etc., and anywhere you have your absolute non-secure URL hard-coded, update it. (Why create an extra redirect when you don't have to?)

  2. How to implement 301's in .htaccess - read this whole article: https://wpism.com/301-redirects-wordpress/

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