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Fix WordPress Showing an IP Address Instead of Your Domain

A practical, layer-by-layer guide to replacing an IP address with your WordPress domain, including DNS, URL settings, wp-config.php overrides, stale database links, proxies, HTTPS, and verification.
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If WordPress displays your server IP instead of your domain, fix the problem in layers: make DNS and the web server deliver the right site, set both WordPress URL values to the public domain, remove any forced values in wp-config.php, replace old IP links stored in content, and make sure a reverse proxy passes the public host and HTTPS state correctly.

Do not change only the homepage URL and assume the migration is complete. A correct homepage can coexist with IP-based links in posts, widgets, menus, media, feeds, sitemaps, redirects, or canonical tags. Back up before editing configuration or the database, then test every important URL through the domain.

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Why WordPress uses an IP address

WordPress builds many URLs from the host and scheme it receives from the web server. If the request arrives as an IP address, if the domain resolves to the wrong virtual host, or if a proxy reports an internal hostname, WordPress can generate links containing that IP. Old absolute URLs can also remain in the database after a move from an IP-based test site.

There are therefore several distinct failure modes:

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  • DNS or host routing is wrong: the domain points elsewhere, or the server selects a default site instead of the intended WordPress installation.
  • WordPress settings are wrong: the Home and Site URL values still contain the IP.
  • Configuration overrides the dashboard: WP_HOME or WP_SITEURL forces an address and makes the fields appear locked.
  • Content contains migration leftovers: selected pages, widgets, images, menus, feeds, or sitemaps still reference the old IP.
  • A reverse proxy reports the wrong host or HTTPS state: generated links and redirects use an internal address or loop between HTTP and HTTPS.

Identify which layer is failing before changing data. If entering the domain shows an entirely different site, start with DNS and the virtual host. If the right site loads but links contain the IP, inspect WordPress settings, content, and proxy headers.

1. Confirm DNS and the web-server virtual host

Point the domain to the intended server

Check the domain’s A and AAAA records. They must resolve to the server that actually hosts this WordPress installation. Check both record types: an incorrect IPv6 (AAAA) record can send some visitors to a different machine even when the IPv4 (A) record is correct.

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Open the site by its domain name, not just by typing the server IP. The request’s hostname is used by the web server to choose a virtual host or server block. Direct-IP testing can select the default host, which may be another site on the same machine. If the domain displays a different site, the domain may be mapped to the wrong account or the server’s virtual-host entry may not list the domain.

Verify the host configuration

In the hosting control panel or web-server configuration, confirm that the domain and its www variant, if you intend to use it, are attached to the directory containing WordPress. The server block must recognize the domain and serve the same document root for both HTTP and HTTPS as appropriate.

Only continue to WordPress settings after the domain reliably reaches the intended installation. Changing home and siteurl cannot repair a DNS record that points to another server or a virtual host that selects another site.

2. Set the public URLs in Settings > General

Use the two URL fields correctly

  1. Sign in to WordPress as an administrator.
  2. Open Settings > General.
  3. Set WordPress Address (URL) to the address where the WordPress files are installed.
  4. Set Site Address (URL) to the public address visitors type in their browsers.
  5. Use the intended scheme, normally https://, and omit the trailing slash.
  6. Save the changes, then open a new private-browser window and test the domain.

For a standard installation in the domain’s document root, both fields normally contain the same value, such as https://example.com. WordPress documentation describes the exception this way: “The Site address (URL) is identical to the WordPress address (URL) (above) unless you are giving WordPress its own directory.”

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Understand a separate WordPress directory

If the files intentionally live in a subdirectory while the public site remains at the root, the values differ. For example, WordPress Address can be https://example.com/wordpress while Site Address is https://example.com. Do not remove the directory from WordPress Address unless the files have actually been moved; doing so can make the administration area and included files unavailable.

The Site Address is the address people type to reach the site. It is not automatically the same as the filesystem location. Decide which arrangement you use before saving either field.

3. Unlock URL fields controlled by wp-config.php

Recognize a configuration override

If the URL fields are greyed out, immediately revert after saving, or cannot be edited, inspect the root wp-config.php file. Look for definitions similar to:

define( 'WP_HOME', 'https://example.com' );
define( 'WP_SITEURL', 'https://example.com' );

WP_HOME overrides the database’s home value, and WP_SITEURL overrides the stored site URL. That is why the dashboard can display fixed values even when the database contains something else.

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Change the override safely

Make a copy of wp-config.php before editing it. Replace the IP-based value with the final domain and the correct scheme, or remove the constants only when you deliberately want the dashboard values to control the URLs. Preserve the existing directory path if WordPress is installed in a subdirectory.

After saving the file, clear any page or object cache and test the login page. A malformed PHP line can prevent WordPress from loading, so keep a recovery copy and use your host’s file manager or deployment rollback if the site returns a server error.

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4. Replace old IP URLs stored in content

Why only some pages can be wrong

Changing the two URL settings affects URLs WordPress generates dynamically. It does not rewrite every absolute URL that an editor, theme, plugin, widget, or migration inserted previously. That is why the homepage may use the domain while an internal page, image, menu item, feed, or sitemap still points to the IP.

Inspect the locations most likely to contain absolute links:

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  • Posts and pages, including HTML blocks and custom fields.
  • Text, navigation, and footer widgets.
  • Navigation menus and custom links.
  • Theme options, templates, and plugin settings.
  • Image, document, audio, and video URLs.
  • Canonical tags, XML feeds, XML sitemaps, and redirect rules.
  • Database options and migration leftovers. The home and siteurl values are stored in the options table unless configuration constants override them.

Back up before a database-wide replacement

Take a complete database backup and verify that it can be restored. Record the old IP, the final domain, and whether the replacement also needs to change http:// to https://. A replacement that changes only the hostname can leave mixed HTTP and HTTPS links.

Use a migration or search-and-replace tool that understands serialized data. WordPress and plugins may store arrays or objects in serialized form; a plain text replacement can change string lengths and corrupt those values. Run a dry run or preview if the tool provides one, review the number and locations of matches, then execute the replacement only after confirming the target domain and scheme.

Handle manually authored links

Search the editor, widget screens, menu editor, theme customizer, and plugin settings for the old IP. Update links that are intentionally absolute. Where a relative link is suitable, replacing an IP-based absolute URL with a relative path can prevent the same host from becoming stale during a future move, but do not alter URLs that intentionally point to another service.

Regenerate or refresh feeds and sitemaps only after the underlying URLs are corrected. If a cache continues serving an old sitemap or page, clear it after the replacement rather than repeatedly editing the database.

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5. Correct reverse-proxy and HTTPS information

Preserve the public host

A reverse proxy, load balancer, or CDN can terminate the visitor’s connection and forward the request to WordPress using an internal hostname. WordPress’s installation FAQ warns that a proxy can overwrite HTTP_HOST. The application must receive the header that represents the public domain, not the proxy’s private server name.

In the proxy configuration, preserve the original host or map the trusted forwarded-host value to the host variable passed upstream. Apply this only to headers supplied by infrastructure you control; accepting an arbitrary client-supplied host can create a security problem. Ensure that the origin’s virtual host also recognizes the public domain.

Keep HTTPS state consistent

When TLS ends at the proxy, the browser may use HTTPS while the connection from proxy to origin uses HTTP. WordPress still needs a reliable indication that the original request was HTTPS. Follow the proxy and WordPress HTTPS configuration guidance for your stack so the forwarded protocol is trusted and interpreted consistently.

If the scheme is inconsistent, WordPress can emit HTTP or IP-based canonical links, or redirect from HTTPS to HTTP and back again. Correct the proxy’s host and protocol forwarding before changing redirect rules; otherwise each rule can conceal the underlying problem.

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Distinguish proxy errors from WordPress errors

Temporarily compare a request that passes through the public proxy with a controlled origin request, using your hosting provider’s diagnostic method. If the origin produces the correct domain but the public request produces an IP or a redirect loop, the proxy headers or TLS termination settings are the likely layer. Do not make the origin permanently accessible by IP as a workaround.

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6. Clear caches and verify every URL type

After changing settings, configuration, or content, clear caches in this order: full-page cache, object cache, CDN or proxy cache, and finally the browser cache. A private window helps distinguish a cached redirect from the current server response.

Test the final domain over HTTPS, including both the root and a representative deep URL. Use this checklist:

  • The homepage stays on the domain and the intended HTTPS scheme.
  • Administrator login works and does not redirect to the IP.
  • A post and a page load from domain-based URLs.
  • Images and other media use the domain and the intended scheme.
  • Navigation menus and custom links do not send visitors to the IP.
  • Canonical links, XML feeds, and XML sitemaps identify the domain.
  • HTTP-to-HTTPS and alternate-host redirects land on one canonical address without a loop.
  • Permalinks still resolve after the URL change.

Open Tools > Site Health and review the displayed Home URL, Site URL, and permalink information. These values provide a final WordPress-side reference, but they do not replace checking DNS, the virtual host, or proxy behavior.

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Choosing the right remedy

Situation Best first action What it changes Main limitation
Dashboard URLs are editable and the domain reaches the correct site Change Settings > General Updates the WordPress and public site URL values through the normal interface Does not rewrite old IP links embedded in content or plugin data
Dashboard URL fields are locked Inspect and correct WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php Changes the values WordPress is forced to use A typo or invalid edit can stop WordPress from loading; the database may still contain old values
Only selected pages, widgets, media, feeds, or menus contain the IP Back up and perform a serialized-data-safe search and replacement, then edit remaining manual links Repairs stored absolute URLs throughout the site A careless plain-text replacement can corrupt serialized data or alter URLs that should remain external
The domain opens another site or the IP opens a default site Correct A/AAAA records and the web-server virtual host Routes the domain request to the intended installation WordPress URL settings cannot fix a DNS or server-routing error
HTTPS redirects loop or generated links show an internal host Correct proxy host and forwarded-protocol handling Gives WordPress the public hostname and consistent HTTPS information Changing WordPress URLs alone will not repair incorrect proxy headers

Common symptoms and the shortest diagnostic path

The homepage is correct, but internal pages use the IP

Check the page’s HTML, menu item, widget, and media URLs for an absolute IP-based value. If only particular content is affected, the URL is probably stored in that content or in a theme or plugin setting. A database-safe replacement followed by a cache purge is more appropriate than repeatedly changing the Home URL.

The settings page shows the IP and cannot be edited

Look for WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php. Those constants take precedence over the database values. Correct the constants or remove them intentionally, then reload the dashboard.

The domain displays a different website

Do not edit WordPress yet. Verify A and AAAA records, the account or document root assigned to the domain, and the virtual host’s domain list. A direct-IP request may simply be selecting the server’s default site.

The site alternates between HTTP, HTTPS, and an IP

Check the proxy or load balancer first. The public host and original HTTPS state must survive the hop to WordPress. Once those headers are consistent, review the canonical URL settings and clear redirect caches.

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Only feeds or sitemaps contain the IP

Inspect stored URLs and the component generating the feed or sitemap. Correct the underlying site and content values, then purge the relevant cache so an old generated file is not served again.

Safe order of operations

  1. Create verified backups of the database and wp-config.php.
  2. Confirm A/AAAA DNS records and the web-server virtual host using the domain, not only the IP.
  3. Set WordPress Address and Site Address with the correct domain, scheme, and directory arrangement.
  4. If the fields are locked, correct the WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL definitions.
  5. Search for the old IP in content, widgets, menus, theme and plugin settings, and stored options.
  6. Use a serialized-data-safe replacement for database-wide migration leftovers; update manual links that remain.
  7. Correct reverse-proxy host and HTTPS forwarding if a proxy is involved.
  8. Clear page, object, CDN, and browser caches.
  9. Retest the domain, HTTPS, login, posts, pages, media, canonical links, feeds, sitemaps, permalinks, and redirects.

This order prevents a database replacement from masking a DNS problem and prevents redirect rules from hiding incorrect proxy headers. It also leaves a recovery point before each change that can affect the whole site.

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