If WordPress URL changes are failing, first identify which layer is wrong: the two General settings, hard-coded constants in wp-config.php, the database, or old URLs embedded throughout migrated content. WordPress Address is the URL of the core files; Site Address is the public URL visitors use. They are normally identical, but a subdirectory installation can require different values.
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Use a complete URL such as https://example.com, include the scheme, and omit the final slash. Back up the files and database before changing configuration or database rows. Then follow the branch below that matches what you see.
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What the two WordPress URL settings control
WordPress Developer Resources defines the WordPress Address (URL) as “the address where your WordPress core files reside.” The Site Address (URL) is “the address you want people to type in their browser to reach your WordPress blog.”
| Setting | Controls | Typical value | When it differs |
|---|---|---|---|
WordPress Address (URL), also called siteurl |
Where WordPress core files, the administration area and included scripts are located. | https://example.com |
When WordPress is installed in a directory such as /wordpress while the public site is served from the domain root. |
Site Address (URL), also called home |
The public address visitors use for the homepage, links and redirects. | https://example.com |
When the public address is different from the directory containing the WordPress files. |
The values must describe the intended scheme, host and path consistently. A change from http:// to https://, a domain change, or a path change is a migration, not merely a cosmetic edit.
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Back up and record the intended URLs first
Create an off-site backup of both the database and WordPress files before editing wp-config.php or a database table. A restore point is essential if a typo causes a redirect loop or prevents login.
- Write down the old WordPress Address and Site Address exactly as they currently appear.
- Write down the intended new values, including
https://, the hostname and any path. - Decide whether the two values should be identical or intentionally different.
- Confirm that the domain resolves to the server and that the TLS certificate covers the intended HTTPS hostname.
- Keep a copy of the original
wp-config.phpand note the database table prefix shown in that file.
Use the symptom to choose the repair
| What you see | Most likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| The fields are editable in Settings → General. | The database values are being used normally. | Enter the two complete URLs, remove a trailing slash, save, and test the front end and /wp-admin. |
| The fields are greyed out. | WP_HOME and/or WP_SITEURL is defined in wp-config.php. |
Inspect the file. Decide whether the hard-coded constants are intentional; they override the database and make the matching fields uneditable. |
| The site redirects to the wrong domain or login fails after a change. | Stale database values, an incorrect path, or a temporary override is forcing the wrong URL. | Use a file editor or hosting file manager to add temporary correct constants, regain access, then repair the database so the override is no longer masking stale data. |
| The dashboard is unavailable and no file override exists. | The home and siteurl rows contain incorrect values. |
Back up the database, identify the real table prefix, and edit those rows in the options table with phpMyAdmin or an equivalent administrator. |
| Images, CSS, links or serialized settings still contain the old domain. | The URL migration changed the main settings but not content references. | Run a serialization-aware search-and-replace, previewing it with WP-CLI’s --dry-run option first. |
When the General fields are editable
- Sign in to WordPress and open Settings → General.
- In WordPress Address (URL), enter the address of the directory containing the WordPress core files.
- In Site Address (URL), enter the public address visitors should use.
- Include the scheme, normally
https://. Do not add a final slash. For example, usehttps://example.com/wordpress, notexample.com/wordpress/. - Save the changes once. Avoid changing both fields repeatedly while troubleshooting; record the exact values you saved.
- Open the homepage, an internal permalink, an image or stylesheet URL, and
/wp-admin. Test in a private browser window so an old redirect is less likely to be mistaken for the current result.
Saving these settings changes the stored siteurl and home options. It does not rename directories, move files or rewrite old URLs inside posts, widgets, theme settings or plugins.
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WordPress treats constants in wp-config.php as runtime overrides. A typical configuration looks like this:
define('WP_HOME', 'https://example.com');
define('WP_SITEURL', 'https://example.com');WP_HOME controls the public Site Address and WP_SITEURL controls the WordPress Address. When either is defined, the corresponding General setting is not editable. The constants take precedence over the database; they do not update the stored rows. That is why a database inspection can still show an old URL even while the site appears to use a new one.
Keep the constants deliberately
A hard-coded value can be intentional, for example when a deployment process manages URLs outside the dashboard. In that case, keep the constants, make sure both values are correct, and treat wp-config.php as the source of runtime truth. Do not expect the General screen to change them.
Return control to the database
- Make a backup and open
wp-config.phpwith a hosting file manager, SFTP editor or another trusted file editor. - Find every definition of
WP_HOMEandWP_SITEURL. Check for duplicate definitions in included configuration files as well. - If the constants are not required, remove or comment out the relevant definitions without changing unrelated settings.
- Repair the database values if they are stale, using the phpMyAdmin procedure below.
- Return to Settings → General and confirm that the fields are editable and show the intended values.
Do not remove a constant blindly from a managed deployment. Removing a value that the deployment expects can cause the next release to restore the old address.
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When a URL change locks you out or causes redirects
If the dashboard redirects to the old domain, produces a loop, or rejects your login after a URL edit, use a temporary runtime correction. Open wp-config.php and add the following definitions above the line that says WordPress editing should stop:
define('WP_HOME', 'https://example.com');
define('WP_SITEURL', 'https://example.com');Use the actual public and core-file URLs. If WordPress is installed in a subdirectory, the two values may not be identical. Save the file, open the intended domain, and try /wp-admin. This override is a recovery measure, not a complete migration.
- Back up the database before making the next change.
- With access restored, repair the
homeandsiteurlrows so they match the intended configuration. - Search the configuration for old or duplicate URL constants.
- Remove the temporary definitions only after the database values and content references are correct.
- Test the homepage, a deep permalink, media, login and canonical redirects again.
If the site still redirects after the values are correct, inspect server-level redirects, reverse-proxy rules and caching separately. A browser may retain a permanent redirect, so verify with a private window or a different device.
Repair siteurl and home in phpMyAdmin
Use this method when the dashboard is unavailable and no configuration override is controlling the values. The exact table name depends on the prefix in wp-config.php; it is often wp_, but it may be different.
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wp-config.phpand find the value assigned to$table_prefix. Record it exactly. - Open phpMyAdmin (or your host’s equivalent database administrator), select the database used by this WordPress installation, and locate the table named
[prefix]options. For the common prefix, that iswp_options. - Search the table for the rows whose
option_namevalues aresiteurlandhome. Edit only theoption_valuefor those rows. - Enter complete URLs with the scheme and no trailing slash. Set
siteurlto the core-file location andhometo the public location. - Save both rows, then test the front end and
/wp-admin.
For an installation using the common prefix and the same address for both values, the equivalent SQL is:
UPDATE wp_options
SET option_value = 'https://example.com'
WHERE option_name IN ('siteurl', 'home');Replace wp_options with the real prefixed table and use separate values when the core files and public site have different paths. Never run a query against an assumed table name without checking the prefix first.
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Common phpMyAdmin mistakes
- Editing a similarly named table from another installation in the same database.
- Putting the public root in
siteurlwhen the core files are actually in/wordpress. - Leaving a final slash or omitting
https://. - Changing the rows while
WP_HOMEorWP_SITEURLstill overrides them, then assuming the database edit failed. - Running a broad SQL update without a backup or without a restrictive
WHEREclause.
Fix old links, images and serialized settings after a migration
Correcting home and siteurl changes WordPress’s main addresses, but existing content can still contain the old domain. Posts, menus, widget settings, theme options and plugin data may hold those references. Some values are serialized: their stored length must change when the URL changes.
Use a serialization-aware tool rather than a raw text replacement. WP-CLI supports a preview with --dry-run:
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wp search-replace 'https://old.example' 'https://new.example' --all-tablesUse the exact old and new strings, including paths when a subdirectory is involved. Do not treat a dry run as a write operation; it only previews what would change. After the write, inspect representative posts, menus, widgets, media and theme settings. A migration can also require updating server redirects, CDN settings, email links or third-party integrations that are outside the WordPress database.
When WordPress lives in a subdirectory but the site belongs at the root
Suppose the core files are in /wordpress, but visitors should use https://example.com. Set:
- WordPress Address:
https://example.com/wordpress - Site Address:
https://example.com
The core-file URL keeps administration and included files pointed at the directory. The public URL keeps visitor-facing links at the root. The root directory also needs the appropriate index.php and rewrite configuration, as described in WordPress’s documented “Giving WordPress Its Own Directory” arrangement. Changing both fields to the root can make WordPress look for core files in a directory where they do not exist.
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Recovery Mode and the RELOCATE trap
Recovery Mode is a built-in WordPress feature introduced in version 5.2. If a plugin or theme fatal error prevents normal loading, WordPress can provide a recovery link so an administrator can disable the failing component. It is not a substitute for correcting incorrect URL rows or constants, but it can help when a URL migration exposes a fatal plugin or theme error.
Do not leave the RELOCATE constant enabled as a permanent fix. WordPress Developer Resources warns: “Leaving the RELOCATE constant in your wp-config.php file is insecure.” Remove it after any emergency diagnosis and use the explicit, verified URL values instead.
Verify every layer after the repair
Use this checklist after changing settings, constants or database rows:
- The homepage loads on the intended scheme and hostname.
- An internal permalink reaches the correct path without a loop.
- An image and a stylesheet load from the intended URL, with no mixed-content warning after an HTTPS move.
/wp-adminopens and login returns to the correct domain.- Canonical URLs, feeds and XML sitemaps use the intended public address.
- Old-domain requests redirect only when that redirect is deliberate.
- The database rows and any retained constants agree with the chosen configuration.
- Representative content no longer contains old absolute URLs.
- Temporary constants, emergency edits and
RELOCATEhave been removed when no longer needed.
Failure modes and targeted fixes
| Symptom after editing | Likely explanation | Targeted fix |
|---|---|---|
| General fields remain grey. | A constant still exists, possibly in a second configuration include. | Search all active configuration files for WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL; remove only those that should not be authoritative. |
| The site alternates between two domains. | Database values, constants, server redirects or caches disagree. | Choose one canonical pair, align the database and constants, then inspect redirect rules and clear relevant caches. |
| The homepage works but images are broken. | Old absolute media URLs remain in content or serialized settings. | Back up and run a serialization-aware search-and-replace with a dry run. |
| Admin loads at one path but links point to another. | The two URL settings describe different paths than the actual directory layout. | Map the core directory to WordPress Address and the visitor-facing root to Site Address; verify the root index.php and rewrite setup. |
| Changes appear not to save. | A runtime constant is overriding the database, or the wrong database/table was edited. | Check wp-config.php, the active database name and the exact table prefix before trying again. |
| A redirect loop starts after an HTTPS move. | WordPress, the web server or a proxy is applying conflicting HTTP/HTTPS rules. | Confirm both WordPress URLs use HTTPS, then inspect upstream redirect rules and proxy settings one layer at a time. |
Questions that come up during URL repairs
Can WordPress Address and Site Address use different domains?
They can be different, but that is an architectural choice rather than a workaround. The WordPress Address must lead to the actual core files, while the Site Address must be the public URL. A cross-domain arrangement also requires deliberate server routing, TLS and redirect configuration.
Will changing the two settings move my WordPress files?
No. The settings change the addresses WordPress uses; they do not move the directory on disk. If the files are moved, the server document root and rewrite configuration must also be updated.
Why does the database still show the old URL after the site appears fixed?
A WP_HOME or WP_SITEURL definition can override the database at runtime without changing its rows. Remove or update the override only after deciding which layer should be authoritative.
Should I use Recovery Mode for a wrong URL?
Use Recovery Mode for a plugin or theme fatal error that prevents loading. For a wrong address, correct the constants or the home and siteurl rows, then verify the complete migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can WordPress Address and Site Address use different domains?
Yes, but only when the core-file location and public routing are intentionally configured for that arrangement. WordPress Address must resolve to the core files; Site Address must be the visitor-facing URL.
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Will changing these settings move the WordPress files on the server?
No. The settings change URLs used by WordPress. Moving files requires separate document-root and rewrite changes.
Why does phpMyAdmin still show an old URL after the site works?
A WP_HOME or WP_SITEURL constant may be overriding the database value. Runtime overrides do not rewrite the stored options.
Is Recovery Mode the right fix for a URL redirect loop?
Recovery Mode is intended for plugin or theme fatal errors. Repair the URL constants or the home and siteurl database rows for a redirect problem.
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