Why Your WordPress Website Is Redirecting to the Wrong URL

It is a common and frustrating WordPress problem.

You type in your website address and instead of landing where you expect, the site sends you somewhere else. That might be the wrong version of the domain, an old URL, a login page, a staging site, a broken page, or a loop that never resolves properly.

For a small business, that can be a serious issue. A redirect problem can stop visitors reaching the right page, make the website feel broken, and create confusion for both users and search engines.

The good news is that this type of issue is often fixable. In many cases, the redirect is happening because WordPress settings, server rules, SSL settings, plugins, or cached instructions are conflicting with each other.

If your site is behaving like this and you want someone to fix it properly, my WordPress Fixes service is built for exactly this kind of problem.

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What does it mean when a WordPress website redirects to the wrong URL?

A redirect sends visitors from one address to another.

Sometimes that is intentional and correct. For example, sending people from the non-secure version of a site to the secure HTTPS version is normal.

The problem starts when WordPress or the wider hosting setup sends visitors to the wrong destination.

That might mean:

• redirecting to http instead of https
• redirecting to www when the site should use non-www
• redirecting to an old domain
• redirecting to a staging or temporary version of the site
• redirecting to the homepage instead of the requested page
• redirecting into a loop
• redirecting to a login page or error page unexpectedly

A lot of the time, this sits quite close to the kind of issue covered in Why Your WordPress Website Broke After Changing the Site URL, but this post focuses specifically on wrong redirects rather than broader URL breakage.

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Common reasons a WordPress site redirects to the wrong URL

There are a few main causes that come up again and again.

1. The WordPress URL settings are wrong

One of the first things to check is whether the website is using the correct values for:

• WordPress Address (URL)
• Site Address (URL)

If those are set incorrectly, WordPress may try to send users to the wrong version of the site.

That can happen if:

• http is used instead of https
• www is used instead of non-www
• the wrong domain is entered
• the site still points to an old staging or temporary URL
• the site has been moved and the settings were not updated cleanly

This is one of the most common causes of redirect problems after migrations, redesigns or SSL changes.

2. HTTP and HTTPS are conflicting

A website should usually have one clear secure version.

If part of the setup is forcing https but another part is still using http, the result can be messy. Some users may be redirected incorrectly, some pages may behave differently, and in worse cases the site can fall into a loop or send users to the wrong destination entirely.

This is especially common when:

• SSL was recently added
• the site was forced to HTTPS too early
• a plugin is managing redirects
• the hosting panel is also forcing redirects
• old hardcoded links still exist

If your redirect issue happened after changes like that, it is worth also reviewing What to Check First When a WordPress Website Breaks because redirect issues often sit inside a wider breakage problem.

3. The www and non-www versions are fighting each other

A WordPress website should normally settle on one preferred format:

• https://paul-walsh.co.uk
  or
• https://www.paul-walsh.co.uk

Problems happen when different parts of the setup prefer different versions.

For example:

• WordPress is set to non-www
• the server pushes www
• a plugin rewrites to a different version
• a CDN or proxy adds another layer

That can create:

• inconsistent redirects
• multiple versions of the same page
• redirect loops
• admin access issues
• pages loading differently from one another

It often looks small at first, but it can create a messy technical setup quickly.

4. A redirection plugin is sending traffic to the wrong place

Some websites use plugins to manage redirects. That is not necessarily a problem in itself, but it can become one if the rules are wrong, outdated, or overlapping.

This can happen where:

• old redirects were left in place
• a wildcard redirect is too broad
• the wrong target URL was added
• several redirect rules apply to the same path
• a plugin redirect conflicts with server-level redirects

This is especially common on older sites where several people have made changes over time.

5. The site was migrated, cloned or restored and old references still exist

A redirect problem can also happen when a website has been:

• moved to a new host
• cloned from staging to live
• restored from backup
• moved to a new domain
• reconfigured after development work

In those cases, parts of the site can still reference the old address.

That can cause:

• redirects to an old domain
• pages opening on the wrong environment
• login issues
• missing assets
• inconsistent behaviour between pages

Migration-related issues often overlap with Why WordPress Websites Break After Plugin Updates in the sense that both involve changes that leave the site environment out of sync.

6. Server rules and WordPress rules are conflicting

Some redirects happen inside WordPress. Others happen at server level.

That means the problem may sit in:

• WordPress settings
• a plugin
• .htaccess
• Nginx rules
• Cloudflare rules
• hosting control panel redirect settings

If more than one layer is trying to control the redirect behaviour, they can start fighting each other.

That often causes:

• “too many redirects”
• bouncing between versions
• landing on the wrong page
• admin access problems
• pages working for some users but not others

7. Cached redirects are still being served

Sometimes the redirect rule has already been fixed, but the wrong behaviour still appears because the old redirect is being cached.

That can happen in:

• the browser
• a caching plugin
• server cache
• Cloudflare or CDN cache
• security/performance layers

This is why one person may see the site working normally while another still gets redirected incorrectly.

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What a wrong redirect issue can look like

Not every redirect problem looks the same.

Common examples include:

• the site always opens on the wrong version of the domain
• visitors are sent to the homepage instead of the page they requested
• the site keeps bouncing between two URLs
• the login page keeps reappearing
• an old domain still opens
• a staging site appears instead of the live one
• the browser says there are too many redirects
• some pages load correctly while others do not

That is why redirect issues can be misleading. The visible symptom changes depending on where the conflict is happening.

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What to check first if your WordPress site is redirecting to the wrong URL

The best approach is to work through it methodically.

1. Check exactly where the redirect is going

Before changing anything, be clear about the symptom.

Ask:

• Is the redirect going to http or https?
• Is it switching between www and non-www?
• Is it going to an old domain?
• Is it sending everything to the homepage?
• Is it opening a login page?
• Is it stuck in a loop?

The more exact the symptom, the easier it is to narrow down the cause.

2. Check whether the issue affects the whole site or only some pages

Sometimes every page redirects incorrectly. Other times, only certain pages or sections are affected.

That can help you work out whether the problem is:

• site-wide configuration
• a specific redirect rule
• a plugin
• a migration leftover
• a page-level issue

3. Check the WordPress URL settings

If you can still access the admin area, review the site address settings carefully.

Make sure the intended live version is correct and matches the actual setup the hosting and SSL are meant to support.

This is one of the first checks I would make in a case like this.

4. Check for HTTP/HTTPS or www/non-www mismatch

This is a major one.

A lot of redirect issues come down to one layer of the setup forcing a different version from another.

That means checking whether:

• WordPress uses one version
• the server uses another
• SSL is installed properly
• a plugin adds another redirect layer
• the CDN adds its own logic

If the site is also throwing broader failure symptoms, it may be worth comparing the issue against Why Your WordPress Website Shows a Critical Error because sometimes redirect problems are part of a wider technical failure.

5. Check any redirect plugin or server redirect rule

If a redirect plugin is installed, look closely at what rules are active.

If the site uses server-level redirects or Cloudflare rules, those also need reviewing.

The key point is not to assume the redirect is coming from WordPress alone.

6. Think about what changed recently

Ask:

• Was the site URL edited?
• Was SSL added or changed?
• Was the site migrated?
• Was a redirect plugin installed?
• Were server rules changed?
• Was the site cloned from staging?
• Was a caching system enabled?

The most recent change often points directly to the cause.

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What not to do

Redirect problems often get worse when people start trying lots of random fixes.

Try not to:

• keep changing the site URL back and forth
• add multiple redirect plugins
• edit several layers of redirect logic at once
• assume the browser is showing the live truth every time
• make changes without knowing which layer is handling redirects
• continue updating plugins or settings while the issue is unresolved

That just makes the diagnosis messier.

Can a wrong redirect issue be fixed?

Usually, yes.

Most of the time it comes down to one or more of these:

• wrong WordPress URL settings
• HTTP/HTTPS mismatch
• www/non-www conflict
• bad plugin redirect rules
• old migration references
• server-level redirect conflicts
• caching

The key is to identify which layer is actually in control.

If the wider website also feels outdated or unstable, my broader Website Fixes service may also be relevant, especially where redirect problems are only one part of a bigger issue.

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When to get help

It makes sense to get help if:

• the website is sending visitors to the wrong place
• you cannot access the admin area properly
• the site is stuck in redirect loops
• the problem started after a migration or SSL change
• you are not sure whether the issue is WordPress, hosting, or a plugin
• you do not want to risk making the site worse

I help small businesses diagnose and fix WordPress problems including URL issues, bad redirects, login problems, broken layouts and other website issues.

If your WordPress website is redirecting to the wrong URL, you can get in touch here and send over the details.

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Final thoughts

A WordPress redirect problem can look dramatic, but it is often caused by something quite specific.

Usually the issue comes down to URL settings, SSL, conflicting rules, old migration references, or cached redirects. The trick is to work out which part of the setup is actually controlling the behaviour.

Handled properly, most wrong redirect issues can be fixed without rebuilding the whole website. If you need help getting it sorted, take a look at my WordPress fixes service, check my website pricing, or get in touch.