How to Fix WordPress Too Many Redirects After SSL — Complete Guide

How to Fix It — Step by Step

1. Override WordPress URLs directly in wp-config.php
   Access your site via FTP or cPanel File Manager and open wp-config.php in the root directory. Add these two lines directly above the /* That's all, stop editing! */ comment:

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

   You should see: Your site loads without a redirect loop. If it still loops, move to the next step — don’t skip it.

2. Add HTTPS detection for load balancers
   Still in wp-config.php, add this block just above the lines you added in Step 1:

   if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO']) && $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO'] === 'https') {
       $_SERVER['HTTPS'] = 'on';
   }

   You should see: WordPress now correctly detects HTTPS even when your host terminates SSL at the edge, stopping the redundant redirect chain.

3. Audit and clean your .htaccess file
   Open .htaccess from your WordPress root folder. Remove any duplicate HTTPS redirect rules — especially if your hosting panel already enforces HTTPS. Your file should contain only the standard WordPress block:

   # BEGIN WordPress
   <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
   RewriteEngine On
   RewriteBase /
   RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
   RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
   RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
   RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
   </IfModule>
   # END WordPress

   You should see: No duplicate RewriteRule entries redirecting HTTP to HTTPS. One enforcement point only — either server or .htaccess, never both.

4. Update the URLs stored in the database
   Once you can access wp-admin, go to Settings → General and update both WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to https://yourdomain.com. Or run these WP-CLI commands via SSH:

   wp option update siteurl 'https://yourdomain.com'
   wp option update home 'https://yourdomain.com'

   You should see: Both fields display https:// after saving, and no redirect warning appears on the Settings page.

5. Purge every cache layer
   Clear your WordPress caching plugin (W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache, WP Super Cache), your CDN cache if you use Cloudflare or similar, and your own browser cache with a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R).

   You should see: The site loads cleanly at https:// with a valid padlock icon and no redirect error in any browser.