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Fixing “Too Many Redirects” Error in WordPress Hosted on cPanel

ajith June 13, 2025

Understand what’s causing the loop and how to fix it easily from your hosting panel

If you’ve ever tried to open your WordPress website only to be greeted with a “Too Many Redirects” or ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error, you’re not alone. It’s a common issue and usually stems from misconfigured settings in WordPress, .htaccess, SSL setup, or conflicting plugins. Thankfully, if your site is hosted on cPanel, resolving this doesn’t require coding expertise.
In this article, we’ll walk you through step-by-step solutions to eliminate the redirect loop and bring your site back online.

What Causes “Too Many Redirects” in WordPress?

This error means your site is stuck in an endless loop where it keeps redirecting between two or more URLs. Common reasons include:

  • Mismatch between WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL)

  • Misconfigured .htaccess file

  • Incorrect SSL or HTTPS redirection rules

  • Conflicting redirection plugins

  • Duplicate redirects from both WordPress and server config

Step-by-Step Fix Using cPanel

Step 1: Log in to cPanel

Use your hosting provider’s login credentials and access the cPanel dashboard. Look for tools like File Manager, phpMyAdmin, and Domains.

Step 2: Check .htaccess File for Redirect Loops

  1. Go to Files > File Manager

  2. Navigate to public_html/

  3. Locate the .htaccess file

Option A: Rename the File Temporarily

  • Right-click .htaccess > Rename it to .htaccess-backup

  • Reload your website

If the site works now, the problem is in your .htaccess file.

Option B: Replace with Default .htaccess
Use this default content:

# 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

Create a new file named .htaccess and paste this code. Save changes and reload your site.

Step 3: Check WordPress URLs in the Database

If WordPress is trying to redirect from HTTP to HTTPS or vice versa incorrectly, it can cause a loop.

How to Fix:

  1. In cPanel, go to phpMyAdmin

  2. Select your WordPress database

  3. Go to the wp_options table

  4. Look for:

    • siteurl

    • home

Make sure both values have the same format. For example:

https://yourdomain.com

Not one with http:// and the other with https://.

Edit them if necessary by clicking Edit on the left side.

Step 4: Disable Redirection Plugins

Sometimes plugins like Really Simple SSL, Redirection, or security plugins conflict with your server’s redirect rules.

How to Disable Plugins via File Manager:

  1. Go to public_html/wp-content/plugins/

  2. Rename the plugin folders one by one (e.g., redirection to redirection-old)

  3. Refresh your site after each rename to identify the problematic plugin

Step 5: Check SSL Redirects and Force HTTPS Settings

Some sites have duplicate HTTPS redirects both from WordPress and the server’s .htaccess.

Fix from cPanel:

  1. Open .htaccess file again

  2. Look for force HTTPS rules like:

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

If these are present and your plugin also adds SSL rules, it can cause loops. Keep only one.

Also, check if your domain has Force HTTPS enabled in cPanel’s Domains section or via AutoSSL settings.

Step 6: Clear Browser and Site Cache

After making changes, your browser may still cache the old redirect loop.

  • Clear your browser cache

  • If you use a caching plugin like W3 Total Cache or LiteSpeed Cache, clear its cache from the plugin or by deleting cache folders in /wp-content/cache/

Step 7: Test the Fix

Reload your website. If everything was done correctly, your site should now load without redirect errors.

Use this checklist:

  • Does your homepage load?

  • Can you access wp-admin?

  • Are internal links redirecting properly?

What to Do If the Error Persists?

If you’ve tried everything and still face the error:

  • Recheck the WordPress and Site URL in phpMyAdmin

  • Temporarily switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One by renaming your current theme folder

  • Contact your hosting provider they may help with a deeper server-level review

How to Prevent “Too Many Redirects” in the Future

Here are simple ways to avoid running into this issue again:

  • Use only one method to enforce HTTPS (plugin or .htaccess)

  • Avoid using multiple redirection plugins

  • Ensure both siteurl and home values match

  • Take regular backups of .htaccess and the database

  • Use staging environments to test changes before going live

Final Thoughts

Too Many Redirects” may seem intimidating, but it’s usually a sign of miscommunication between WordPress and your server. By carefully checking your .htaccess, WordPress settings, and plugins and using cPanel tools you can resolve it in minutes.
Stay cautious when editing redirection settings, and always make backups before applying changes. With the right approach, your site will be back to normal in no time.