The Ultimate Guide to Moving Your WordPress Site from HTTP to HTTPS in 2023

Hey there, WordPress site owner! If you‘re still running your site on HTTP in 2023, it‘s time for an urgent update. I know, I know – the thought of moving to HTTPS can seem daunting. But fear not! I‘m here to guide you through the process step-by-step, with plenty of helpful tips and insights along the way.

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In this ultimate guide, we‘ll cover:

Why HTTPS is non-negotiable for WordPress sites in 2023
How to get a free or paid SSL certificate (and why free is fine for most!)
Step-by-step instructions to configure WordPress for HTTPS
Fixing those pesky mixed content errors
Configuring redirects to avoid SEO disasters
Updating Google Search Console and Analytics
Troubleshooting common HTTPS issues

By the end of this guide, you‘ll have a fully-functioning, secure HTTPS site. Let‘s get started!

Why Your WordPress Site Needs HTTPS in 2023

First, let‘s talk about why moving to HTTPS is so crucial. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) encrypts the connection between your WordPress site and your visitors‘ browsers. This means any data they share with your site (like login details or contact info) is safely encrypted and can‘t be intercepted by hackers.

Back in 2018, Google started marking sites without HTTPS as "not secure" in Chrome. Fast forward to 2023, and HTTPS is the absolute minimum standard for all websites – not just e-commerce or those handling sensitive data.

Don‘t just take my word for it – check out these eye-opening HTTPS statistics:

As of March 2023, over 95% of pages loaded in Chrome on Windows are served over HTTPS (Source: Google Transparency Report)
HTTPS is a lightweight ranking signal for SEO (Source: Google Search Central Blog)
85% of consumers will not continue browsing if a site is not secure (Source: GlobalSign)
SSL certificates are a key trust signal for 93% of consumers (Source: Hubspot)

Bottom line? If you want to protect your site, build trust with visitors, and rank well in search engines, you need to be using HTTPS. Period.

Getting Your SSL Certificate: Free vs Paid Options

The first step in moving to HTTPS is obtaining an SSL certificate. You have two main options:

Get a free SSL certificate from a non-profit Certificate Authority (CA) like Let‘s Encrypt
Purchase a paid SSL certificate from a commercial CA like Sectigo, Digicert, etc.

For most WordPress sites, a free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificate is perfectly fine. These certificates are widely trusted by browsers and provide the same level of encryption as paid certificates.

Many WordPress hosting providers now offer free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificates that can be activated with just a few clicks. Some of the top hosts offering this feature include:

Bluehost
SiteGround
WP Engine
Kinsta
Flywheel
WPX Hosting
GreenGeeks

To find out if your host offers free SSL, check your hosting dashboard or contact their support team.

If you need a higher level of validation and warranty, you can purchase a paid SSL certificate. These typically cost anywhere from $50 to $1000+ per year, depending on the level of validation and features. For most WordPress sites, a simple domain-validated (DV) certificate is sufficient.

How to Configure WordPress to Use HTTPS

Once your SSL certificate is activated, it‘s time to configure WordPress to use HTTPS across your entire site. Here‘s how:

Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Settings > General
Update your "WordPress Address" and "Site Address" fields to use https:// instead of http://
Save your changes

Next, add the following code snippet to your wp-config.php file (before the line that says "That‘s all, stop editing!"):

define(‘FORCE_SSL_ADMIN‘, true);

This forces HTTPS for your WordPress admin area, login pages, and the front-end of your site.

After saving your changes, log out of WordPress and log back in. You should see the padlock icon in your browser‘s address bar, indicating a secure HTTPS connection.

Fixing Mixed Content Errors

One common issue you may encounter after moving to HTTPS is mixed content errors. These occur when certain resources (like images or scripts) are still being loaded over an insecure HTTP connection.

To fix mixed content errors:

Install and activate the free SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin
Navigate to Settings > SSL Insecure Content
Select "Content" from the HTTPS detection mode dropdown
Save your changes

The plugin will automatically fix most mixed content errors by updating HTTP URLs to HTTPS in your WordPress database and files.

For any remaining errors, you‘ll need to manually update the URLs in your theme, plugin, or widget settings. Use your browser‘s Inspect Element tool to identify which files are causing mixed content warnings.

Setting Up Redirects from HTTP to HTTPS

To prevent SEO issues and visitor confusion, you need to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS. You can do this by adding the following code to your .htaccess file:

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

This snippet permanently redirects all HTTP requests to their HTTPS equivalent using a 301 redirect.

If you‘re not comfortable editing your .htaccess file directly, you can use the free Redirection plugin to manage your redirects instead.

Updating Google Search Console and Analytics

Google treats the HTTP and HTTPS versions of your site as separate properties. To avoid SEO issues, add your HTTPS site as a new property in Google Search Console:

Log in to Search Console and click "Add Property"
Enter your HTTPS site URL and click "Continue"
Verify ownership of your HTTPS property
Submit your HTTPS sitemap

Don‘t forget to update your Google Analytics tracking code to use HTTPS as well. I recommend using the free Site Kit plugin by Google to easily connect WordPress with Search Console and Analytics.

Tips for Maintaining and Troubleshooting HTTPS

Congratulations – your WordPress site is now fully set up with HTTPS! To keep your site secure and running smoothly, follow these tips:

Always keep your SSL certificate up-to-date and renew it before expiration
Regularly scan for mixed content errors using a tool like Why No Padlock
Ensure all internal links use HTTPS (including navigation menus and widgets)
If using a CDN like Cloudflare, make sure SSL is enabled and configured correctly
Monitor your HTTPS status using uptime monitoring tools
Troubleshoot common issues like redirect loops or SSL handshake errors

By following this ultimate guide, you‘re now well-equipped to properly move your WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPS in 2023. As the web continues to evolve, HTTPS encryption will only become more important – so you‘re making a smart move for the long-term security and success of your site.

If you found this guide helpful, check out our other WordPress tutorials and resources: