How to Fix WordPress SSL/HTTPS Issues After Migration

Migrating a WordPress website to a new host or server is a big step forward-but let’s face it, things don’t always go smoothly. One of the most common frustrations website owners face after migration is SSL/HTTPS issues. Broken padlock icons, mixed content warnings, or pages still loading as HTTP instead of HTTPS can make your site look unprofessional and unsafe.

I’ve been there myself, staring at the dreaded “Not Secure” message in the browser bar after a migration. But here’s the good news: fixing WordPress SSL/HTTPS problems is easier than it seems once you understand where to look.

Below, we’ll break down the most effective methods to solve these issues step by step. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to restore full SSL security to your WordPress site.

Double-Check Your SSL Certificate Installation

Before digging deeper into WordPress itself, confirm that your SSL certificate is properly installed on the new server. Without a valid certificate, no amount of plugin tweaking or database editing will help.

Things to verify:

• Your hosting provider has correctly installed the SSL certificate.
• The certificate is not expired.
• You’re using the right type of SSL (e.g., Let’s Encrypt, Wildcard SSL, or Paid SSL).
• You can test it using SSL Labs Server Test.

If your certificate isn’t installed correctly, request support from your hosting provider before making changes in WordPress.

Update WordPress Address and Site URL

After a migration, sometimes the old HTTP URLs remain stored in your database. This causes WordPress to keep loading insecure versions of your site.

To fix this:

Go to your WordPress Dashboard.

Navigate to Settings > General.

Update both WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to use https://.

For example:

http://yoursite.com → https://yoursite.com

Pro Tip: If you can’t access the WordPress dashboard due to redirects, you can update the URLs directly in the wp-config.php file by adding:

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

Fix Mixed Content Issues in WordPress

Even with SSL enabled, browsers may block resources like images, CSS, or JavaScript files if they’re still being loaded via HTTP. This is known as a mixed content issue.

You can detect these errors by:

• Checking the browser console (press F12 > Console tab).
• Looking for “mixed content” warnings.

How to fix it:

• Use a plugin like Really Simple SSL to automatically rewrite insecure links.
• Manually update links in your database using a tool like Better Search Replace (search for http://yoursite.com and replace with https://yoursite.com).
• Update hardcoded links in your theme files if necessary.

4. Update Internal Links and Media Files

After migration, some internal links or media uploads may still point to HTTP. This not only causes SSL warnings but also hurts SEO performance.

You can fix this by:

• Running a database search-and-replace to replace old links.
• Using plugins like Velvet Blues Update URLs or Better Search Replace.
• Ensuring your media library items load over HTTPS.

According to a study by Ahrefs, sites with broken or insecure links can lose up to 15% of their organic traffic due to crawling and indexing issues. Don’t underestimate this step.

Force HTTPS Using .htaccess

Sometimes browsers still serve your site over HTTP if redirection rules aren’t set. Adding an HTTPS redirect in your .htaccess file ensures all visitors are forced to the secure version.

Add this snippet to your .htaccess file:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</IfModule>

This guarantees that anyone accessing your WordPress site via HTTP will be redirected to HTTPS automatically.

Check WordPress Plugins and Themes for Conflicts

Sometimes outdated plugins or poorly coded themes keep loading insecure scripts, even after you’ve fixed your site’s settings.

Steps to troubleshoot:

• Deactivate all plugins temporarily to check if the issue resolves.
• Reactivate plugins one by one to identify the culprit.
• Update your theme and plugins to their latest versions.
• Replace abandoned plugins with actively maintained alternatives.

A survey by Wordfence found that nearly 55% of WordPress vulnerabilities come from outdated plugins. Keeping them updated is critical.

Enable HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)

HSTS tells browsers to always use HTTPS when visiting your site, preventing downgrade attacks and mixed content issues.

To enable HSTS, add this line to your .htaccess file:

Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"  

This ensures browsers remember your site as secure for the next 12 months.

Clear Cache and CDN After Migration

Sometimes SSL/HTTPS issues persist because old cached files are being served. If you use a caching plugin or a CDN like Cloudflare, clear all caches.

Checklist:

• Purge cache in your WordPress caching plugin (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket).
• Purge cache on your CDN.
• Clear browser cache to confirm changes.

Update Google Search Console and Analytics

Once your site is fully secured, don’t forget to update your HTTPS URLs in Google Search Console and Google Analytics.

• Add your https://property in Search Console to ensure correct indexing.
• Update property settings in Analytics to reflect HTTPS.

Google confirmed back in 2014 that HTTPS is a ranking signal. If you don’t update these tools, search engines might keep indexing your insecure HTTP pages.

Test Your WordPress Site Thoroughly

Finally, test everything to ensure there are no remaining SSL/HTTPS issues. Check:

• Homepage and inner pages.
• Media files and embedded content.
• Forms, checkout pages, and login areas.

Use tools like:

• Why No Padlock
• SSL Checker

Final Thoughts

Migrating a WordPress website can feel like moving houses-you always find a few things out of place afterward. SSL/HTTPS errors are among the most common, but they’re also among the easiest to fix once you know where to look.

From updating URLs to fixing mixed content and enabling HSTS, each step brings you closer to a fully secure, professional-looking site. And let’s be honest—there’s nothing more reassuring than seeing that little padlock icon light up in your browser bar.

If you follow the methods above carefully, your WordPress site should be back to running securely in no time.

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