Comprehensive Guide to Forcing Your WordPress Site to Load on HTTPS

Forcing a site to load over SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), now typically using its successor protocol TLS (Transport Layer Security), is crucial for ensuring data security and privacy. Here are several methods to enforce SSL on a website:

1. Redirecting HTTP to HTTPS:

• Use server configuration to redirect all incoming HTTP requests to HTTPS. For Apache servers, this can be done using .htaccess file, and for Nginx, it is done within the server block configuration.

1. HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security):

• Implement HSTS by adding a response header (Strict-Transport-Security) that tells browsers to only connect via HTTPS. This is more secure than a simple redirect as it prevents SSL stripping attacks.

1. Content Security Policy (CSP):

• Utilize CSP headers to specify that browsers should only load resources over HTTPS. This helps prevent mixed content issues where some resources are loaded over insecure HTTP.

1. SSL/TLS Certificate Installation:

• Ensure that a valid SSL/TLS certificate is installed on your server. This is a prerequisite for setting up HTTPS. Certificates can be obtained from Certificate Authorities (CAs) like Let’s Encrypt, which offers them for free.

1. Server-Side Code:

• In some cases, you can use server-side scripting languages like PHP or ASP.NET to check if a request is made over HTTPS and if not, redirect it to HTTPS.

1. Load Balancers or Reverse Proxies:

• If you’re using a load balancer or a reverse proxy, you can configure them to handle SSL/TLS termination and enforce HTTPS connections.

1. Cloudflare or Similar Services:

• Using services like Cloudflare, you can enforce SSL/TLS. They offer options to automatically redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

1. Updating Internal Links and Resources:

• Make sure that all internal links and resources (like images, scripts, and stylesheets) are using HTTPS to prevent mixed content issues.

1. Update External Links:

• Where possible, update links to external resources to use HTTPS to further ensure security and integrity of your site.

1. Web Application Firewall (WAF):
   • Some Web Application Firewalls provide features to enforce HTTPS connections.

Each method has its own merits, and often, a combination of these methods is used to ensure maximum security and compliance with web standards. It’s also important to periodically review and update your SSL/TLS configurations to comply with the latest security standards and practices.

Detailed Steps to Forcing WordPress To Load on HTTPS

Forcing WordPress to load over HTTPS involves a few key steps. These steps ensure that all traffic to your WordPress site is encrypted and secure. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Install an SSL Certificate:

• Before you can switch your WordPress site to HTTPS, you need an SSL/TLS certificate. You can obtain a certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA) like Let’s Encrypt, or your hosting provider might offer a free or paid certificate.

1. Update WordPress URLs:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
• Go to Settings > General.
• Change your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) from http:// to https://.
• Save the changes.

1. Implement Redirects in .htaccess (For Apache Servers):

• Access your site’s root directory using FTP or File Manager in your hosting control panel.
• Find the .htaccess file. If it’s not there, you may need to create one.
• Add the following code to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS:

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

• Save the changes.

1. For Nginx Servers:

• If your server runs Nginx, you can’t use .htaccess. Instead, add a redirect in your Nginx configuration file:
  

nginx server { listen 80; server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com; return 301 https://yourdomain.com$request_uri; }

• Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

1. Update Hardcoded Links:

• Use a plugin like ‘Better Search Replace’ or ‘Velvet Blues Update URLs’ to update hardcoded HTTP links in your database to HTTPS.

1. Implement HSTS (Optional but Recommended):

• To further enforce HTTPS, you can implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) by adding the following line to your .htaccess file:
  

apache Header set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000" env=HTTPS

• This step is advanced and should be done with caution as it will force browsers to only use HTTPS for your site for a year.

1. Test Your Site:

• After making these changes, test your site to ensure that it loads correctly over HTTPS.
• Check for mixed content issues where some resources might still load over HTTP.

1. Update Google Analytics and Search Console:

• If you use Google Analytics or Google Search Console, update your site’s URL to the HTTPS version.

1. Update External Services:

• Update your site’s URL on external services and social media platforms to ensure that backlinks are using HTTPS.

By following these steps, you can effectively force your WordPress site to load over HTTPS, enhancing its security and potentially its search engine ranking.

Top WordPress Plugins To Force Your WordPress Site To Load on an SSL

Forcing your WordPress site to load on HTTPS can be simplified using plugins. These plugins can handle various tasks related to SSL/TLS, such as redirects, content fixes, and certificate status monitoring. Here are the top 10 WordPress plugins designed for this purpose:

1. Really Simple SSL

• Automatically detects your settings and configures your website to run over HTTPS. It handles most of the SSL configuration, like updating site URLs and setting up redirects.

1. WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect

• Redirects all HTTP traffic to HTTPS without the need for any modifications to the .htaccess file. It also includes a content fixer to solve mixed content issues.

1. SSL Insecure Content Fixer

• Cleans up your WordPress site’s HTTPS insecure content by replacing insecure HTTP URLs with HTTPS, especially useful for fixing mixed content warnings.

1. Easy HTTPS Redirection

• Automatically sets up a redirection to the HTTPS version of an URL after you have installed an SSL Certificate. It allows for setting up redirection on the whole domain or a few pages.

1. Cloudflare Flexible SSL

• If you are using Cloudflare’s free Flexible SSL on your WordPress site, this plugin prevents infinite redirect loops when loading WordPress sites under Cloudflare’s Flexible SSL system.

1. WordPress HTTPS (SSL)

• Primarily designed to force SSL on certain pages or posts in your admin area, this plugin offers an easy way to secure parts of your WordPress site.

1. One Click SSL

• Aims at simplicity, enabling SSL with one click. It redirects all non-SSL pages to SSL and fixes any insecure content issues.

1. CM HTTPS Pro

• A comprehensive solution for installing an SSL certificate and running a WordPress site fully over HTTPS. It includes features for scanning, fixing mixed content, and redirecting.

1. WP Encrypt

• An easy-to-use plugin that can generate free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for your WordPress site, helping in the transition to a secure HTTPS website.

1. JSM’s Force SSL / HTTPS

• A lightweight plugin that forces the site URL and home URL settings to HTTPS, and if SSL is detected, it sends a 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS.

When choosing a plugin, it’s important to consider your specific needs, like whether you need help only with redirects or with fixing mixed content issues as well. Additionally, always ensure that any plugin you choose is compatible with your version of WordPress and is regularly updated for security and performance.