How to Create a Custom Permalink in WordPress [Complete Guide]

For WordPress beginners, permalinks can be confusing. Many wonder if it's possible to create custom permalinks or modify page URL structures without harming SEO. The good news is that WordPress offers flexible permalink options that allow you to customize URLs while maintaining search engine optimization.

This comprehensive guide will show you how to create custom permalinks in WordPress without negatively affecting your SEO rankings.

What You'll Learn in This Guide:

• •What is a custom permalink?
• •How to change the WordPress permalink structure
• •How to change category and tag URL prefixes
• •How to change individual post or page URLs
• •How to modify category and tag URLs
• •How to change author page URLs
• •How to create fully customized permalinks
• •How to set up redirects and avoid 404 errors

What is a Custom Permalink in WordPress?

Permalinks are the permanent URLs for posts, pages, and archive pages on your WordPress site. A custom permalink is a URL structure applied to specific pages without affecting the rest of your site's URL structure.

WordPress comes with SEO-friendly URL options that create easy-to-understand links for both humans and search engines.

Example of a good permalink:
https://example.com/best-refrigerators-for-tiny-kitchens/

Example of a bad permalink:
https://example.com/index.php?p=4556

WordPress provides multiple permalink options that you can view by visiting Settings » Permalinks in your dashboard.

In addition to changing the main permalink structure, WordPress allows you to customize URLs for posts, pages, categories, tags, and other areas of your site. You can also use plugins to create fully customized permalinks that override default WordPress settings.

Let's explore all your options, starting with the built-in features included with WordPress.

How to Change WordPress Permalink Structure

If you want to change how your entire site generates URLs, navigate to Settings » Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.

Available Permalink Structures:

Plain:
https://example.com/?p=123

Day and Name:
https://example.com/2024/12/13/sample-post/

Month and Name:
https://example.com/2024/12/sample-post/

Numeric:
https://example.com/archives/123

Post Name (Recommended):
https://example.com/sample-post/

Custom Structure:
Create your own using available tags

How to Change:

1. Go to Settings » Permalinks
2. Select your preferred URL structure
3. Use the available tags to create a custom structure if desired
4. Click "Save Changes" to store your settings

We strongly recommend using the "Post name" structure, which includes the post title in the URL. This makes your URLs more SEO-friendly and meaningful for users.

Important Note:

You should change to SEO-friendly permalinks for all new WordPress sites. However, if your existing website already receives search engine traffic, changing permalinks may temporarily affect your SEO rankings. Always set up proper redirects when changing permalink structures on established sites.

How to Change Category and Tag URL Prefixes in WordPress

By default, WordPress uses /category/ as the base for category URLs and /tag/ as the base for tag pages.

Default Examples:

• •https://example.com/category/technology/
• •https://example.com/tag/fintech/

You can change these base prefixes from the Settings » Permalinks page to whatever you prefer.

How to Customize:

1. Go to Settings » Permalinks
2. Scroll to the "Optional" section
3. Find "Category base" and "Tag base" fields
4. Enter your custom prefixes
5. Click "Save Changes"

Custom Examples:

• •https://example.com/topics/technology/ (for category pages)
• •https://example.com/hashtag/fintech/ (for tag pages)

You can even leave these fields empty to remove the base prefix entirely, creating cleaner URLs like:

• •https://example.com/technology/
• •https://example.com/fintech/

How to Change Individual WordPress Post or Page URLs

After setting up your permalink structure, WordPress uses it as a template for all links on your site. However, you can customize the URL for individual posts, pages, and custom post types.

For Block Editor (Gutenberg):

1. Edit your post, page, or custom post type
2. Click on the title field at the top
3. The "Permalink" field will appear below the title
4. Click the "Edit" button next to the URL
5. Change the slug to your custom permalink
6. Click "Save" to store the new permalink

For Classic Editor:

1. Edit your post or page
2. Find the "Permalink" section below the title
3. Click "Edit"
4. Change the slug
5. Click "OK" and update your post

Pro Tip: Keep your custom slugs short, descriptive, and include your target keyword for better SEO.

You can use this method for all post types, including:

• •Regular blog posts
• •Pages
• •WooCommerce products
• •MemberPress courses
• •Custom post types

How to Change WordPress Category or Tag URLs

In the previous section, we showed you how to modify the category and tag base prefixes. Now let's look at how to change the URL slug for individual categories or tags.

To Edit Category URLs:

1. Go to Posts » Categories
2. Hover over the category you want to edit
3. Click the "Edit" link
4. Find the "Slug" field
5. Change the slug to your preferred URL-friendly text
6. Click "Update"

To Edit Tag URLs:

1. Go to Posts » Tags
2. Click "Edit" under the tag you want to modify
3. Change the "Slug" field
4. Click "Update"

You can use the same method to edit any custom taxonomies registered by themes or plugins.

Slug Best Practices:

• •Use lowercase letters
• •Replace spaces with hyphens
• •Keep it short and descriptive
• •Include relevant keywords
• •Avoid special characters

How to Change Author Page URLs in WordPress

WordPress automatically adds the /author/ prefix to URLs pointing to author profile pages.

Default Example:
https://example.com/author/jsmith/

The problem is that WordPress doesn't provide a built-in option to change the author URL base or individual author slugs easily.

Solution: Edit Author Slug Plugin

Install and activate the Edit Author Slug plugin to gain full control over author URLs.

Installation Steps:

1. Go to Plugins » Add New
2. Search for "Edit Author Slug"
3. Click "Install Now" and then "Activate"

To Edit Individual Author Slugs:

1. Go to Users » All Users
2. Click "Edit" under the username you want to modify
3. Scroll down to the "Edit Author Slug" section
4. Select a predefined option or create your own custom slug
5. Click "Update User" to save your changes

To Change the Author Base Prefix:

1. Go to Settings » Edit Author Slug
2. Find the "Author Base" option
3. Enter your custom base (or leave empty to remove it)
4. You can even set different author bases for different user roles
5. Click "Save Changes"

Custom Examples:

• •https://example.com/writer/jsmith/
• •https://example.com/author/john-smith/
• •https://example.com/jsmith/ (no base prefix)

How to Create Fully Customized Permalinks in WordPress

All the methods above allow you to customize WordPress permalinks to some extent. However, they don't let you create completely custom URL structures that break free from WordPress conventions.

This is because WordPress doesn't provide this functionality by default. Fortunately, there's a plugin that can help.

Solution: Custom Permalinks Plugin

If you want to override the default WordPress URL structure for specific parts of your website, follow these steps.

Installation:

1. Go to Plugins » Add New
2. Search for "Custom Permalinks"
3. Click "Install Now" and "Activate"

To Create Custom Post Permalinks:

1. Edit the post where you want to create a custom permalink
2. Scroll down below the editor
3. Find the "Custom Permalink" section
4. Enter your completely custom URL structure
5. Update or publish your post

Example: You can create any URL structure like:

• •https://example.com/special/custom/path/my-post/
• •https://example.com/2024/holiday-sale/

To Create Custom Category Permalinks:

1. Go to Posts » Categories
2. Click "Edit" under the category you want to modify
3. Find the "Custom Permalink" field
4. Enter your custom URL (you can even remove the category base)
5. Click "Update"

Example: Create URLs like:

• •https://example.com/resources/ (instead of /category/resources/)
• •https://example.com/shop/electronics/ (custom path)

Managing Custom Permalinks:

You can manage all your custom permalinks by clicking the "Custom Permalinks" menu in your WordPress dashboard sidebar.

To Delete Custom Permalinks:

1. Go to Custom Permalinks in the sidebar
2. Select the custom permalinks you want to remove
3. Click the "Bulk Actions" dropdown
4. Select "Delete Permalink"
5. Click "Apply"

The deleted custom permalinks will revert to your default WordPress permalink structure.

How to Set Up Permalink Redirects and Avoid 404 Errors

WordPress automatically handles redirects when you change post and page URLs. However, it may not automatically set up redirects for custom author permalinks or fully customized permalinks created with plugins.

Without proper redirects, visitors and search engines will encounter 404 errors when accessing old URLs, which hurts user experience and SEO.

Solution: Redirection Plugin

The Redirection plugin is the most popular solution for managing URL redirects in WordPress.

Installation:

1. Go to Plugins » Add New
2. Search for "Redirection"
3. Click "Install Now" and "Activate"
4. Follow the setup wizard

Setting Up Redirects:

1. Go to Tools » Redirection
2. In the "Source URL" field, enter the old URL path
3. In the "Target URL" field, enter the new URL
4. Click "Add Redirect"

Example:

• •Source URL: /author/jsmith/
• •Target URL: /writer/john-smith/

Redirect Types:

301 Redirect (Permanent):
Use this for permanent URL changes. Passes SEO value to the new URL.

302 Redirect (Temporary):
Use this for temporary changes. Doesn't pass full SEO value.

For most permalink changes, use 301 redirects.

Best Practices for Redirects:

✅ Set up redirects immediately after changing URLs
✅ Use 301 redirects for permanent changes
✅ Test redirects to ensure they work properly
✅ Monitor 404 errors in Google Search Console
✅ Keep redirects in place indefinitely (don't remove them)
✅ Document your redirects for future reference

Monitoring 404 Errors:

The Redirection plugin also tracks 404 errors, helping you identify broken links:

1. Go to Tools » Redirection
2. Click the "404s" tab
3. Review URLs generating 404 errors
4. Set up redirects for important pages

Permalink SEO Best Practices

1. Use Descriptive, Keyword-Rich URLs

Good: https://example.com/wordpress-seo-tips/
Bad: https://example.com/post-123/

2. Keep URLs Short and Simple

Good: https://example.com/custom-permalinks/
Bad: https://example.com/how-to-create-custom-permalinks-in-wordpress-complete-guide/

3. Use Hyphens, Not Underscores

Good: custom-permalink
Bad: custom_permalink

4. Avoid Stop Words When Possible

Good: /wordpress-security-tips/
Better: /wordpress-security/

Remove words like: a, an, the, and, or, but (when they don't affect meaning)

5. Use Lowercase Letters

Good: https://example.com/wordpress-tips/
Bad: https://example.com/WordPress-Tips/

6. Match URLs to Content

Your permalink should accurately reflect your page content and include your target keyword.

7. Don't Change URLs Without Good Reason

Changing established URLs can temporarily hurt SEO, even with proper redirects. Only change permalinks when necessary.

Common Permalink Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using dates in blog post URLs – Makes content appear outdated
❌ Changing permalinks on established posts – Breaks links and hurts SEO
❌ Using special characters or spaces – Can cause technical issues
❌ Making URLs too long – Harder to remember and share
❌ Not setting up redirects – Results in 404 errors
❌ Using the default "Plain" structure – Misses SEO opportunities
❌ Including category in post URLs – Creates problems when recategorizing

Troubleshooting Permalink Issues

Problem: Permalinks Return 404 Errors

Solution:

1. Go to Settings » Permalinks
2. Click "Save Changes" without making any changes
3. This refreshes your permalink rules

If that doesn't work, check your .htaccess file permissions.

Problem: Custom Permalinks Not Working

Solution:

• •Ensure the Custom Permalinks plugin is activated
• •Check for plugin conflicts by deactivating other plugins
• •Clear your browser cache and WordPress cache

Problem: Changes Not Appearing

Solution:

• •Clear your site cache
• •Clear your browser cache
• •Check if a caching plugin is preventing updates

Conclusion

Custom permalinks in WordPress give you full control over your URL structure, helping you create SEO-friendly, user-friendly links that improve both search rankings and user experience.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Use the "Post name" permalink structure for best SEO results
✅ Customize individual post, page, and taxonomy URLs as needed
✅ Use plugins for advanced customization (Edit Author Slug, Custom Permalinks)
✅ Always set up 301 redirects when changing established URLs
✅ Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich
✅ Avoid changing permalinks on established content without good reason

By following this guide, you can create custom permalinks in WordPress that enhance your SEO while maintaining a logical, user-friendly URL structure throughout your site.

Ready to optimize your permalinks? Start by setting up an SEO-friendly permalink structure, then customize individual URLs as needed for your specific pages and posts.

We hope this article helped you learn how to create custom permalinks in WordPress. You may also want to check out our ultimate WordPress SEO guide to get more traffic to your website.