WordPress: Redirecting to wrong URL!!

Problem:

While trying to browse to https://www.example.com, it keeps redirecting to https://example.azurewebsites.net!!

 

Redirection Scenarios

There are a couple situations where one may face the WordPress Redirection issue:

• Migrated from another host
• Changed your custom domain name and it's going to your old domain!

 

Understanding The Issue

This redirection can occur for two reasons:

1. URL settings on the database. There are two fields named SITEURL and HOME within the wp_options table that control the URL redirects.
2. Defined constants in wp-config.php

MySQL Workbench showing URL settings from wp_options table

Wp-config.php showing defined constants affecting URL Redirection. To update these URLs, follow (C).

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Stopping The Redirection (and taking control of the site)

Not everyone is comfortable with making updates on a database so there are several options given below.

 

Here are a few methods to fix this issue:

A) *Recommended Method* Through WordPress Admin

1)  Login to WordPress Admin

2) Click on Settings -> General

3) Find the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields:

4) Update it to your new URL as shown:

5) Save Changes

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B) If you no longer have access to WordPress admin, set the site in "Relocate" mode within wp-config.php

1) Edit wp-config.php

2) Before the comment line "That's all, stop editing!", insert a new line: define('RELOCATE', true);

3) Save wp-config.php file

4) In your browser, open wp-login.php on  your new site. Example: For the domain, https://www.mysite.com, the URL would be: https://www.mysite.com/wp-login.php

5) Login

6) Verify the address bar is correct

7) In WordPress Admin, go to Settings -> General

8) Verify WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are correct

9) Save changes

10) Go back to wp-config.php

11) Remove the define from step #2.

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C) If you are unable to log into WordPress Admin, define new settings within wp-config.php

Note: This will hardcode the URLs and they will be disabled through the WordPress Admin -> Settings -> General Area. Because of this reason, it is not recommended.

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

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D) Manually update the HOME and SITEURL through a client like MySQL Workbench or PHPMyAdmin

Apply the following two queries to your WP_OPTIONS table:

__________________________________________________________________

UPDATE wp_options

SET option_value='https://www.newaddress.com'

WHERE option_name = 'home'

LIMIT 1;

__________________________________________________________________

UPDATE wp_options

SET option_value='https://www.newaddress.com'

WHERE option_name = 'siteurl'

LIMIT 1;

__________________________________________________________________

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Reference: https://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL