How to Fix an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS Error

Published on April 2, 2019

Thanks to user-friendly content management systems and page builders, creating your own website today can be done rather easily and with little to no web development experience. However, if you're not well-versed in all of the technical aspects of website development, getting an error message when you try to access your website can be quite stressful.

There is no need to panic if you're getting an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error or a similar message like the following:

This webpage has a redirect loop problem
The page isn't redirecting properly
Hmmm... can't reach this page

This is a common error and there are a few straightforward fixes that will get your website back up and running smoothly in no time.

Why am I getting an `ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS` error?

While a redirect error is typically a relatively minor issue, it can seem daunting to anyone who doesn't understand what that actually means. It's an especially common problem with WordPress websites, but it can occur on any web application.

In simple terms, when your website gives you this redirect error, it's because the browser is getting mixed messages and doesn't know where it's supposed to go. Your poor browser essentially just runs around in an endless circle until it finally plops down in frustration and gives up on trying to go anywhere.

Why does this happen? Usually, it's a problem with domain mapping or incorrectly configured redirects. For a WordPress website, the following issues can also cause a redirect loop:

Incorrectly configured WordPress settings
Incorrectly configured .htaccess file 
Incorrectly configured plugins are redirecting website traffic 
Multiple websites are being hosted on a single IP address 
A website in your network has the same URL as a deleted website

Each problem above may seem small or inconsequential but can lead to a serious issue. Unfortunately, one misconfiguration or settings change can "break" your website and cause the dreaded ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error to pop up.

Now that you understand what the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error is and how it can happen, it's time to move on to the most important part, fixing the problem.

1. Check URLs

One of the most common reasons your browser can get stuck in a redirect loop is because the home URL and website URL don't match.

In WordPress, the home URL is usually labeled as "blog address" or "website address." This is what users type to navigate to your page, which means that it's the public-facing part of your website.

The "WordPress address" field is your website URL. This is where all of the technical stuff like code and admin pages live. This is the part that can only be seen by you and anyone allowed to modify your page.

In most cases, WordPress defaults to making these two URLs the same to avoid errors and confusion. However, if your website has sections that are not WordPress-based, or you've accidentally edited one of these URLs so that it's no longer exactly the same, a redirect error or even a 404 "page not found" error can occur.

To fix this, simply log in to the WordPress admin dashboard and open the settings tab. In the "general" section, you will see a place where you can edit these URLs so that they match.

2. Clear your browsing data

Most websites use cookies stored in your browser to make your overall user experience faster and more streamlined. However, sometimes those cookies can contain faulty data, and this can lead to the redirect error. When you clear your browser cache, it gets rid of those cookies and can often fix the redirect loop you're getting stuck in.

In fact, deleting cookies is a solution you can try for any website that's giving you a "too many redirects" error. To do this, you can open your browser's settings and select the option to clear cookies from just that website or all of the websites you visit frequently. If this was the problem, you should then be able to load the page without issue.

3. Review your HTTPS settings

A common cause of a redirect loop is a problem with HTTPS settings. This is especially true if you've recently transitioned your website from HTTP. Often, users forget to finish something in the process, or they make a simple mistake during setup.

If you're unsure, there are online tutorials that can walk you through each step of properly migrating your website to HTTPS.

You should also be sure that you have an SSL certificate installed on your website before you complete the HTTPS process. Without an up to date SSL certificate, forcing your page to load over HTTPS will automatically give you a redirect loop error.

If you have an SSL certificate and are still getting this error, it might be helpful to use an SSL check tool to ensure that everything is working properly and set up correctly.

Don't be afraid to ask the pros

Being thrown into a redirect loop doesn't have to be a reason to panic. There are several things that can cause this error to happen, and almost all of them have simple fixes and straightforward causes.

This article lists three of the most common reasons for getting an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error, but there are a lot of factors to consider when you're trying to determine the problem. Don't be afraid to do a more in-depth search to learn about some of the advanced, technical reasons you could be getting a redirect error.

The more knowledge you have, the more likely it's that you will be able to catch and prevent problems like this in the future.