Content revised 20 October 2026.
WordPress permalink settings affect public addresses across the site. Choose a sensible structure for a new site, but plan carefully before changing the structure of an established one.
Inventory the current addresses
Record examples of posts, pages, categories, media and custom content types. Note whether dates or categories form part of the post URL. Check how other plugins and the server handle these paths. A change that looks simple in Settings can affect many established links.
Choose a structure editors can maintain
For new content, favour an understandable approach that fits the publication. Think about category changes, dated articles and future content types. The setting should support the site’s information architecture rather than being selected only because a tutorial says one pattern always ranks better.
Plan any migration before saving
- Back up the database and relevant configuration.
- Map old public URLs to their intended replacements.
- Prepare redirects and update internal links.
- Check canonical, sitemap and sharing URLs.
Test beyond the homepage
Open representative old and new article URLs, pagination and archive pages in a test environment. Check for missing-page responses, redirect loops and incorrect destinations. Test the site on the actual server configuration because Apache and Nginx rewrite handling can differ.
Keep routine editing separate
Improving an article’s title or content doesn't mean its slug must change. If the existing structure works, a redesign can preserve it. When a structural change has a real benefit, document the reason and verify the migration. Stable, functioning URLs are more useful than repeated cosmetic changes.
Official guidance: WordPress permalink documentation.