We often get asked by customers how they can add HTTPS to their site. More often than not they already have an SSL Certificate installed however this is only part of the solution if the site is built using WordPress. In this guide I’ll show how to install the Really Simple SSL plugin. The nice thing about this plugin is that it quickly and easily forces a WordPress site to HTTPS rather than attempting an .htaccess redirect and then having to manually fix mixed content errors with images and other media.
Installing the Plugin
- Log into the admin area of the WordPress site you will be working with.
- Select Plugins from the sidebar and select Add New.
- Search “Really Simple SSL” in the search bar.
- Select Install Now to install the plugin.
- Select Activate in the same location. You can also enable it from Installed Plugins on the left.
Configuring the Plugin
- Once you’re ready to force the site to HTTPS, you can activate the function from Installed Plugins or the plugin notification at the top of the screen.
Note, it’s always a good idea to make a backup of the site prior to activation.
- After pressing Go ahead, activate SSL! you’ll see a notification stating the HTTPS redirect completed.
- You can configure the settings for Really Simple SSL by selecting Settings and SSL.
- You can test to ensure HTTPS is active by opening a new browser window and navigating to your website without HTTPS – e.g. domain.com . It should automatically redirect to HTTPS.