Скачать или смотреть How to Fix the 301 RedirectMatch in Your .htaccess File for WordPress

Learn how to implement a proper regex redirect using `.htaccess` to handle unwanted URLs on your WordPress site efficiently.
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Fixing the 301 RedirectMatch Issue in Your .htaccess for WordPress

If you've faced an issue with your WordPress site redirecting users to unwanted URLs, you're not alone. A common problem arises when there are malicious redirects that can lead your visitors to spammy sites. Many webmasters find themselves dealing with strange URLs that include gibberish and unwanted numeric endings, which can negatively impact SEO by generating 404 errors. In this guide, we will explore how to effectively fix the 301 RedirectMatch issue in your .htaccess file, ensuring that your WordPress site handles unwanted URLs correctly.

The Problem: Redirecting Unwanted URLs

Several months back, a website owner experienced an unexpected redirect on their WordPress site. While browsing the Google Search Console, they noticed a plethora of 404 errors generated by URLs featuring a sequence of gibberish, often ending in five or more digits. For example:

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The goal was to implement a regex 301 redirect to send any URLs ending with five or more digits to the homepage. The attempted method in the .htaccess file looked like this:

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Unfortunately, this approach failed to work as intended.

The Solution: Proper Redirect Handling

Understanding RedirectMatch vs. RewriteRule

The issue lies in the way Apache processes RedirectMatch and RewriteRule. While RedirectMatch belongs to mod_alias, RewriteRule is part of mod_rewrite, which processes directives at an earlier stage. Since WordPress relies heavily on mod_rewrite, we need to utilize it for our redirecting purpose.

Implementing the Correct Rewrite Rule

To effectively redirect URLs that end with five or more digits, you should modify your .htaccess file by using a RewriteRule that forces a 404 for such URLs. Here’s the proper setup:

Open your .htaccess file located in the root directory of your WordPress installation.

Add the following line before the # BEGIN WordPress comment:

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By doing this, you don't need to include <IfModule> wrappers or duplicate the RewriteEngine On directive, as it’s already included in the WordPress core.

Alternative Response Codes

If you want to handle the URLs differently:

To return a 410 Gone, simply change R=404 to G.

For a 403 Forbidden, replace it with the F flag.

Analyzing the Regex Behavior

The previously used line RedirectMatch 301 .*\d{5,} / does not anchor properly. The regex matches any URL that contains at least five contiguous digits within the path, not just at the end.

Conclusion

In summary, to address unwanted URLs on your WordPress site effectively, leverage the power of RewriteRule instead of RedirectMatch. By correctly applying these changes to your .htaccess file, you can prevent unnecessary 404 errors and maintain the integrity of your site’s SEO.

Remember to always back up your .htaccess file before making modifications to avoid any potential disruptions to your website.

With the right approach to your redirects, you'll turn those pesky 404 errors into a thing of the past, making your website cleaner and more user-friendly!