How To Redirect To HTTPS And Enforce WWW Using .htaccess?

Separating HTTPS and WWW Redirects

To fix the issue with your .htaccess file, separate the HTTPS and WWW redirects. This allows for better control over the redirection process.

Create a rewrite rule for HTTPS:

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule .* https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This rule checks if the connection is not using HTTPS and redirects it to the secure version if needed.

Add a separate rule for enforcing WWW:

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
RewriteRule .* https://www.%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This rule checks if the URL doesn't start with "www" and adds it if needed. By separating these rules, you make sure that the HTTPS redirect happens before the WWW enforcement, avoiding conflicts.

Step-by-Step Configuration

To implement the correct .htaccess code for redirecting to HTTPS and enforcing WWW, follow these steps:

1. Set up RewriteEngine: Start by enabling the RewriteEngine in your .htaccess file. Add this line at the beginning of your file:

RewriteEngine On

This activates the mod_rewrite module, allowing you to use URL rewriting rules.

2. Write the HTTPS redirect rule: Add these lines to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS:

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule .* https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This rule checks if the connection is not using HTTPS and redirects it to the secure version if needed.

3. Add the WWW enforcement rule: Include these lines to enforce the use of WWW in your URLs:

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
RewriteRule .* https://www.%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This rule checks if the URL doesn't start with "www" and adds it if needed.

Your complete .htaccess file should now look like this:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule .* https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
RewriteRule .* https://www.%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

This setup will redirect all traffic to the HTTPS version of your site and enforce the use of WWW in your URLs.

Verifying Redirects

After setting up the new .htaccess configuration, test your redirects to make sure they work correctly. Here's how to check the HTTP to HTTPS redirect and WWW enforcement:

Checking HTTP to HTTPS redirect:

1. Open a web browser and enter your website's URL using "http://"; (e.g., http://yourwebsite.com).
2. See if the browser redirects you to the "https://"; version of your site.
3. Check the address bar to confirm that the URL starts with "https://";.

Confirming WWW enforcement:

1. Access your website without the "www" prefix (e.g., https://yourwebsite.com).
2. See if the browser redirects you to the version with "www" (e.g., https://www.yourwebsite.com).
3. Check that the final URL in the address bar includes both "https://"; and "www".

To cover all scenarios, test these combinations:

• http://yourwebsite.com
• http://www.yourwebsite.com
• https://yourwebsite.com
• https://www.yourwebsite.com

All these variations should redirect to https://www.yourwebsite.com. If any of these tests fail, review your .htaccess file for errors or ask your web hosting provider for help.

Clear your browser cache before testing to avoid cached redirects affecting your results. You can also use online redirect checker tools for extra verification.

curl -I http://yourwebsite.com