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What clean permalinks require on Nginx
A permalink is the permanent URL WordPress uses for posts, pages, categories and other archives. You choose the structure in Settings > Permalinks; WordPress stores that choice, but Nginx must route each friendly URL to WordPress’s front controller. WordPress documents the permalink settings and built-in or custom structures here: Customize permalinks.
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Apache can read directory-level .htaccess rules. Nginx does not: “With Nginx there is no directory-level configuration file like Apache’s .htaccess or IIS’s web.config files,” according to WordPress Developer Resources. The administrator therefore edits the Nginx server {} block. WordPress cannot write this rewrite rule for you.
The standard single-site rule is:
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}Nginx tests the operands from left to right. An existing file is served as a file, an existing directory is served as a directory, and anything else is internally passed to /index.php. The ?$args suffix preserves the request’s query string, which matters for non-default permalink structures and other requests that carry parameters. This is the pattern shown in the official Nginx guidance at developer.wordpress.org and in the WordPress training lesson on URL rewriting at learn.wordpress.org.
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Configure a document-root installation
1. Confirm the document root and index file
Find the Nginx server {} block that answers the site’s hostname. Its root must be the directory containing WordPress’s index.php, and the server should declare PHP as an index file:
server {
server_name example.com www.example.com;
root /var/www/example;
index index.php;
# location blocks go here
}Use the real path and hostnames from your installation. If another server block, an earlier default site, or a reverse proxy receives the request, changing an unused block will not change the site you test.
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2. Add the WordPress fallback in location /
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}Keep this rule in the server block that owns the WordPress root. Do not change the final operand to =404: that would make Nginx reject virtual post, page and archive URLs before WordPress can resolve them. Conversely, the first two operands are important because they allow real CSS, JavaScript, images, uploaded files and directories to be returned directly instead of needlessly invoking PHP.
The rule is not a redirect. Nginx internally selects the front controller, so the browser can retain the clean URL while WordPress receives the request. A real file such as an image stops at the first operand; a directory can stop at the second; only a path with neither a matching file nor directory reaches index.php.
3. Configure PHP separately
The fallback only routes a request; PHP-FPM (or another configured PHP upstream) must execute the resulting script. A typical PHP location includes your distribution’s FastCGI parameter file, passes the request to the PHP upstream already configured on the server, sets the script filename, and rejects nonexistent scripts:
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try_files $uri =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass php_backend;
}php_backend represents the PHP-FPM socket or TCP upstream used by your system; use the name and endpoint already defined in your Nginx configuration. The exact include filename and socket path vary by operating system and PHP package. The security-relevant distinction is that try_files $uri =404; belongs in the PHP location to prevent execution of a script that is not present. It must not replace the fallback in the general location /.
If a PHP URL downloads as text, returns a direct Nginx error, or produces a gateway-style failure, the permalink rule is not the only suspect. Check the FastCGI include, the SCRIPT_FILENAME value, the PHP-FPM socket or TCP upstream, and permissions on the actual script. A working front-controller fallback cannot compensate for an unavailable PHP handler.
4. Validate before reloading
Run the normal syntax check supplied by your platform (commonly nginx -t) and reload only after it reports a valid configuration. A reload applies the new server-block rules without dropping existing connections. If the check identifies duplicate locations, an unknown upstream, or an invalid include, fix that error first rather than testing a partially changed configuration.
Validation should cover the complete active configuration, not just a fragment copied into a note. Confirm that the file you edited is included, that the intended hostname maps to it, and that the PHP upstream name is defined. When a reverse proxy sits in front, test the public hostname as well as the origin where possible so you know which layer produced a response.
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5. Save the permalink structure in WordPress
- Sign in to the WordPress administration area.
- Open Settings > Permalinks.
- Select the built-in structure you want, or enter a custom structure such as a post-name pattern.
- Click Save Changes, even if the desired option was already selected.
Saving causes WordPress to use the selected URL model for generated links and rewrites. It does not edit Nginx; the server rule remains your responsibility. Re-saving is also a useful diagnostic step after a migration or server change because it confirms that the intended permalink structure is active in the database and dashboard.
How a request is resolved
Understanding the request path makes the configuration easier to diagnose:
- A browser requests a URL such as
/news/my-post/. - Nginx evaluates
$uri. If no file exists at that path, it checks$uri/for a directory. - When neither exists, Nginx internally routes the request to
/index.php. $argscarries the original query string to the front controller.- PHP-FPM executes
index.php; WordPress examines the path and returns the matching post, page, archive or a WordPress-generated 404.
This is why a home page can work while every internal URL fails: the home page may be a direct index request, whereas virtual URLs require the final try_files fallback. It also explains why replacing the fallback with a filesystem-only 404 rule appears to “fix” missing-file errors while breaking every URL that exists only in WordPress’s database.
Choosing and checking a permalink structure
WordPress offers built-in structures and a custom-field option. A post-name pattern is a common example, but the Nginx rule does not change when you switch between supported structures. Nginx only needs to send paths that are not physical files or directories to the front controller; WordPress interprets the selected structure after PHP starts.
When checking a new structure, open a newly published post and an existing post, then test a page and an archive. If links generated in the dashboard point to one path while requests arrive at another host, directory or scheme, first resolve the site’s active server block and installation path. Do not add extra Nginx rewrites merely because the dashboard displays a custom pattern; the core fallback remains the same for a document-root single site.
WordPress installed in a subdirectory
If the files live under a directory such as /my_subdir rather than directly in the document root, the fallback must name that installation’s front controller:
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /my_subdir/index.php?$args;
}Use the exact directory and URL model configured for the site. The official guidance for a WordPress installation that has its own directory is Giving WordPress Its Own Directory. A mismatch between the public URL, the filesystem root and the fallback path commonly produces a homepage that works but broken internal links.
Do not blindly copy the document-root example into a subdirectory deployment. Confirm whether the server’s root is the parent directory or the installation directory, then make the fallback and PHP script filename resolve to the actual index.php. Test both a URL under the public site path and a static asset so you can distinguish an incorrect fallback from an incorrect root.
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Check the configuration with a focused test set
After reloading Nginx and saving permalinks, test each request type separately:
- Home page: confirms the intended server block, root and index handling.
- One post URL: verifies the virtual-path fallback.
- One page URL: checks another WordPress rewrite path.
- An archive: test a category, tag or date archive if the site uses it.
- A known static asset: request an image, stylesheet or script to ensure real files are served directly.
- A query-string URL: append a harmless parameter and confirm it reaches the application, demonstrating that
$argswas preserved.
Use the browser’s network panel or a command-line HTTP client to inspect status codes and redirects. A WordPress 404 generated after PHP runs is different from an Nginx 404 that occurs before the request reaches WordPress. Compare response headers and logs when a cache or reverse proxy is present, because a stale cached 404 can conceal a corrected origin configuration.
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Diagnose 404s and other failures
Every post and page returns 404
- Verify that the request reaches the intended
server {}block for the hostname and port. - Check that
location /ends with/index.php?$args, not=404. - Confirm the
rootcontains the WordPressindex.phpnamed by the fallback. - Save Settings > Permalinks again.
If the response is still an Nginx-generated 404, inspect the active configuration and error log before changing WordPress settings. WordPress’s common-errors guidance also recommends resetting permalinks and investigating configuration-related causes: Common WordPress errors.
The home page works but internal URLs fail
This symptom usually means the front controller is not being selected for virtual paths. Recheck the fallback, the active server block and the permalink save operation. In a subdirectory installation, verify that the fallback includes the installation directory, such as /my_subdir/index.php?$args.
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Inspect the PHP location, FastCGI parameter include, PHP-FPM socket or TCP upstream, and filesystem permissions. Confirm that SCRIPT_FILENAME resolves to the real file under the configured root. Keep try_files $uri =404; in the PHP location, but leave the WordPress fallback in location /.
Only a migrated or recently changed site fails
Compare the active configuration with the previous root path, server name, PHP upstream and include files. Review migration changes, plugin or theme changes, and permissions. Reset permalinks, then test a post, page and static asset independently. The WordPress common-errors documentation covers configuration and migration-related investigation at developer.wordpress.org.
Static files fail after adding a regex location
A broad regular-expression location can intercept requests that should have been handled by the normal file test or can accidentally affect PHP routing. Ensure that any static-file location does not capture PHP scripts or virtual WordPress URLs incorrectly. Nginx’s explanation of file testing and fallback handling is available in Serving static content.
Implementation choices that change the details
| Deployment characteristic | What stays the same | What must be checked |
|---|---|---|
| Document-root install | The usual fallback is /index.php?$args. |
root must contain that file, and index index.php should be set. |
| Subdirectory install | Existing files and directories still use the first two try_files operands. |
The fallback must include the installation path, for example /my_subdir/index.php?$args. |
| Single site | The standard location / pattern handles virtual URLs. |
Use the site’s actual host, root and PHP upstream. |
| Multisite | Nginx still needs explicit server-level routing; it does not read .htaccess. |
Subdirectory or subdomain multisite layouts require path-specific rules; do not assume the single-site snippet is sufficient. |
| PHP-FPM Unix socket | PHP requests still need FastCGI parameters and an existence check. | Use the socket path and upstream name supplied by the installed PHP package. |
| PHP-FPM TCP upstream | The WordPress fallback is unchanged. | Point fastcgi_pass to the configured host and port and verify connectivity. |
| Reverse proxy or cache in front | The origin Nginx server still needs the correct fallback. | Check which layer returns the 404, preserves query strings and applies redirects or cached responses. |
The core single-site fallback remains stable across these deployments, while the root path, installation path, multisite layout, PHP transport and proxy behavior determine the surrounding configuration.
For multisite, identify whether sites are represented by subdirectories or subdomains before copying any example. The request may need path-specific handling, and the server must still be configured explicitly because there is no directory-level .htaccess file for WordPress to generate. Treat multisite as a separate layout review rather than assuming that a working single-site block proves the network is configured.
When managed hosting is responsible for the change
On managed WordPress hosting, the provider may administer the Nginx server block and PHP-FPM layer for you. Ask specifically whether the service supports custom permalink routing, subdirectory installs, multisite, and access to configuration or error logs. If you control the server, the procedure above is the change to request or implement; WordPress’s dashboard alone cannot create Nginx rewrite rules.
When opening a support request, include the hostname, whether the install is in the document root or a subdirectory, the exact failing URL, the response status, and whether the home page and static files work. Ask the provider to confirm the active server block, the final try_files operand, the PHP-FPM endpoint and any proxy or cache layer. This gives the administrator enough context to distinguish routing from PHP execution.
Security and maintenance checks
- Keep the PHP location’s existence check so arbitrary nonexistent script paths are not passed to PHP.
- Do not expose configuration files or other non-public files through a broad static location.
- After changing the root, PHP version, server block, plugins or migration settings, repeat the post, page, archive and asset tests.
- When a cache or reverse proxy is present, purge or bypass cached 404 responses while validating the origin configuration.
Keep a known-good copy of the previous active configuration while making changes. Validate first, reload second, and test from the public hostname third. If the new block causes unexpected responses, reverting the server-block change and then checking the logs is safer than layering additional rewrites over an uncertain configuration.
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The shortest correct configuration model
For a document-root, single-site installation, the essential pieces are one accurate root, index index.php, the following general location, and a separately working PHP-FPM location:
root /var/www/example;
index index.php;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}
location ~ .php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass php_backend;
}Adapt the root, upstream name, include file and permissions to the server’s operating system. Validate the complete active configuration, reload Nginx, save the permalink settings, and test representative URLs. If those steps are correct, Nginx serves real files directly and hands every other clean URL to WordPress for resolution.
Frequently asked questions
Why do pretty permalinks return 404 only on Nginx?
Nginx does not read Apache-style .htaccess files, so WordPress cannot create the routing rule automatically. Add the explicit location / fallback in the active server block and ensure PHP-FPM can execute the resulting index.php.
What should the usual single-site try_files line be?
Use try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;. The first operands serve existing files and directories; the final operand sends virtual paths to WordPress while preserving query arguments.
Can I use try_files $uri =404; in location /?
No. That form is appropriate in the PHP location as an existence check. In the general location it prevents virtual post, page and archive URLs from reaching WordPress.
Why does the home page work while posts fail?
The home page can be served as an index request, while a post URL requires the fallback to index.php. Check the active server block, the final try_files operand, the root path and the saved permalink settings.
What changes for a subdirectory installation?
Point the fallback to the installation’s front controller, for example /my_subdir/index.php?$args, and verify whether the Nginx root is the parent directory or the installation directory. The public URL and filesystem path must agree.
Do I need a different rule for a custom post-name structure?
Usually not for a document-root single site. Select the structure in Settings > Permalinks, save it, and keep the same front-controller fallback. WordPress interprets the path after PHP receives it.
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How can I tell whether Nginx or WordPress generated the 404?
Inspect the response and logs. An Nginx 404 means the request failed before WordPress ran; a WordPress 404 indicates that PHP reached WordPress but no matching content was resolved. Check proxy or cache responses separately when those layers are present.
Does PHP-FPM use a socket or TCP connection for this rule?
Either can work. The WordPress fallback is unchanged; set fastcgi_pass to the socket or TCP upstream configured by the installed PHP package, include the appropriate FastCGI parameters and verify connectivity.
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Will the same snippet cover WordPress multisite?
Do not assume so. Multisite may use subdirectories or subdomains and requires path-specific server rules. Confirm the network layout and test representative site URLs before treating the configuration as complete.
Who should make this change on managed hosting?
The provider may control the Nginx server block and PHP-FPM layer. Ask whether custom permalinks, subdirectory installs and multisite are supported, and request confirmation of the active fallback and relevant logs.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFrequently Asked Questions
Why do pretty permalinks return 404 only on Nginx?
Nginx does not read Apache-style .htaccess files. Add the explicit location / fallback in the active server block and ensure PHP-FPM can execute index.php.
What should the usual single-site try_files line be?
Use try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;. It serves existing files and directories directly and sends virtual paths to WordPress with query arguments preserved.
Can I use try_files $uri =404; in location /?
No. Keep that existence check in the PHP location. In location / it blocks virtual post, page and archive URLs before WordPress can resolve them.
What changes for a subdirectory installation?
Use the installation path in the fallback, such as /my_subdir/index.php?$args, and verify that the public URL, Nginx root and actual index.php agree.
Will the same snippet cover WordPress multisite?
Not necessarily. Subdirectory and subdomain multisite layouts require path-specific rules, so confirm the network layout instead of assuming the single-site example is sufficient.
Who should make this change on managed hosting?
The provider may control Nginx and PHP-FPM. Ask whether custom permalinks, subdirectory installs and multisite are supported and request confirmation of the active fallback and logs.
The Bottom Line
Clean WordPress permalinks on Nginx require an explicit front-controller route: try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args; for a document-root single site, plus a separately working PHP-FPM location with an existence check. Match the root and installation path, preserve query strings, validate and reload Nginx, save the permalink settings, and test posts, pages, archives and static assets. Subdirectory, multisite, proxy and managed-hosting deployments need additional path or responsibility checks.
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