How to Fix Nginx WordPress Permalinks 404 Error After Switching from Apache (Easy Fix)

🚫 What Causes the Nginx WordPress Permalinks 404 Error?

When switching from Apache to Nginx, the main issue is that:

🔹 Apache uses .htaccess for URL rewriting
🔹 Nginx does NOT support .htaccess files
🔹 WordPress permalinks rely on rewrite rules

Since Nginx handles URL rewriting differently, WordPress permalinks break unless the correct Nginx configuration is added manually.

Also, note:

mod_security rules and Apache rewrite formats do not apply to Nginx.
You must use native Nginx rules instead.

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⚙️ How to Fix Nginx WordPress Permalinks 404 Error

You need to manually edit the Nginx configuration files for your domain.

📍 File locations on VestaCP:

/home/admin/conf/web/domain-name.nginx.conf
/home/admin/conf/web/domain-name.nginx.ssl.conf

Both files must be updated to support HTTP and HTTPS.

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📝 Step 1: Open the Nginx Configuration File

cd /home/admin/conf/web/
vim domain-name.nginx.conf
# or for SSL:
vim domain-name.nginx.ssl.conf

Press i in vim to enter insert mode.

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🛠️ Step 2: Add the Correct Location Block

✔ Recommended (Try Files Method – Most Reliable)

location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
    index  index.html index.htm index.php;
}

This rule checks if the request is a file or directory, and if not, it passes it to index.php, which handles WordPress permalinks.

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💡 Alternative Solution (Rewrite Method)

If the first solution doesn’t work, try this method:

location / {
    rewrite ^/(.*)$ /index.php?$1;
    index  index.html index.htm index.php;
}

This rule forcefully rewrites all URLs to index.php, allowing WordPress to process them.

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💾 Step 3: Save and Exit in Vim

Press:

ESC
:wq

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🔄 Step 4: Reload Nginx to Apply Changes

nginx -s reload

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✨ Your WordPress Permalinks Should Now Work Perfectly!

Once done, visit your WordPress dashboard and go to:

Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes (no need to change anything — just resave).

This refreshes your permalink structure.

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📝 Bonus: Basic Vim Commands (For Beginners)

Command	Action
i	Enter insert mode
ESC	Exit insert mode
:w	Save changes
:q	Quit
:wq	Save and quit
:q!	Quit without saving

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📌 Post Tags:

#404 #Linode #PHP #PHP-FPM #Ubuntu18.04 #VestaCP #Nginx #Permalinks #WordPress