How can I edit the WordPress and Site URL?

Question

Hi there
Could do with some assistance please.
We cannot seem to edit the WordPress and Site URL addresses in our WordPress General settings. 
We need to use https:// and not the http:// address we are currently showing in these fields, so that we can use a donation plugin for our wildlife conservation nonprofit.
We are new to WordPress and new to Lightsail, so would appreciate an "idiots guide" if possible please. LOL
Can anyone help please? This is quite urgent.
Thank you.

AWS-SUM · Accepted Answer

To edit the WordPress and Site URL values, please follow the below instructions ->

* Sign in to the Lightsail console and navigate to the Instance `Connect` i.e. management page and click `Connect using SSH` button.

* After you're connected to your instance, enter the following command to create a backup of the wp-config.php file. If something goes wrong, you can restore the file using the backup.
    ```
    sudo cp /opt/bitnami/wordpress/wp-config.php /opt/bitnami/wordpress/wp-config.php.backup
    ```

* Enter the following command to open the wp-config.php file using Vim.
    ```
    sudo vim /opt/bitnami/wordpress/wp-config.php
    ```

* Use the `Down Arrow` key to keep moving down through the file until you locate one of the below set of lines. 
    ```
    define('WP_HOME', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] . '/');
    define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] . '/');
    ```
    OR
    ```
    define('WP_HOME', 'http://your_DOMAIN/');
    define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://your_DOMAIN/');
    ```

* Please note, the words will also be part of commented code where they are preceded by a `*` i.e.   
` *  define('WP_HOME','http://example.com');` and   
` *  define('WP_SITEURL','http://example.com');`   
Those lines are NOT what we are looking for here. The real lines will directly start with `define` as shown below.

![wp_config file image](/media/postImages/original/IMOUDOHQICQwSYHcTNb9kP3A)

* All you need to do is replace the `http` on those two lines with `https` *(in above image I have already edited the lines to add the `s`)*.

* To do this use the `Right Arrow` or `Left Arrow` or `Up Arrow` or `Down Arrow` to bring your cursor on the `:` character of `http:`.

* Then press `i` to enter insert mode in Vim.
* Then press `s`
* Move down to the next line, bring cursor on the `:` character of `http:` and press `s`.

* Then press `ESC` button to exit insert mode in Vim.

* Next, press `:wq!` and press `Enter` or `Return` to save your edits to the file and exit Vim completely.

* Now if you login to your WordPress Admin panel and view General Settings, you should see those values as `HTTPS`

* *I did notice you've said you tried Option 2 in your response [here](https://repost.aws/questions/QUieaypUjpRg-EkUiYKHUB8w/how-can-i-edit-the-wordpress-and-site-url#AN2zCuWZKeTpq6cm35k_xrow) which provides similar instructions to above, but I believe either the edits did NOT get saved correctly or the lines edited were NOT the right ones perhaps. Please give them another try. After you save your edits, you can try below command to view the file contents and confirm the edits look right.*
    ```
     cat /opt/bitnami/wordpress/wp-config.php
    ```

Basel Mohamed · Answer

You're trying to update your WordPress site to use https:// instead of http://. Here's how you can do it:

Option 1: Change URL in WordPress Dashboard
Log in to WordPress:

Go to http://yourdomain.com/wp-admin and log in.
Go to Settings:

On the left side, click Settings > General.
Update the URLs:

Look for WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields.
Change both URLs from http:// to https://.
Save:

Click Save Changes at the bottom. You’ll need to log back in with the new URL.
Option 2: Edit the wp-config.php File (if you can’t change it in the Dashboard)
Access Your Lightsail Instance:

Go to your Amazon Lightsail console and connect to your WordPress instance via SSH.
Edit the wp-config.php File:

In the SSH terminal, type:
bash

```
sudo nano /opt/bitnami/wordpress/wp-config.php
```

Add these lines at the bottom of the file:
php

```
define('WP_HOME','https://yourdomain.com');
define('WP_SITEURL','https://yourdomain.com');
```

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain.
Save and Exit:

Press CTRL + X, then Y, and hit Enter to save.
Option 3: Update the Database Directly (for advanced users)
Access phpMyAdmin:

Connect via SSH and navigate to http://yourdomain.com/phpmyadmin.
Log in:

Use your database username and password.
Find the wp_options Table:

Look for the wp_options table, then find siteurl and home.
Change the URLs:

Update both to https://yourdomain.com.
Important!
SSL Certificate: Make sure you have an SSL certificate installed (you can get one for free with Let’s Encrypt) because https:// won’t work without it.

Clear Cache: After making changes, clear your browser cache to avoid issues.

AWS-Andy · Answer

Hello,

Lightsail now provides a guided experience in the Lightsail Console for configuring HTTPS on your WordPress Instance.  You can find the guidance, labeled "Option: Guided workflow," here: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/amazon-lightsail-tutorial-launching-and-configuring-wordpress.html#set-up-wordpress-instance-website

Please take a look at the guided workflow to see if it suits your needs, and please reach out if you have further questions.

Thank you,
Andy

Admin5WF · Answer

Hi and thank you for the recommended reading.

However, unfortunately this does not address the actual question. I am not setting up an instance, I already have one, I already have WP and a site.

I cannot locate the "Option: Guided workflow," you are indicating and I cannot locate in the information you have sent anything which will show me how to change the http:// to https:// in the two fields of WP and Site URL in the WordPress.

Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

This is now urgent for our charity.

Thank you.

Admin5WF · Answer

Why is it so difficult to get assistance in this forum?

Is changing http:// to https:// in WP so very difficult as a problem, that nobody helps? Or is it the opposite and newcomers like us asking questions which appear basic are simply not bothered with?

Our charity would really appreciate the help please.

Many thanks.

@AWS-Andy @AWS-SUM @Basel-Mohamed

Admin5WF · Answer

Thank you for your guidance.

Unfortunately the issue remains unchanged.

Option 1: unable to do because the fields in question cannot be altered.

**Option 2**: instructions followed exactly, edits were saved, cache cleared, logged out of WP and then back in ... made no difference ... the WordPress and Site URL addresses in our WordPress General settings remain as http:// and cannot be edited.

Option 3: unable to attempt ... have no idea how to navigate to phpmyadmin, where to find the database username and password, or where to find the wp_options table, let alone do the rest of this solution. FYI - http://5wf.org/phpmyadminonly takes us to a page which says "*For security reasons, this URL is only accessible using localhost as the hostname.*". We have no idea what to do with that. With respect - "new to WordPress and new to Lightsail" means exactly that, not please write to me as though I am a developer with experience of complex systems and instructions. I have no idea if we even have a database. LOL.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated please.

Many thanks.

Admin5WF · Answer

Hi @AWS-SUM

Thank you for your much clearer set of instructions. They worked.

We now have https:// in the General settings, which means the donation gallery should now be possible.

I am intrigued by the differing first line command but will look that up later.

May I offer feedback from a new person's perspective. When new to this (WP, Lightsail, and Bitnami) even the very basics and simplest of steps make a difference. For examples, until your last instruction I had no idea to enter "i" to enter edit mode, and I had no idea what "Press :wq! and press Enter" was until I tried "*typing *:wq!" on a blank line and pressing enter. When each step is covered, all becomes much easier to follow.

Thank you again for your time and patience.

Admin5WF · Answer

Hi there

Our charity would really appreciate some assistance with this please.

Many thanks.

How can I edit the WordPress and Site URL?

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