Permalink
The permanent URL structure for individual pages, posts, and other content on a WordPress site. Permalinks determine how your URLs look to visitors and search engines.
Permalinks (permanent links) define the URL format for every piece of content on your WordPress site. A well-structured permalink improves both user experience and search engine optimization.
Default vs Pretty Permalinks
By default, WordPress uses a query-string format like ?p=123. Most sites switch to “pretty” permalinks that include the post name, such as /how-to-install-wordpress/.
Setting Up Permalinks
Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard. The most common and SEO-friendly option is Post name, which creates URLs like:
https://example.com/sample-post/
Permalink Structures
WordPress offers several built-in structures:
- Plain —
?p=123 - Day and name —
/2026/03/15/sample-post/ - Month and name —
/2026/03/sample-post/ - Post name —
/sample-post/(recommended) - Custom — Build your own using structure tags
SEO Impact
Search engines use URLs as a ranking signal. Short, descriptive permalinks that include relevant keywords tend to perform better than long or parameter-heavy URLs.
Changing Permalinks Safely
If you change your permalink structure on an existing site, all old URLs will break unless you set up 301 redirects. Use a plugin like Redirection or Safe Redirect Manager to map old URLs to new ones.
Category and Tag Bases
You can also customize the URL base for category and tag archives. For example, change /category/tutorials/ to /learn/tutorials/ for a cleaner URL hierarchy.