How to Change a WordPress Site Page Link
This quick tutorial is on how to change a WordPress site page link or URL slug. I will demonstrate three different options – one using the Gutenberg Editor, Another using Quick Edit Method, and the other for Classic Editor.
Reasons You May Want to Change the URL
There are many reasons why you may want to change the URL:
- One that jumps out at me is for SEO reasons – when I create or edit a website page, I always use my target keywords in the URL
- Another reason is to make the URL more readable, especially if you want to quickly share the page verbally or type it out
- Sometimes it is to fix duplicate content
- Whatever the reason (there are many), this is how you do it
Important: If you’re changing URLs on a live site, remember to set up 301 redirects from the old URLs to maintain SEO value and prevent broken links.
Table of Contents
How to change a WordPress site page link using page or post quick edit function
This is by far the easiest way to do this. It applies to both pages, posts, and custom post types you may use.
- Navigate to Pages in your WordPress dashboard
- Hover your mouse over the name of the page you want to update
- You will see options: Edit | Quick Edit | Trash | View → Choose Quick Edit
- Find the “Slug” field and change the text to what you want
- Use alphanumeric characters with dashes between words (for multiple words)
- If you forget to add the dash, WordPress will automatically add it
- Click Update to save your changes
How to change a WordPress site page link using Gutenberg Editor
If you are using Gutenberg and are on the page edit screen, you will see on the right of the page a submenu with Page and Block. Choose Page. Within these options you will find “Permalink” – simply click on it to edit.
- Open your page in Gutenberg editor
- In the right sidebar, find the Page settings panel
- Click on “Permalink” to edit the URL
- Change the text following the same rules (alphanumeric with dashes)
- WordPress will automatically format it if you forget dashes
- Click the view page icon to preview your page live
- This method works for pages, posts and custom post types
How to change a WordPress site page link using Classic Editor
If you are using Classic Editor, it works a little differently. Once you are in edit mode, you will see “Permalink” under the page title.
- Open your page in Classic Editor
- Find the “Permalink” below the page title
- Click the Edit button next to it
- Change the text following the same rules (alphanumeric with dashes)
- Save your changes
What happens if the name is already taken
Sometimes you may have already used that page slug. When you make the change, WordPress will very helpfully (or not) simply add a -1 after the name. This can be annoying as chances are you want a unique name, but it also prevents the page from breaking.
So always be sure to double check after you have hit the update button and preview the page live.
Note: WordPress only adds “-1” when the exact same slug exists under the same parent page. Different sections of your site can have identical slugs.
One thing to be aware of: you can have the exact same slug for a page and a post, but by default the page will take precedence. This of course depends on what settings you have under Permalinks, or if the page is within the same folder structure. So you could have:
- https://www.mywebsite.com/about-us/ (page)
- https://www.mywebsite.com/category-name/about-us/ (post)
But without a subdirectory, you cannot have a page and post with the same slug on the same level.
Video Demo
Summary
As you can see, this is quick and easy. If you have other page builders such as Divi or WPBakery, the process will be similar to the Gutenberg method – you just have to poke around to where they have the options on your page.
Even if you can’t find it, using the page/post list option with Quick Edit will always work.
How to Change a WordPress Site Page Link FAQs
What is the easiest way to change a WordPress page URL?
The Quick Edit method is the fastest way—just hover over the page in your dashboard, click Quick Edit, modify the slug, and save.
Will changing a URL break my site?
If done correctly, no. However, always set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one to prevent broken links and maintain SEO rankings.
What happens if two pages have the same slug?
WordPress automatically adds "-1" (or "-2", etc.) to avoid conflicts. Pages and posts can share slugs if they’re in different directories (e.g., /about/ vs. /blog/about/).
What is Gutenberg?
Gutenberg is WordPress’s modern block-based editor, introduced in WordPress 5.0. It allows flexible page building with drag-and-drop content blocks.
What is the Classic Editor?
The Classic Editor is WordPress’s older text editor (pre-5.0) with a simpler interface, similar to a word processor. It’s available as a plugin for users who prefer it.
What’s the difference between a link, slug, and permalink?
Link: The full URL (e.g., https://yoursite.com/about-us/)
Slug: The editable part of the URL (about-us)
Permalink: The permanent, user-friendly URL structure (e.g., /post-name/ vs. /2025/04/08/post-name/)
Do I need a plugin to change URLs?
No! WordPress lets you edit slugs natively. Plugins like "Redirection" are only needed to manage 301 redirects after changes.
Can I use spaces or special characters in slugs?
No. Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens (e.g., seo-tips-2025). WordPress removes special characters and spaces automatically.
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