Editing the .htaccess file

The .htaccess file controls Apache behaviour for a folder and everything below it - redirects, URL rewriting, access rules and caching. It lives in public_html and starts with a dot, so enable Show hidden files in the File Manager settings to see it.

To edit it: right-click .htaccess and choose Edit. If it does not exist, create a new file named exactly .htaccess (no filename before the dot).

Common uses:

• Force HTTPS:
  RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]
• Redirect a page: Redirect 301 /old-page.html /new-page.html

Always back it up first by downloading a copy. A single typo can cause a 500 Internal Server Error across your whole site. If that happens, restore your backup or temporarily rename the file to .htaccess-old.

WordPress manages its own rules between # BEGIN WordPress and # END WordPress - leave those alone. If you are stuck, our team can review the file for you: WhatsApp +971 58 553 6767, 24/7.