Title: problem chaning permalink type to "pretty" Last modified: August 22, 2016 --- # problem chaning permalink type to "pretty" * Resolved [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/) * I have created a site about a year ago and on and off I have tried to change the permalink structure from Default to anything else (postname or “pretty” is my preference). * I use the dashboard to make the change, get the “link structure updated” note at the top of the screen. But if I click on any of my pages, they display the 404 error. * When I change back to Default, everything works as expected. * Please check my site – I have changed the link to postname so that you can see what is happening. * BTW, another moderator indicated I was running 3.8 but I clearly show 4.1 in my dashboard. Don’t know what the deal is with that and don’t believe it to be part of my issue but wanted to mention it. * Thanks for any ideas you might have. * Chris Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total) * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768302) * About the Permalinks(URL), your have to change it at every page. So edit for example the Contact page and above the Editor (under the Title) you will see the permalink(URL). Click Edit and clear the field..press OK. A new Permalink( URL) will be generated. * Also you can fill in “contact” and press OK. So you can choose you own URL. * Also check the menu, that there is everything ok. * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768303) * I see that you have installed WP 4.1, but what i also can see is that the website is not running on normal webhosting. * What i can see is that you host at [http://www.macserve.net](http://www.macserve.net). And that the webserver have a very old version: Apache v1.3.4.1…I personally think it is not the best choice for webhosting.. * I looked at it with Wappalyzer and Shodan extension for Google Chrome, because your website was very slow 😉 * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768362) * Vincent, * you are correct on the webhost. Have been with them for many, many years. I guess I could ask them to upgrade Apache? * Will try your suggestion for links. * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768369) * Vincent, * When I am in Default for Permalinks, there’s no Edit option. Thought it would work, but no luck. When I am in postname it displays the correct URL (using postname) but the link doesn’t work. Maybe there is another way? * Chris * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768370) * I think it’s better that you ask them, if your website can be moved to a new 2014/2015 server. So your website will run on the newest hardware and software. * I think it is better to move your website to a hosting company with modern technologies. Macserve.net looks very out of date. * Someting like TransIP in The Netherlands which i prefer: [https://www.transip.eu/webhosting/](https://www.transip.eu/webhosting/) * But there are also other very good companies. * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768372) * You must “Edit” the page. * This is a good resource for it: [http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages#Changing_the_URL_of_Your_Pages](http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages#Changing_the_URL_of_Your_Pages) * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768376) * OK I will see what can be done on my host site. * I don’t have the “Edit” option/button in the edit page window. All I have is “ Change Permalinks” and “View Page” choices to the right of the permalink in the edit window. I can’t edit the permalink text at all – looks like it’s read only. * Thanks!! * Chris * [Senff – a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/senff/) * (@senff) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768377) * You should **NOT** have to edit the permalink/URL for every individual page. When you change the permalink settings, WordPress will do this automatically for you. * The problem is with your host, very likely they don’t have the **rewrite_module** installed/enabled. * I suggest to check into these WordPress-supported hosts: [https://wordpress.org/hosting/](https://wordpress.org/hosting/) * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768383) * Mark, * I think you might be right. I could just jump to a new host but they also have taken care of my DNS for a looong time and I don’t know how easy it is to make that jump. They advertise they are WordPress friendly – so I can request they install/enable the rewrite_module. Is that per site or is that a global thing for their whole server? * Thanks!! Chris * [Senff – a11n](https://wordpress.org/support/users/senff/) * (@senff) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768384) * It’s a setting that will be applied to all sites running on that webserver. If they can turn it on (and I don’t see why they couldn’t), then that should solve your problem. * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768385) * OK I called and emailed requesting. I guess the only other option is to move site to another host since I can’t change the links manually, right? Or just leave the links as they are, which is what i have done for the last year. * Thanks Mark * Chris * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768387) * You are right, my mistake. WordPress does it automatically. * Thread Starter [keystonearchitecture](https://wordpress.org/support/users/keystonearchitecture/) * (@keystonearchitecture) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768388) * Vincent, * That’s fine, thank you for your help with my images issue. And the tip on the host. I will get it worked out from here. * Chris * [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * (@vverloop) * [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768391) * You’re welcome. Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total) The topic ‘problem chaning permalink type to "pretty"’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [permalink](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/permalink/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 14 replies * 3 participants * Last reply from: [Vincent Verloop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vverloop/) * Last activity: [11 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/problem-chaning-permalink-type-to-pretty/#post-5768391) * Status: resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics