Change every link to one address into another
The URL changer finds every link to an address in the posts you choose, however it is written, and points it at a new one. You see every sentence before anything changes, it applies as one batch with a revision of each post, and Undo takes it all back. It comes with Silotree Pro, included in every paid plan.
- Silotree Pro 1.2 or later, beside the free Silotree plugin 0.8.1 or later. Pro comes with every paid plan and the free trial.
- A WordPress user who can edit other people’s posts, such as an Editor or Administrator.
Steps
Open Silotree → URL changer
In WordPress, open Silotree → URL changer. Changing a single post’s own permalink? You don’t need this screen: Pro already points links at a post’s new address by itself (see links that follow a moved post).
Write the rules: the old address and the new one
Each rule is two addresses: the one links point at now, and the one they should point at. Start with
/for a page on this site, orhttps://for any other. For example:/old-post/→/new-post/: two posts merged, or one renamed./old-category/*→/new-category/*: a whole folder, keeping what came after it.https://old-site.example/*→/*: a site that moved here.https://shop.example/item?tag=old-20→https://shop.example/item?tag=new-21: an affiliate link swapped.
Press + Add a rule for more. To add many at once, open More options and use Paste many rules at once: one rule per line (the old address, then the new one, separated by a space, comma, tab or →), from a redirect plugin’s export or a spreadsheet. Up to 50 rules go in one change. More options also holds Change links in these kinds of posts: every kind is ticked unless you untick some. Published, scheduled, private, pending and draft posts are included; the trash is not.
Press Preview changes and check every sentence
Press Preview changes. Nothing is written yet. You see every post that would change, each link in its sentence, and the address it has now beside the one it would get. Untick any post to leave it as it is.
Below the list, the preview says which posts link there but will be left alone (a page builder Silotree only reads, the never-link list) and how many links are in buttons, shortcodes or other plugins’ blocks, which Silotree never edits. Change those where they are made.
Press Change the links
Press Change N links in N posts. The change is written 20 posts at a time with a progress bar, as one batch: a revision of each post first, then each post read back to check the links landed. Keep the page open until it finishes.
Check the log, and undo if you need to
The result says how many links changed and why any post was skipped, with Undo this change beside it. Changes made here, on the right, keeps every change: its rules, every post and link it touched, and Undo. The change is also in Silotree → Undo history, named after its first rule, and undoes there with the free plugin alone.
What you should see
Every link to the old address in your writing points at the new one, without a redirect in between. Run a scan to see the new link counts in the links report.
If it doesn’t work
- “Rule 1 already changes links to …” or “which rule 2 changes again”
Two rules disagree about one address, or one rule points links at an address another rule moves again. Keep one of the two, or point the first rule straight at the final address, so each link moves once.
- “No link in your writing points there”
Check the old address. A rule matches with or without www, https and the trailing slash, but a link to
/old-post-2/is not a link to/old-post/. If the only links are in buttons or menus, change them there.- A post was skipped
The result and the log say why: somebody had it open in the editor, it was edited since the preview, or it is on the never-link list. Preview again to pick up the rest. See a link didn’t land.
- “Update Silotree to use the URL changer”
The URL changer writes through the free plugin, which must be 0.8.1 or later. Update it from Plugins; see install or update the plugin.
Changing your links does not change the web. Other sites, bookmarks and search results still use the old address, so keep the redirect from it to the new one in place.
Questions
Which ways of writing a link does a rule match?
All the usual ones: relative (/old-post/) or absolute, http or https, with or without www, with or without the trailing slash. A ?query or #section on the link is kept, and a relative link stays relative when the new address is on your site. A rule with its own ?query (an affiliate tag, say) only matches links with exactly that query.
Can I move a whole category or folder?
Yes. End both addresses with *: /old-category/* → /new-category/* moves every address in that folder and keeps what came after it. /old-category/* → /guides/ points them all at one page. https://old-site.example/* → /* brings a whole old domain onto this site. /* on its own is refused, because it would change every link on the site.
Does it change links to other sites?
Yes, external links work the same way: swap an affiliate link, or point links at a partner's new domain. Links marked sponsored are changed too, since you named their address on purpose.
What does it leave alone?
The same as every Silotree writer: links in buttons, menus, shortcodes, HTML blocks and other plugins' blocks, pages from a page builder Silotree only reads, such as Oxygen or WPBakery (on Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, Bricks and Thrive pages the text is changed), posts on the never-link list, and links an earlier Silotree batch already re-pointed. The preview counts them, so you know what to change by hand.
Why was my rule refused?
Two rules for the same address conflict, and a rule whose new address another rule changes again is a chain (A → B, then B → C). Either way the result would depend on the order, so the URL changer refuses and says which rule to change: point each old address straight at its final one.
How many posts does one change cover?
Every post in the preview, written 20 at a time with a progress bar. One preview reads up to 1,000 posts, or as many as it can in about 12 seconds. If more may match, the preview says so and offers Check the next posts: apply these first, or check the next ones first.