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When Apache appears to ignore a .htaccess RewriteRule, start with server configuration, not the regular expression. Apache 2.4 defaults to AllowOverride None, which prevents the file from being read; in per-directory context Apache also removes the directory prefix, so a pattern beginning with / will not match. After those checks, verify mod_rewrite, symlink options, substitution bases, rule order, trace logs, and redirect caching.
Use this diagnostic order
Work from the outside in. A rule cannot match if Apache is not reading the file, the rewrite module is unavailable, or the request is rejected by directory security settings. Only after those prerequisites pass should you tune patterns, conditions, and flags.
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.htaccess, is below the activeDocumentRoot(or the intended subdirectory), and is covered by the correct<Directory>configuration. - Confirm
mod_rewriteis loaded and the file containsRewriteEngine On. - Remove a leading slash from RewriteRule patterns in
.htaccess. - Permit
FollowSymLinksorSymLinksIfOwnerMatchwhere per-directory rewriting runs. - Use
RewriteBaseonly when a relative substitution needs a URL base different from its filesystem location. - Check every
RewriteCond, the order of rules, and terminating flags such as[L]and[END]. - Enable temporary rewrite trace logging, then inspect the error log.
- Test redirects with a temporary 302 so a cached 301 does not hide the fix.
The sections below explain each step and show working patterns for document-root, subdirectory, and alias deployments.
1. Make sure Apache is reading the file
The most common silent failure is an override policy that excludes rewrite directives. Apache’s current core documentation states that the default is AllowOverride None. With that setting, the server ignores .htaccess files in the directory tree. The Apache per-directory rewrite documentation puts the requirement plainly: “Without at least AllowOverride FileInfo (or AllowOverride All), any mod_rewrite directives in .htaccess files are silently ignored.”
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Check the filename and location
- The name must be exactly
.htaccess, including the leading dot and lowercase spelling. A file such ashtaccess,.htaccess.txt, or.HTACCESSis a different file. - Place it in the active
DocumentRootor in a descendant directory. A file in another virtual host’s tree has no effect on this request. - Check the virtual host that answered the request. A DNS change, alternate port, or HTTPS virtual host can send you to a different document root than the one you edited.
- Ensure the Apache process can read the file and traverse its parent directories. A permissions problem normally appears in the error log rather than as a clean no-op.
Check the matching Directory block
The relevant server or virtual-host configuration must allow at least the FileInfo override class for rewrite directives. A typical configuration is:
<Directory "/var/www/example/public">
AllowOverride FileInfo
</Directory>AllowOverride All also permits it, but grants many more classes of directives than a rewrite-only site needs. On installations using AllowOverrideList, the administrator must allow the individual directives used by the file, such as RewriteEngine, RewriteRule, and RewriteCond. If an enclosing or more-specific <Directory> block still sets AllowOverride None, the file remains ineffective.
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What you can and cannot change
Only a server administrator (or a hosting control panel that exposes the setting) can change the <Directory> policy, load modules, or enable the required options. If you receive a 500 error after adding a directive, read the error log; if the file simply does nothing, first suspect that overrides are disabled. On managed Apache hosting, ask specifically whether Apache 2.4, mod_rewrite, and customer .htaccess overrides are enabled.
2. Verify mod_rewrite and the rewrite engine
A valid pattern cannot run without the module. On Debian- and Ubuntu-style systems, an administrator can enable it with:
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl reload apache2Other distributions use their own module configuration, and shared hosts may not expose it. The dependable checks are the server’s loaded-module list and the Apache error log.
Recognize module and syntax failures
- An error such as “Invalid command ‘RewriteEngine’” or “Invalid command ‘RewriteRule’” means the rewrite module is not loaded, or the directive is not permitted in that context.
- A 500 response immediately after editing the file usually indicates a configuration or directive error. The error log identifies the line.
- A normal page with no redirect or rewrite can mean the engine is off, the file is ignored, a condition failed, or a pattern did not match.
Put the engine directive before rules:
RewriteEngine OnDo not place it inside a comment or conditional block that is never reached. If you can edit the main configuration, run Apache’s configuration test before reloading; never reload a server that reports a syntax error.
3. Remove the leading slash from .htaccess patterns
In server configuration context, a RewriteRule pattern may be matched against a path that starts with /. In .htaccess (per-directory) context, Apache strips the current directory prefix and the leading separator before it evaluates the pattern. A request for /old-path in the document root is therefore presented to the rule as old-path, not /old-path.
Document-root example
This rule matches exactly /old-path, with an optional trailing slash:
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RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^old-path/?$ new.html [L]This commonly attempted version does not match in .htaccess:
RewriteRule ^/old-path/?$ new.html [L]Subdirectory example
If the file is /var/www/example/public/blog/.htaccess, a request for /blog/archive is matched as archive inside that file:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^archive/?$ archive.html [L]Do not repeat blog/ in the pattern unless the rule is located in the document-root file. The same stripping explains why a rule copied from a virtual-host configuration can fail after being moved into a subdirectory’s .htaccess.
Match only what you intend
Use anchors when a rule should match the whole relative path. ^old-path/?$ does not also match old-path-extra. Capture groups remain available as $1, $2, and so on in the substitution:
RewriteRule ^products/([0-9]+)/?$ product.php?id=$1 [L,QSA]That pattern sees products/42 in a document-root .htaccess. Query-string behavior should be chosen deliberately; QSA appends the original query string instead of discarding it when the substitution supplies a new one.
4. Satisfy per-directory symlink requirements
Apache requires a permitted symlink option for per-directory rewriting. Enable either Options FollowSymLinks or Options SymLinksIfOwnerMatch in the applicable directory context:
<Directory "/var/www/example/public">
AllowOverride FileInfo
Options FollowSymLinks
</Directory>If policy or ownership rules prohibit unrestricted following, use SymLinksIfOwnerMatch where appropriate. The exact option must be allowed by the server’s override policy; adding it to a file that cannot use Options will itself fail.
Interpret AH00670
The Apache error-log message AH00670 indicates that the per-directory rewrite engine refused to proceed because neither required symlink option was enabled. This is not a regular-expression problem. Correct the directory configuration, reload Apache if you changed server-level settings, and repeat the request.
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Do not blindly add Options +FollowSymLinks to every site. Follow the host’s security policy and use the least permissive setting that satisfies the deployment. If you cannot change it, the administrator must make the change; no RewriteRule flag can bypass the requirement.
5. Decide whether RewriteBase is needed
RewriteBase supplies the URL-path base used to construct a URL from a relative substitution. It matters when the URL path and filesystem path do not line up, notably with an Alias or some applications deployed below a subdirectory. It does not alter pattern matching and does not affect an absolute substitution.
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Relative substitution under a subdirectory
Suppose an application is exposed at /myapp/, and its .htaccess uses a relative target:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /myapp/
RewriteRule ^old$ new.html [L]The relative target is resolved under the declared URL base. The correct base depends on the public URL, not merely the operating-system directory name.
When it is unnecessary
Leave RewriteBase out when the substitution is already an absolute URL-path or full URL:
RewriteRule ^old$ /new.html [R=302,L]
RewriteRule ^old$ https://www.example.test/new.html [R=302,L]Adding a base to “make rewriting work” cannot repair a disabled module, a leading-slash pattern, a failed condition, or a wrong rule order. First establish that the rule is reached; then use a base only if relative URL construction is the remaining issue.
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Apache evaluates rules sequentially. A RewriteRule pattern and all RewriteCond directives immediately preceding it must pass before Apache applies the substitution. A prior rule can rewrite the request first, and a terminating flag can prevent later rules from running.
Audit each condition
For every condition, write down the variable being tested, the value it has for the failing request, and the regular expression or comparison applied to it. Common mistakes include testing THE_REQUEST when the desired value is in REQUEST_URI, using a host name that differs between HTTP and HTTPS, and forgetting that a condition applies only to the next RewriteRule.
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RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^ index.php [L]Here both “not a file” and “not a directory” tests must pass. A real file or directory bypasses the front-controller rule by design.
Put specific rules before broad fallbacks
A catch-all rule such as RewriteRule ^ index.php [L] belongs after exceptions for assets, health checks, or special paths. Otherwise the broad match handles the request first. Conversely, a redirect that should happen before an internal rewrite must appear above the internal rewrite.
Understand L versus END
[L] stops the current per-directory rewrite pass. Because Apache may run another pass after an internal rewrite, a later pass can still evaluate rules. Apache 2.4’s [END] flag terminates per-directory rewriting for the current request, which can prevent a loop when an internal target would otherwise re-enter the same rules. Use it only when that stronger termination is intended.
Detect loops
A redirect loop or repeated internal rewrite often means the target also satisfies the source pattern. Exclude the destination, test the original request, or use a condition that distinguishes an external request from an internally rewritten one. The error log and browser’s network panel will show repeated 3xx responses or a 500 “too many internal redirects” failure.
7. Turn on trace logging briefly
When the configuration looks correct but behavior is still unclear, increase rewrite logging temporarily:
LogLevel alert rewrite:trace3Place this in a server- or virtual-host configuration where your Apache version permits it, then reload Apache. Reproduce one request and inspect the error log. Trace output shows the path Apache tests, condition results, selected rule, and substitution, making it possible to distinguish “file ignored,” “pattern did not match,” “condition failed,” and “rule matched but was superseded.”
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- Trace logging can be verbose and may expose request paths or query strings; enable it only for the shortest useful interval.
- Reproduce a single request rather than refreshing a busy production page repeatedly.
- Remove the trace setting or return to the normal log level immediately after collecting evidence.
- Read the correct virtual host’s error log; a distribution may separate logs by site.
If you have no error-log access, ask the administrator to run the reproduction with tracing. Without logs, a silent no-op cannot reliably be separated from a condition failure or a request reaching another virtual host.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.8. Rule out cached redirects
Browsers and intermediaries can cache a permanent 301. After you change its destination, your browser may continue sending you to the old location even though Apache now emits the new one.
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Debug with a temporary redirect
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^old-path/?$ /new-path [R=302,L]Use a private window or a client that does not reuse the browser’s redirect cache, and inspect the response’s Location header. Once the destination is verified, change the status to 301 if the move is genuinely permanent. A cached 301 already stored by visitors cannot be withdrawn by editing the rule; testing with a new path or a clean client is often necessary.
A redirect that appears to “keep using the old destination” is therefore not automatically an Apache failure. Confirm the actual response at the server before changing more rules.
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Symptom-to-fix reference
| Symptom | Most likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing changes; no error | AllowOverride None, wrong file/location, engine off, or a non-matching pattern |
Matching <Directory> block, filename, RewriteEngine On, then trace logging |
Rule works in virtual-host config but not in .htaccess |
Leading slash or different per-directory path | Remove / from the pattern and account for the directory prefix Apache strips |
| Immediate 500 response | Directive/module error, forbidden option, or rewrite loop | Read the error log; look for unknown directives, AH00670, and redirect-loop messages |
| 404 after an apparently successful rewrite | Wrong relative substitution base or target path | Check whether the target is relative, whether an alias/subdirectory needs RewriteBase, and whether the target exists |
| Redirect repeats | Source and destination both match, or multiple rules redirect the same request | Trace rule order and add an appropriate exclusion or terminating flag |
| Old redirect persists | Cached 301 in the browser or an intermediary | Test with 302 in a private client and inspect the live Location header |
Complete patterns you can adapt
Document-root old URL to a new URL
RewriteEngine On
# /old-path and /old-path/ redirect temporarily while testing
RewriteRule ^old-path/?$ /new-path [R=302,L]After testing from a clean client, replace 302 with 301 only if the redirect is permanent.
Front controller that preserves existing files
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^ index.php [END]This is appropriate only when the application is intended to handle every non-file, non-directory request. If the host does not support END, use [L] and ensure the application target cannot trigger a loop.
Application mounted at a URL prefix
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /myapp/
RewriteRule ^old$ new.php [L]Use this form when the relative target must resolve under /myapp/. If the target is written as /myapp/new.php or as a full https:// URL, the explicit base is not needed for that rule.
What to record before changing a rule
- Apache version and whether the request is served by the expected virtual host.
- Absolute filesystem path of the active document root and the
.htaccessfile. - The exact request URL, method, host, scheme, and query string.
- The current
<Directory>settings for overrides and options. - Whether the substitution is relative, URL-path absolute, or a full URL.
- The response status,
Locationheader, and relevant error-log lines.
Apache 2.4 and current trunk documentation support the directives and flags described here, but providers can change defaults and restrict what customers may override. Verify the active server version and policy before applying a setting copied from another installation.
When the correct fix is outside .htaccess
If AllowOverride is disabled, AllowOverrideList excludes the rewrite directives, mod_rewrite is not loaded, or the required Options setting is prohibited, no regex edit in .htaccess can solve the problem. Move the rule into the virtual-host/server configuration if you administer Apache, or ask the host to enable the needed capability. A provider that supports Apache 2.4, mod_rewrite, and customer overrides is a prerequisite for an .htaccess-based application.
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