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When a WordPress home page works but post, page, archive, REST, or admin URLs return 404 on Nginx, the usual cause is routing: Nginx is not sending unknown paths to WordPress’s index.php. Nginx does not read .htaccess, and WordPress cannot create Nginx rules for you. Put the fallback in the active server block, make the document root and PHP-FPM mapping agree, test with nginx -t, reload, then flush WordPress’s permalink rules if necessary.
What an Nginx WordPress rewrite problem actually is
Apache-based WordPress tutorials often tell you to edit .htaccess. That advice does not apply to Nginx. There is no per-directory .htaccess-equivalent that Nginx reads, and WordPress cannot modify Nginx’s server configuration automatically. Pretty URLs therefore depend on the Nginx configuration loaded for the hostname.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA request for a real file, such as a CSS file or an image, should be served directly. A request for a virtual path, such as /news/my-post/, has no matching file on disk and must be internally routed to WordPress. WordPress then examines the path and resolves the post, page, archive, REST endpoint, or other resource. If the Nginx location ends with a hard 404, points at the wrong root, or never reaches PHP-FPM, the WordPress code never gets the opportunity to resolve that URL.
The same distinction explains why Plain permalinks can appear to work while Post name fails. A Plain URL contains a query string such as ?p=123; it can reach index.php without a virtual-path fallback. Post name and other pretty structures require the fallback.
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The standard single-site configuration
Place this pattern in the server {} block that actually answers the site’s hostname. Set root to the directory that contains WordPress’s index.php; do not use a parent directory merely because it contains other files.
server {
server_name example.com;
root /var/www/wordpress;
index index.php;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}
location ~ .php$ {
include fastcgi.conf;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}
}try_files checks candidates in the order written. First it tests whether the requested URI maps to an existing file ($uri) or directory ($uri/) under the active root. If neither exists, Nginx internally redirects the request to /index.php?$args. The final $args preserves the original query string, which matters for query-based requests, tracking parameters, and some application endpoints.
The PHP location is a separate responsibility. It must pass the internally selected script to the PHP-FPM instance that serves this site. Distribution packages use different socket names and paths, so replace the example socket with the one installed on your server. If your included FastCGI file does not define SCRIPT_FILENAME, add a parameter that resolves to the real script path, commonly $document_root$fastcgi_script_name, and confirm the result in the effective configuration.
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Why the fallback works
Existing files and directories stay static
A request for /wp-content/uploads/2026/10/photo.jpg is checked against the filesystem first. When the file exists, Nginx serves it without invoking WordPress. The same first-pass behavior applies to directories. This keeps static assets out of PHP and prevents the front controller from handling requests that have a real file behind them.
Unknown paths become WordPress requests
When no file or directory matches, the last try_files argument performs an internal redirect. The browser still shows the requested pretty URL, while PHP receives index.php and WordPress receives the original path information needed to select the correct content.
The active root controls every test
Nginx constructs the paths checked by try_files from the current root (or alias, where one is used). A syntactically perfect fallback still fails if that mapping points at an empty directory, an old release, or a parent directory that does not contain the WordPress files. Check the filesystem path and the loaded root together.
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A diagnostic procedure that isolates the fault
Work from the request entry point toward PHP. Change one layer at a time, and test a known URL after each change.
- Identify the answering server block. Confirm the requested hostname, listen ports, TLS configuration, and
server_name. A rule in a different virtual host has no effect, even if the edited file looks correct. Check for a default or competing block that could be selected first. - Dump the complete loaded configuration. Run
sudo nginx -Twhen your Nginx build supports it. This tests the configuration and prints included files, allowing you to search for duplicatelocation /blocks, regex PHP locations,try_files,rewrite,root, andaliasdirectives. This is often the fastest way to discover that the file you edited is not included. - Verify the document root. In the selected server block, confirm that
rootis the directory containingindex.php. Check the same path on disk and make sure the Nginx worker can traverse the directories and read the files. - Inspect the fallback URI. A root installation normally ends in
/index.php?$args. A site published below a prefix must end in the prefixed script, such as/blog/index.php?$args. A fallback to the wrong prefix sends every pretty URL to a script that is not where Nginx expects it. - Check PHP handling. Confirm that the regex PHP location is being selected, that
fastcgi_passnames a live PHP-FPM socket or address, and thatSCRIPT_FILENAMEresolves to the actual script. A rewrite can be correct while PHP still returns a 502, a “File not found” response, or a downloaded source file because the gateway mapping is wrong. - Test syntax and referenced files. Run
sudo nginx -t. Nginx checks syntax and attempts to open files referenced by the configuration. Do not reload a configuration that fails this test; fix the reported file and line first. - Reload only after a successful test. Use
sudo nginx -s reload, or the equivalent command from your service manager. A reload causes Nginx to accept the new configuration and gracefully retire old workers. Editing a file without reloading leaves the running workers on the previous rules. - Exercise several URL classes. Request the home page, one known post, a page,
/wp-admin/, a static asset, and/wp-json/if the REST API is enabled. Compare access-log status codes with the error log while making each request. A home-page success alongside post 404s points to the fallback; a 502 points toward PHP-FPM; a static-asset 404 points toward the root or filesystem. - Flush WordPress’s stored rewrite state. In the dashboard, open Settings > Permalinks and save the current structure. If the problem remains, select a default structure, save, select the desired structure again, and save once more. This makes WordPress rebuild rewrite rules after the server route is corrected; it cannot substitute for a working Nginx fallback.
WordPress installed in a subdirectory
A site whose public URL is https://example.com/blog/ needs a prefix-aware fallback. The script path in the final argument must include that prefix.
location /blog/ {
try_files $uri $uri/ /blog/index.php?$args;
}
location ~ .php$ {
fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+.php)(/.*)$;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
include fastcgi_params;
}The prefix, PHP version, socket, and root in this example are environment-specific. Adapt them to the actual installation rather than copying them unchanged. The Nginx root, the location prefix, and WordPress’s Site Address and WordPress Address settings must describe the same layout. If WordPress files live in a directory named wordpress but the public prefix is /blog/, map that arrangement deliberately; do not assume the directory name and public URL are interchangeable.
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Test both /blog/ and a deep URL such as /blog/sample-post/. If the home page works but the deep URL fails, inspect the prefixed try_files target before changing WordPress settings.
Multisite is a different configuration
WordPress publishes separate Nginx rules for multisite networks, including distinct variants for subdirectory and subdomain networks. They contain additional rewrites and safeguards that are not present in the single-site block. Do not paste the single-site root snippet into a multisite installation and expect it to handle network routing. Select the variant matching the network layout and the WordPress version, then merge it into the active server block and validate with nginx -T and nginx -t.
Common symptoms and targeted fixes
| Symptom | Most likely layer | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Home page works; posts return 404 | Virtual-path fallback | Confirm an active location / contains try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;. Remove an ending =404 that prevents the request reaching WordPress. |
| Plain permalinks work; Post name fails | Nginx routing | Plain links do not require a pretty-URL fallback. Verify the selected server block, root, and try_files target before editing WordPress code. |
| Every request returns 502 | PHP-FPM gateway | Check that the socket or upstream address in fastcgi_pass exists and is running. Review the error log for connection errors. |
| PHP source downloads or is shown as text | PHP location matching | Inspect the regex PHP location, included FastCGI parameters, and whether another location takes precedence. Nginx must pass PHP files to FPM rather than serve them as static files. |
Site works at / but fails under /blog/ |
Prefix mapping | Use a location for /blog/ with a fallback to /blog/index.php?$args; then compare the root and WordPress URL settings with the real filesystem layout. |
| Changing the file appears to do nothing | Configuration activation | Run nginx -T to prove the file is included and the hostname selects that block. Run nginx -t, then reload; an edit alone does not alter running workers. |
| Static files and uploads all 404 | Root or alias mapping | Check the effective root/alias, the path on disk, and directory permissions. A fallback cannot repair a filesystem path that maps to the wrong directory. |
| REST requests fail while pages work | Endpoint routing or an override | Request /wp-json/ directly, inspect access and error logs, and search the loaded configuration for a more specific location or rewrite that intercepts the endpoint. |
How location conflicts create confusing results
Nginx chooses a location according to its matching rules, so a more specific prefix or regular-expression location can prevent the general location / block from handling a request. A second location / in an included file can also make it unclear which configuration is active. This is why the complete nginx -T output matters more than the fragment copied from a tutorial.
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Search the dump for every occurrence of location /, location ~ .php$, try_files, rewrite, root, and alias. Remove obsolete examples, or merge directives intentionally into one server block. After editing, test, reload, and repeat the same URL checks so you know which change produced the result.
Choosing the right fix path
| Situation | Configuration focus | Who normally changes it |
|---|---|---|
| Single site at the domain root | One active location /, root-level index.php fallback, and matching PHP-FPM location |
Server administrator or hosting support |
| Single site below a URL prefix | Prefix-specific location and fallback, plus matching WordPress URL settings | Server administrator; application administrator may flush permalinks |
| Multisite network | Official subdirectory or subdomain network rules for the installed WordPress version | Administrator familiar with the network layout |
| Nginx directly serving PHP | Correct PHP-FPM socket/address and script filename mapping | Server administrator |
| Nginx reverse proxying to Apache or another gateway | Determine which layer owns the WordPress fallback; avoid applying a direct-PHP block to the proxy layer | Administrator of both proxy and application tiers |
| Managed hosting without server access | Provide the hostname, failing URL, expected prefix, and recent status/log details to the host; request an Nginx server-block review | Hosting provider or Nginx administration service |
In a reverse-proxy design, Nginx may only forward requests to Apache, PHP, or an application gateway. In that case, first establish whether the proxy or the backend is supposed to perform the fallback. Adding a PHP-FPM location to a proxy that never executes PHP will not fix the route, and changing backend rules will not help if the proxy returns the 404 before forwarding.
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- The request hostname selects the server block containing the change.
- The
rootcontains the intended WordPressindex.php. - The root installation uses
/index.php?$args; a prefixed installation uses its prefixed script. - The PHP location reaches the intended PHP-FPM socket or upstream.
SCRIPT_FILENAMEresolves to a real file under the active root.sudo nginx -tsucceeds before any reload.- The running service has been reloaded after the successful test.
- Logs have been checked for the home page, a deep permalink, admin, and static assets.
- Permalinks have been saved in the WordPress dashboard after server routing works.
- Multisite uses its network-specific rules rather than the single-site example.
Bottom line
Fix WordPress 404s on Nginx at the server-routing layer: put the correct try_files fallback in the active server block, align the root, URL prefix, PHP-FPM target, and script filename, then test and reload safely. Flush permalinks only after Nginx can reach WordPress. When the site is multisite, proxied, or managed without configuration access, use the matching documented variant or ask the administrator who controls the active Nginx configuration.
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