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To redirect one URL from HTTP to HTTPS in Nginx, place an exact-match location = block in the port-80 server for that hostname and return a permanent redirect that keeps the original URI:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location = /account/login {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
}The = modifier limits the rule to that exact path. Because $request_uri contains the path and query string, requests such as /account/login?next=/dashboard keep their arguments when sent to HTTPS. This selective approach is useful when only a login route, an administrative endpoint, or a legacy URL needs HTTPS while other HTTP paths retain their existing behavior.
Redirect one exact URL with location =
An exact-match location is the safest choice when only one URL should be forced to HTTPS. Nginx stops searching for another location as soon as it finds an exact URI match, so the rule does not spill over to neighboring paths.
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location = /account/login {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
}This rule matches the path /account/login. It does not match a different path such as /account/logout. Location matching examines the request URI path; query arguments are not part of the path comparison. The redirect target uses $request_uri, which includes the original path and query string.
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What each directive does
listen 80;places the rule on the HTTP virtual server.server_name example.com;selects the hostname that should receive the rule.location = /account/loginrequires an exact URI-path match.return 301immediately sends a permanent redirect response.https://$host$request_urichanges the scheme while retaining the host, path and arguments.
Put the block in the server handling the affected HTTP requests. The HTTPS virtual server must also be able to serve /account/login; it needs valid TLS configuration and the normal application handling for the destination.
Be precise about spelling, capitalization, and slashes. An exact location for /account/login is deliberately different from one for /account/login/. If both forms are valid application URLs and both must be secure, define and test both explicitly, or use a broader prefix only when that broader scope is actually intended.
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When every URL below a directory-like path should use HTTPS, use a prefix location instead of an exact match:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location /private/ {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
}This covers requests whose URI begins with /private/, such as /private/profile and /private/reports/2026. It is broader than location = /private/, which would cover only that one URI. Decide deliberately whether the path without a trailing slash, such as /private, also needs its own exact rule.
A prefix is appropriate for a stable namespace: for example, all private reports, account pages, or administration routes may share the same transport requirement. It is not a substitute for an exact rule when only one endpoint is sensitive. A prefix can also include future URLs added under that directory, so document that behavior for whoever maintains the configuration.
Choosing exact and prefix locations
| Need | Location form | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| One URL only | location = /account/login |
Matches the exact URI path and ends location selection immediately. |
| A directory-like subtree | location /private/ |
Matches requests beginning with the prefix. |
| A pattern defined by a regular expression | location ~ ^/legacy/(.*)$ |
Matches paths that satisfy the expression and captures the suffix for rewrite logic when needed. |
Use a regular-expression location only for a real pattern
Regular expressions are useful when the URLs follow a pattern that cannot be expressed cleanly as one exact path or a simple prefix. For example:
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listen 80;
server_name example.com;
location ~ ^/legacy/(.*)$ {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
}The expression targets paths beginning with /legacy/. Regex locations have different priority behavior from prefixes: Nginx first identifies the longest matching prefix and then applies its regular-expression rules, while an exact = match terminates the search immediately. Because regex rules can affect a wider set of requests than intended, use the narrowest expression that describes the URLs you actually want to redirect.
Do not add a regex merely because it looks more powerful. A literal path is easier to review, and a prefix communicates subtree scope more clearly. If the expression contains a capture such as (.*), verify that it cannot include an unintended path. Test a value that should match, a near miss, and a path outside the intended namespace.
How Nginx chooses among locations
- Nginx checks for an exact match. If one is found, it uses that block without continuing the location search.
- If there is no exact match, Nginx identifies the longest matching prefix.
- Nginx then evaluates applicable regular-expression locations according to its location-selection rules.
This ordering matters when a broad prefix and a regex rule overlap. Test both the URL that should redirect and a nearby URL that should remain unchanged. If an exact block is meant to override a broader rule, keep the = modifier; omitting it changes the selection behavior.
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Redirect every HTTP URL for a host
If the requirement is site-wide HTTPS enforcement, do not create dozens of path rules. Use a dedicated port-80 server block that redirects all requests for the approved host:
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listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}Nginx’s rewrite-conversion guidance recommends a separate server block for host-wide redirects rather than conditional rewrite logic. Keep the HTTPS server in a separate block with its certificate, TLS settings and application configuration.
This host-wide form also makes the policy obvious: any request handled by that port-80 virtual server receives the redirect, including paths added later. Confirm that every listed name is intended to resolve to the same HTTPS destination. If one name should be canonicalized to another, use an explicit hostname instead of reflecting the request host.
When selective rules are the better fit
Use a selective location rule when HTTP must remain available for other paths, when you are migrating only legacy endpoints, or when one application route has a specific HTTPS requirement. A host-wide block is simpler when every URL should move to HTTPS; mixing a global redirect with exceptions requires careful virtual-server design and can undermine the intended policy.
return versus rewrite
Choose the directive based on whether the destination is fixed or the URI itself must be transformed.
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| Situation | Preferred directive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Every matching request goes to the same HTTPS form | return 301 |
return 301 https://$host$request_uri; |
| A regular expression must change the path | rewrite ... permanent |
rewrite ^/legacy/(.*)$ https://$host/new/$1 permanent; |
Simple redirects with return
The return directive can emit redirect status codes from either server or location context. It is direct: once a request reaches the block, Nginx sends the specified status and target without running a URI transformation.
location = /account/login {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}Use the permanent status only after the rule is correct. During a rollout, a temporary redirect status can make troubleshooting easier; change to the permanent status when the destination and scope are confirmed. The important distinction is that return expresses a fixed response, while it does not itself rename the incoming path.
URI transformations with rewrite
Use rewrite when the destination path differs from the incoming path. This example moves everything below /legacy/ into /new/ while keeping the captured suffix:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com;
rewrite ^/legacy/(.*)$ https://$host/new/$1 permanent;
}The rewrite module processes the regular expression and constructs a different URI. Its flow-control flags matter when a rewrite is part of a larger configuration: last changes the URI and starts a new location search, while break stops the current rewrite processing. Keep the redirect logic one-way so an HTTPS request cannot be sent back to HTTP.
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Use the smallest rewrite expression that describes the migration. If the new path is always identical except for the scheme, a return is easier to audit. If a captured suffix or a replacement path is required, verify the resulting Location header for several suffixes, including an empty or unusual one that the application may accept.
Preserve, remove or replace query strings deliberately
Location matching ignores arguments, but redirect targets can keep them. In the common HTTPS-only case, $request_uri is the convenient variable because it includes both the original path and query string:
location = /account/login {
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}A request for /account/login?next=/dashboard therefore points to the equivalent HTTPS URI with ?next=/dashboard intact.
When the arguments should change
If the destination must discard or replace arguments, do not append $request_uri unchanged. Build the target explicitly and review Nginx rewrite argument handling. For example, a path transformation can use a captured value while defining the desired query string separately:
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Include encoded characters and multiple arguments in verification when those values matter to the application. Confirm the exact Location header rather than judging only what a browser eventually displays; the header shows whether the path and arguments were preserved at the redirect boundary.
Handle the host safely
$host is appropriate only when the incoming host is trusted and the server intentionally serves that host. Reflecting arbitrary host input can send users to an unapproved hostname. For a canonical-host redirect, hard-code the approved hostname:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
location = /account/login {
return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}
}Use the reflected form only when all accepted hostnames are known to be valid destinations. If the site has separate canonical and alternate hostnames, give each redirect policy its own server block or explicit target. A redirect that changes both scheme and hostname should be reviewed separately from one that changes only the scheme.
Implementation procedure
- Identify the receiving virtual server. Confirm the hostname and port-80
serverblock that handles the HTTP request. A rule placed in another block will not affect the intended URL. - Choose the narrowest match. Use
location = /pathfor one URL, a prefix for a subtree, and a regex only when the URL pattern requires it. - Select the redirect mechanism. Use
return 301when the path stays the same. Userewrite ... permanentwhen the URI must be changed. - Choose the host target. Use
$hostonly for trusted hostnames. Otherwise put the approved hostname literally in the HTTPS URL. - Decide how to handle arguments. Keep
$request_uriwhen the original path and query string should survive. Construct a different target when arguments must be removed or replaced. - Confirm the destination server. The HTTPS virtual server must have valid TLS configuration and normal application handling for the destination path.
- Validate the configuration. Run
nginx -tin the deployment environment before reloading Nginx. Fix every reported syntax or context error before applying the change. - Inspect the response. Use
curl -I http://example.com/account/loginand check the status andLocationheader. This sends a header request without downloading the page body. - Check scope. Test the matching URL, the same URL with a query string, and a nearby non-matching URL. Selective HTTPS enforcement is correct only when the intended path redirects and unaffected paths retain their existing behavior.
Make configuration changes in the environment that actually serves the request. In managed or layered deployments, an included file, generated template, reverse proxy, or load balancer may determine the effective server block. The command and reload procedure can vary by deployment, but the configuration should always pass nginx -t first.
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Verification examples
For the exact-match example, these checks exercise the important cases:
curl -I http://example.com/account/login
curl -I 'http://example.com/account/login?next=/dashboard'
curl -I http://example.com/account/logout- The first response should be a redirect with an HTTPS
Locationvalue for/account/login. - The second should retain
?next=/dashboardif the target uses$request_uri. - The third should not be affected by the exact-match block.
For a prefix rule, add a URL below the directory, such as /private/reports, and test a path outside that prefix. For a regex rule, include one URL that satisfies the expression and one that differs by the part the expression is meant to constrain.
Also test the trailing-slash variant when the application exposes both forms, and test each hostname listed in server_name. If the rule hard-codes a canonical hostname, verify that the Location header uses it for every accepted input hostname.
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Troubleshoot common failures
The request does not redirect
- Verify that the request reaches the expected port-80 server and hostname. A different
server_nameblock may be handling it. - Check the spelling, leading slash and trailing slash in an exact location. An exact match is intentionally unforgiving.
- Run
nginx -tand make sure the corrected configuration was actually reloaded by the deployment process. - Confirm that the request is arriving over HTTP on the port where the rule is defined; an HTTPS request is handled by the TLS server instead.
More URLs redirect than intended
- Replace a broad prefix with an exact
=location when only one path should move. - Narrow a regular expression so it cannot match unrelated paths.
- Look for a separate server-level
returnor a host-wide port-80 redirect that applies before the selective rule.
The query string disappears
Check whether the target uses $request_uri. If the configuration constructs a new URI instead, review how rewrite handles arguments and explicitly preserve or replace them as required.
The browser follows a redirect loop
Inspect both the HTTP and HTTPS virtual servers. The HTTP block should send traffic to HTTPS, while the HTTPS block should serve the destination normally. Do not add a rule that sends an already-HTTPS request back to HTTP. Also verify that any proxy or load balancer in front of Nginx is not rewriting the scheme in a way that makes Nginx believe every request is still HTTP.
The redirect uses the wrong hostname
If the target contains $host, confirm that the accepted host is trusted and that the requested hostname is intentionally served. For a single canonical hostname, replace the variable with that approved hostname in the redirect target.
A regex rule behaves unexpectedly
Review overlapping locations and Nginx’s selection order. An exact match ends the search; otherwise the longest prefix is identified before regular-expression rules are applied. Test the exact path, a path under the prefix, and a path that should fall outside the expression.
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The HTTPS destination fails after the redirect
A successful HTTP redirect does not prove that the destination is configured correctly. Check that the HTTPS virtual server has the certificate and TLS settings for the requested hostname and that normal application handling exists for the redirected path. Otherwise clients may see a TLS or application error immediately after following a correct Location header.
Configuration checklist
- The rule is in the server block for the intended hostname and HTTP port.
location = /pathis used for one exact URL.- A prefix location is used only when an entire subtree should redirect.
- A regex location is present only for a genuine pattern.
return 301is used for a same-path HTTPS redirect.rewrite ... permanentis used when the URI must be transformed.- The HTTPS virtual server has valid TLS and can serve the destination.
- Query-string behavior is intentional.
- The host variable is trusted, or the canonical hostname is hard-coded.
nginx -tsucceeds before reload.- Both matching and non-matching requests have been inspected with
curl -I. - Trailing-slash variants and every accepted hostname have been considered.
- No HTTP-to-HTTPS rule is duplicated in a way that creates a loop or overrides the intended scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I redirect only one URL to HTTPS in Nginx?
Put an exact-match location in the HTTP server: location = /account/login { return 301 https://$host$request_uri; }. The equals sign restricts the rule to that URI path, while $request_uri keeps the original query string.
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What is the difference between location = and location /?
location = /path is an exact match and ends location selection immediately. A prefix such as location /private/ matches that path and URLs beneath it, so it affects a subtree rather than one URL.
Should I use return 301 or rewrite ... permanent?
Use return 301 when the path stays the same and only the scheme changes. Use rewrite ... permanent when a regular expression must transform the URI, such as moving /legacy/item to /new/item.
How do I keep query parameters when redirecting?
Use $request_uri in the target, for example return 301 https://$host$request_uri;. It contains the original path and query string. If arguments must be removed or replaced, construct the destination explicitly and test both forms.
Will an exact location match a URL with a query string?
Yes. Location comparison uses the URI path, not the arguments. A request for /account/login?next=/dashboard still matches location = /account/login; the query string affects only what you put in the redirect target.
How can I force HTTPS for an entire directory?
Use a prefix location such as location /private/ { return 301 https://$host$request_uri; }. Decide separately whether the slashless path /private also needs a rule, because the prefix shown begins with /private/.
When should I redirect the whole site instead of one path?
If every URL for a host should use HTTPS, use a dedicated port-80 server block with a server-level return 301. Selective locations are better when HTTP must remain available for unaffected paths or when only selected legacy or sensitive endpoints are being migrated.
Is using $host safe in an HTTPS redirect?
Use it only when the incoming host is trusted and every accepted hostname is an intentional destination. For one canonical hostname, hard-code that hostname in the target instead of reflecting arbitrary host input.
How do I verify that the rule works without downloading the page?
Run nginx -t before reload, then use curl -I http://example.com/account/login. Inspect the status and Location header, and repeat with a query string and a nearby non-matching path.
The Bottom Line
For one URL, use an exact location = /path in the HTTP virtual server and return 301 https://$host$request_uri;. Use a prefix for a whole subtree, a regex only for a genuine pattern, and rewrite ... permanent when the path itself must change. Validate with nginx -t, inspect the Location header with curl -I, and verify both matching and non-matching requests before rollout.
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