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Switching your Wordpress website to HTTPS enhances your site's security and user trust. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Prerequisites

1. Backup Your Site: Before making any changes to your website settings, it's crucial to perform a complete backup.
2. Check Hosting: Ensure your hosting plan supports SSL/TLS certificates. Many hosts already offer free certificates from Let's Encrypt.

Step 1: Obtaining an SSL Certificate

1. Choose Certificate Type: Select the type of certificate you need (e.g., Let's Encrypt for basic use, paid certificates for e-commerce).
2. Activate via Hosting: Most web hosts allow you to activate an SSL certificate directly from the control panel.
3. Manual Installation: If your hosting doesn't provide SSL automatically, you can obtain a certificate independently and install it manually following the provider's instructions.

Step 2: Configuring WordPress to Use HTTPS

1. Log in to WordPress: Access your website's admin dashboard.
2. Site Address Settings: In Settings > General, change the WordPress Address and Site Address URLs to start with the HTTPS protocol.
3. Redirect to HTTPS: To ensure all traffic redirects to HTTPS, you can use plugins like Really Simple SSL or add redirect rules to the .htaccess file.

Step 3: Editing Website Content and Resources

1. Update Links: Ensure all internal content (links, images, scripts) use HTTPS. Plugins like Search and Replace can help automate this process.
2. External Resources: Verify that all external resources (e.g., JavaScript libraries, CSS files) are loaded via HTTPS.

Step 4: Testing and Debugging

1. Verify SSL: Use online tools like SSL Labs SSL Test to confirm the correct installation and configuration of your SSL certificate.
2. Browsing the Site: Browse your website and look for mixed content errors that could trigger warnings in browsers.

Step 5: Updating with Google

1. Google Search Console: Add the HTTPS version of your website to Google Search Console and optionally set the preferred site version.
2. Traffic Monitoring: Monitor your website for errors and track traffic to ensure the HTTPS transition hasn't caused unexpected issues.

Switching to HTTPS is a crucial step in securing your WordPress website. While the process may seem daunting at first, following these steps will ensure a smooth transition for both you and your users. Remember to regularly check your site for errors and keep your SSL certificate up to date.