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Troubleshooting Common Redirection Plugin Issues: From 403 Errors to [object HTMLInputElement] Logs

36 threads Sep 7, 2025 Plugin → Redirection

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If you use the Redirection plugin for WordPress, you've likely encountered a perplexing error or unexpected behavior at some point. Based on community reports and troubleshooting threads, this guide covers the most frequent issues and their solutions.

1. The Dreaded "[object HTMLInputElement]" in 404 Logs

The Problem: Your 404 log is suddenly flooded with thousands of entries containing the text /[object HTMLInputElement] appended to your site's URLs.

Why It Happens: This is almost always caused by a misconfigured script or bot on the internet making malformed requests to your site. It is not an error generated by the Redirection plugin itself, but rather what the plugin is logging. The [object HTMLInputElement] string is a JavaScript object that has been incorrectly passed as a variable in a request URL.

The Solution: You can safely ignore these entries. They are random, bogus requests that do not affect your site's functionality for real visitors. There is no need to delete them, and you cannot stop them from being generated. The Redirection plugin is simply doing its job by accurately logging these strange 404 requests.

2. Admin Page & REST API 403 Errors

The Problem: You cannot access the Redirection settings page, seeing a "Permission Denied" or "403 Forbidden" error. The list of redirects may not load, and all REST API endpoints related to the plugin return a 403 status code.

Why It Happens: This is a permissions or server security configuration issue, not a bug in the plugin. The Redirection plugin relies on the WordPress REST API to function. Common causes include:

  • Overly aggressive security plugins (e.g., Wordfence, All In One WP Security) blocking API requests.
  • Server-level firewalls or mod_security rules misidentifying API requests as threats.
  • Incorrect file permissions on the server.

The Solution:

  1. Check Security Plugins: Temporarily disable your security plugin. If the problem is resolved, carefully review its firewall and access rules to whitelist requests to /wp-json/redirection/ and related API paths.
  2. Check Server Configuration: Contact your hosting provider and ask them to check the server's error logs for any blocked requests related to the WordPress REST API or the Redirection plugin. They may need to adjust mod_security or firewall rules.
  3. Do NOT Edit .htaccess: Manually editing the .htaccess file without knowing what you are doing can crash your site. The plugin manages its own rules within this file.

3. Redirects Suddenly Stop Working or Become Intermittent

The Problem: Your redirects were working perfectly, but then they suddenly stop, send visitors to a 404 page, or only work intermittently.

Why It Happens: In the vast majority of cases, this is a caching issue. The redirect is working correctly, but an old, cached version of the page or redirect rule is being served instead.

The Solution:

  1. Clear All Caches: This is the first and most important step. Clear your browser cache, any WordPress caching plugin (e.g., W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache), server-level cache (e.g., Varnish, Redis), and CDN cache (e.g., Cloudflare).
  2. Test in Incognito Mode: Always test your redirects in a browser's incognito or private browsing window to avoid browser cache issues.
  3. Check Caching Exclusions: Some caching plugins may need to be configured to bypass caching for the specific URLs you are redirecting.

4. "Too Many Redirects" Error

The Problem: Creating a redirect causes a "too many redirects" loop, making a page or even the entire site inaccessible.

Why It Happens: This is caused by a redirect loop. For example, if URL A redirects to URL B, but another rule (perhaps in your theme, another plugin, or server config) then redirects URL B back to URL A, creating an infinite loop.

The Solution:

  1. Check for Conflicting Rules: Carefully review all your redirects, especially regex rules, for any potential conflicts. A redirect you set up months ago might now be interfering with a new one.
  2. Disable the Plugin: If your site is inaccessible, you can disable the Redirection plugin via FTP by renaming its folder (/wp-content/plugins/redirection/) to something like redirection_off. This will break the loop and restore access, allowing you to log in and fix the problematic rule.

5. 404 Errors Are Not Being Logged

The Problem: The plugin's 404 log is not capturing failed page requests.

Why It Happens: If a 404 request is being intercepted and handled by something else before it reaches WordPress, it won't be logged. The most common cause is another plugin or theme redirecting 404 errors to the homepage.

The Solution: Test by visiting a definitely non-existent URL on your site (e.g., yoursite.com/this-page-does-not-exist). If it redirects to the homepage instead of showing a 404 page, you have found the culprit. Check the settings of your theme and other plugins for any "Redirect 404 errors to homepage" options and disable them.

General Troubleshooting Tips

  • Conflict Test: If you encounter any strange behavior, a standard troubleshooting step is to temporarily disable all other plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four). If the problem disappears, reactivate them one by one to identify the conflict.
  • Check the Server Error Log: For critical errors like "Internal Server Error," your server's error log is the first place to look. Your hosting provider can help you access these logs.
  • JavaScript Errors: If the plugin's admin interface is broken (e.g., you can't type in fields), open your browser's developer console (F12) to check for JavaScript errors. These are often caused by conflicts with other plugins.

Remember, the Redirection plugin is a powerful tool. Most issues are not bugs but are related to configuration, caching, or conflicts with other software on your site. Methodically working through these common solutions will resolve most problems.

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