.htaccess Generator

100% free · Runs 100% in your browser · No signup needed

Security & redirects

Force HTTPSRedirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS with a 301 redirect.

WWW preference

No www change Force wwwRedirect example.com to www.example.com. Force non-wwwRedirect www.example.com to example.com. Block xmlrpc.phpStops a common WordPress brute-force and DDoS vector. Protect wp-config.phpDeny all web access to the WordPress config file.

Custom error pages

404 page URL (optional)

500 page URL (optional)

Performance

Enable GZIP compressionCompress HTML, CSS, JS and JSON before sending them to visitors. Enable browser cachingTell browsers to cache images, CSS and JS for faster repeat visits. Block image hotlinkingStop other sites from embedding your images and stealing bandwidth.

Custom rules (optional)

Generated .htaccess - upload to your website root folder

Always back up your existing .htaccess file before replacing it. These rules require an Apache (or LiteSpeed) server with mod_rewrite enabled.

About .htaccess Generator

What is the .htaccess Generator?

The .htaccess Generator builds a ready-to-upload .htaccess file for Apache and LiteSpeed servers without you writing a single line of server configuration. Tick the options you want, HTTPS enforcement, www redirects, GZIP compression, browser caching, hotlink protection and WordPress hardening, and the tool assembles clean, commented rules you can download and drop into your website root.

The .htaccess file is one of the most powerful files on a website: it controls redirects, security rules, compression and access control. One wrong character can take a site down, which is why hand-editing it feels risky. This generator produces tested rule blocks in the correct order, so you get professional server configuration with checkbox simplicity.

How to Use the .htaccess Generator

Choose your features: Tick Force HTTPS, your www preference, GZIP, browser caching and the security options you need.
Set your domain: If you enabled hotlink protection, enter your domain for the allowlist.
Add extras: Optionally set custom 404 and 500 error page URLs or paste your own extra rules.
Generate: Click Generate .htaccess and review the commented output.
Deploy safely: Download the file and upload it to your website root folder. Back up the old file first.

Key Benefits

No syntax risk: Generated rules are correctly ordered and clearly commented.
Speed in one click: GZIP plus browser caching can slash load times.
Free HTTPS redirect: Push every visitor to the secure version of your site.
WordPress hardening: Block xmlrpc.php attacks and lock down wp-config.php.
Stop bandwidth theft: Hotlink protection keeps other sites off your images.

Pro Tips

Back up first: Always download a copy of your current .htaccess before uploading the new one.
Test immediately: Visit several pages after uploading and confirm redirects behave as expected.
Unify your URLs: Combine Force HTTPS with a www choice so all four URL variants land in one place.
Debug by section: If a rule breaks something, remove that labeled block first. The comments mark every section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this work on my hosting?

These rules work on Apache and LiteSpeed servers with mod_rewrite enabled, which covers the vast majority of shared hosting, including FistHost.

Can a bad .htaccess break my site?

Yes, which is why the tool generates tested blocks and reminds you to back up first. If anything goes wrong, simply re-upload your backup.

Do I need to restart the server?

No. .htaccess changes take effect immediately on the next page load.

What if I already have a .htaccess file?

You can merge: keep the rules your CMS or plugins added and append the generated blocks, or paste your existing rules into the custom rules box before generating.

Related Tools

After tuning your server config, run the Page Speed Checker to measure the improvement, verify redirects with the WWW Redirect Checker, and generate companion files with our Robots.txt Generator and XML Sitemap Generator.

The best .htaccess file in the world cannot fix slow, overcrowded hosting. FistHost web hosting pairs perfectly with a tuned configuration: blazing-fast LiteSpeed servers, free SSL for your HTTPS redirect, plans from $0.99/mo and a free domain included.

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