How to Fix the Unwanted “-2” in Your WordPress Slug?

When managing a WordPress site, it's not uncommon to encounter the mysterious "-2" appended to your page's slug. You might have checked your trash, and to your surprise, there's no duplicate page. So, why is this happening?
wordpress-slug-problem

When managing a WordPress site, it’s not uncommon to encounter the mysterious “-2” appended to your page’s slug. You might have checked your trash, and to your surprise, there’s no duplicate page. So, why is this happening?

Identifying the Cause

To get to the bottom of this, it’s essential to first diagnose the root cause. Here’s a quick guide on using the console to detect the issue:

Step 1. Accessing the Console

Open your web browser’s developer console. This usually involves right-clicking anywhere on your page and selecting ‘Inspect’ or ‘Inspect Element’. Then, navigate to the ‘Console’ tab.

Step 2. Using the CURL Command

In your console, type the following command:

curl -IL [Your URL with the -2] 

This command helps to check the redirection status of the URL. Look for a header named “x-redirect-by”.

Step 3. Spotting the Culprit

If the result points towards a plugin, for instance, “rank match”, then the redirection settings of that plugin might be at fault.

Lizardo Agency How to Fix the Unwanted "-2" in Your WordPress Slug? 1

Resolving the Issue

Once you’ve identified the potential cause, follow these steps:

  1. Check Redirection Settings: Navigate to the settings of the implicated plugin (in our example, it’s “rank match”). Ensure there are no unintended redirections set up.
  2. Disable the Plugin: Temporarily disable the plugin.
  3. Revisit the Problematic URL: After deactivating the plugin, try accessing the URL that had the “-2”. If you’re presented with an image or media file with the same name causing the redirection, you’ve found your problem.
  4. Delete and Reupload the Image/File: Delete the image or media file, then reupload it with a different name.
  5. Reactivate Your Plugin: Once done, enable the “rank match” or whatever plugin you had disabled earlier.

After following these steps, your URL should no longer have the unwanted “-2” in its slug after changing it.

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In Conclusion

WordPress is a versatile platform, but sometimes it can have quirks. When mysterious things like an added “-2” in your slug occur, it’s usually a matter of identifying the cause and making a few adjustments.

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Dawid Jaloszynski
Dawid Jaloszynski
Dawid Jaloszynski is the Founder & Web Designer at Lizardo Agency. He is also an expert in search engine optimization (SEO). Dawid is passionate about helping businesses succeed online, and he loves seeing the results of his work when a client's website ranks high in search engines.