What this feature does
Linkilo's Update URL feature is a centralized find-and-replace for links across your entire WordPress site. Instead of manually editing dozens or hundreds of posts to change a link, you set up one rule and Linkilo rewrites that link everywhere it appears in your content.
Key benefits
- Update URLs site-wide — perfect for permalink changes, site restructuring, or updating external links
- Fix outdated links quickly — resolve links that hurt user experience and SEO
- Temporary replacements — run a replacement for a set window and have it end automatically (great for seasonal content or limited-time promos)
- Scheduled changes — plan URL updates for a future launch or redesign
- Advanced targeting — restrict replacements by user role or post type
- Reusable templates — save common replacement patterns for one-click reuse
- Undo — every replacement is logged and can be reversed
Step 1 — Open Update URL
Linkilo → Linking → Update URL
You'll see a few counters at the top (including URL Replacement Rules and Scheduled), the URL Replacement Configuration form, and a table of existing rules below.
Step 2 — Add a new replacement
In the form:
- Enter the Old URL you want to find
- Enter the New URL you want to replace it with
- Choose a Replacement Type:
- Permanent — the replacement stays in place until you undo it
- Temporary — active for a specific window
- Scheduled — switches on and off at specific dates and times
For Temporary or Scheduled types
Extra fields appear:
- Start Date/Time — when the replacement begins
- End Date/Time — when it ends
- Priority (0-100) — higher number wins if two rules overlap
Optional — Advanced Conditions
Tick Advanced Conditions to reveal:
- User Roles (comma-separated) — restrict to certain roles (e.g.
administrator,editor) - Post Types (comma-separated) — restrict to certain post types (e.g.
post,page)
Useful when you want a replacement to apply only to specific content.
- Click Add URL Replacement to save
Step 3 — Save and reuse as a template (optional)
If you'll want to apply this same rule again later:
- Configure Old URL, New URL, Type, and any scheduling/conditions
- In the Templates row, click Save as Template
- Enter a template name, then an optional description, in the prompts that appear
Loading a template later
- Pick the template from the Select a template… dropdown
- Click Load Template — the form fills in with the saved settings
Deleting templates
Select a template in the dropdown and click Manage Templates; confirm to delete it.
Step 4 — Review existing replacements
The table below the form shows every replacement rule:
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Old URL | The URL being replaced |
| New URL | What it's replaced with |
| Type | Permanent / Temporary / Scheduled |
| Schedule | Start and end for timed rules |
| Status | Active, Scheduled, Expired or Inactive |
| Links Changed | Expand to see the posts and links Linkilo updated |
Each row has two actions:
- Undo Changes — puts the old URL back in your content and removes the rule
- Edit Schedule — adjust dates for temporary or scheduled rules (not shown for permanent ones)
Step 5 — Watch the sync progress
After adding a rule, Linkilo starts updating posts that contain the old URL and shows Synchronizing your data.. with a progress bar. When it's finished, a Refresh Changed URL Report button appears — click it to reload the table and see exactly which posts were updated under Links Changed.
Verifying the change
Expand Links Changed on the rule's row and open one of the listed posts to check that the URL has been swapped. Inside the post editor, the LINKILO – Link Analysis Dashboard box lists every link in that post with its destination, so you can confirm the old URL is gone.
Posts Linkilo will not touch
Any URL you list under Skip auto-link & URL changes in Linkilo → Settings → Content & Ignored Words is left alone by Update URL and by Auto Links. Use it for landing pages whose body must never be edited automatically.
Update URL vs Redirection
Update URL physically changes the link in your post content — visitors land directly on the new URL. The Redirection Manager uses 301/302 redirects — the old URL still exists, it just sends visitors elsewhere. See What is Update URL and how does it work? for when to use each, and How to use Linkilo Redirection Manager for the redirect side.
Last reviewed for Linkilo 3.0.0 (October 2026).