Joomla Force HTTPS(secure browsing using SSL)

2. Enable Force SSL in your Joomla site

Note: we used Joomla 3 in this tutorial, for Joomla 2.5, it’s the same.

Step 1: configure your configuration.php file

Open your configuration.php file


Find the following line:

  1. var $live_site ='';

Replace with:

  1. var $live_site = 'https://www.your-domain.com';


Next, open .htaccess file then add the following code to the bottom of the file.

  1. RewriteEngine On
  2. RewriteCond %{HTTPS} OFF
  3. RewriteRule (.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}

Step 2: enable Force SSL in your Joomla site

In the Admin Panel, navigate through System >> Global Configuration or simply click the Global Configuration button.

Access Global Configuration in the back-end setting

Access Global Configuration in the back-end setting


Within the Server tab, in the Server Settings section, there are 3 Force SSL alternatives that you can select, namely:

  • None: SSL will not be enabled in your Joomla site.
  • Administrator Only: connections to your administrator will be on HTTPS.
  • Entire Site: connections all over your website will be on HTTPS.

Joomla Force SSL feature

Configure Joomla Force SSL


Hit the Apply/Save button. You are done now! So let's check your site now.

Joomla Force SSL feature

Joomla Force SSL is enabled



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