How to install and configure Default Permalink, and how to bulk convert existing slugs.
Installation
- Search for “Default Permalink” under “Plugins” → “Add New Plugin” in the WordPress admin, or upload the
default-permalinkfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” menu.
Enable and configure
Go to “Settings” → “Default Permalink”, check “Enable” and save changes. Activating the plugin alone does not start replacing slugs.
Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable | Turns automatic slug replacement on |
| Slug format | Choose one of three formats for the replaced slug |
| Target post types | Choose which post types are targeted |
Slug formats
| Format | Example |
|---|---|
| Post type and ID | post-123 |
| Post date and ID | 20260613-123 |
| Random string (8 alphanumeric characters) | a1b2c3d4 |
Once “Target post types” has been saved, the selection becomes explicit: custom post types registered afterwards are not targeted automatically. Check them on the settings page when needed.
How it works
When a post is saved, the slug is replaced with the selected format only if it contains URL-encoded multi-byte characters (like %e3%81%82...) and no slug has been explicitly specified. A slug you enter yourself in the permalink field is respected as-is, even if it is multi-byte.
After a slug has been replaced, an admin notice is shown once the next time you open that post’s edit screen.
Bulk convert existing slugs
Multi-byte slugs of posts created before installing the plugin can be converted in bulk from the bottom of the settings page.
- Check the number of posts with a multi-byte slug at the bottom of the settings page.
- Click “Convert now” (50 posts are converted per run).
- Repeat until the remaining count reaches zero.
Old URLs are redirected (301) to the new permalink by the WordPress core old-slug mechanism, so no links are broken.