How to Set Custom Login and Logout Redirects in WordPress (Step-by-Step Guide)

When running a WordPress website, one of the most common requirements is to redirect users to specific pages after they log in or log out. Whether you want to send users to a custom dashboard, a thank-you page, or a homepage, setting login and logout redirects can enhance the user experience.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up login and logout redirects to any page in WordPress, using both plugins and custom code.

Why Set Custom Login/Logout Redirects?

Custom login and logout redirects offer several benefits:

• Improved User Experience: Redirect users to relevant content or pages based on their role (e.g., admin, subscriber, customer).
• Higher Engagement: After login, send users to pages like account dashboards, exclusive content, or promotions.
• Streamlined Workflows: Log out users to custom pages, such as subscription offers, contact pages, or informational posts.

Methods to Set Up Login and Logout Redirects

Method 1: Using the LoginWP (Formerly Peter’s Login Redirect) Plugin

The LoginWP plugin makes it easy to redirect users after login and logout. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Install and Activate the LoginWP Plugin

1. Log into your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New.
3. Search for “LoginWP” and click Install and Activate.

Step 2: Set Custom Redirects

1. After activating, go to LoginWP → Redirections.
2. Click Add New to create a new redirection rule.
3. Select the User Role or User Capability to create custom redirects for different roles (e.g., subscribers, customers, admins).
4. Enter the Login Redirect URL and Logout Redirect URL.
5. Save the changes.

Now, users will be redirected to your specified pages based on their role after login or logout.

Key Features of LoginWP:

• Set redirects for different user roles.
• Customize redirects for individual users.
• Redirect users after login, logout, and registration.

Method 2: Setting Redirects Using WPForms with the User Registration Addon

For those using WPForms for custom login forms, you can set redirects after users log in or register on your site.

Step 1: Install WPForms and the User Registration Addon

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard → WPForms → Addons.
2. Install the User Registration Addon.
3. Create a custom login form by navigating to WPForms → Add New, then select the User Login Form template.

Step 2: Set Up Redirect for Login Forms

1. In the WPForms form builder, go to Settings → Confirmation.
2. Choose Go to URL (Redirect) as the confirmation type.
3. Enter the custom page URL where you want users to be redirected after login.
4. Save your changes.

This method allows you to control exactly where users go after submitting a login or registration form on your WordPress site.

Method 3: Custom Coding for Login and Logout Redirects

If you’re comfortable editing code, you can add custom code to your theme’s functions.php file to set up login and logout redirects.

Redirect After Login:

Use the login_redirect filter to set a custom URL after users log in.

function custom_login_redirect($redirect_to, $request, $user) {
    // Replace 'home_url()' with your custom login redirect URL
    return home_url('/custom-dashboard/');
}
add_filter('login_redirect', 'custom_login_redirect', 10, 3);

Redirect After Logout:

Use the wp_logout action to redirect users after logout.

function custom_logout_redirect() {
    // Replace 'home_url()' with your custom logout redirect URL
    wp_redirect(home_url('/thank-you/'));
    exit();
}
add_action('wp_logout', 'custom_logout_redirect');

Simply copy and paste these code snippets into your theme’s functions.php file or use a plugin like Code Snippets to avoid modifying core theme files.

Best Practices for Redirecting Users

Different Redirects for Different Roles: If your site has multiple user roles, make sure you redirect users based on their role or access level. For example, subscribers could be sent to a welcome page, while admins might be redirected to the WordPress dashboard.Test Your Redirects: Always test the login and logout flow to ensure users are being properly redirected.Track Redirect Effectiveness: Use analytics tools to track how often users engage with your custom redirect pages, allowing you to optimize the experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

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