If you’ve recently migrated your WordPress website to SSL (HTTPS) and suddenly found Elementor stuck on the loading screen forever, you’re not alone. This issue can be seriously frustrating—especially when you have updates to make or deadlines to meet. The good news? There’s a real-world fix that has worked for many users, saving them hours of hair-pulling and support ticket exchanges.
TL;DR
After migrating a WordPress site to HTTPS, some users find that Elementor gets stuck loading endlessly. The issue is often caused by mixed content, outdated URLs, or plugin conflicts. A real-world fix that works includes updating the site’s database URLs, clearing caches, and adjusting certain Elementor and WordPress settings. Keep reading for the full, step-by-step solution that has worked for real users.
Understanding the Problem
Elementor is one of the most popular WordPress page builders, known for its drag-and-drop simplicity. However, after a WordPress site is migrated to HTTPS, it can sometimes begin acting strangely—especially during the loading of the Elementor editor. Instead of loading your page layout, it just spins endlessly.
This issue is typically due to:
- Mixed content errors (Old HTTP references still lurking in your database)
- JavaScript console errors related to failed resource loading
- Conflicts between plugins after the SSL change
- Incorrect Elementor site settings
Real-User Fix: Step-by-Step Process
The following steps are compiled from real-world usage and feedback in forums, Elementor Facebook groups, and WordPress communities. These steps were responsible for fixing the endless Elementor loading screen issue after SSL migration.
Step 1: Check for Mixed Content
After switching to HTTPS, some parts of your site might still be loading via HTTP. Elementor might be trying to fetch resources over the old HTTP protocol, which browsers block on HTTPS websites. This is commonly referred to as mixed content.
- Install and activate the Better Search Replace plugin.
- Search for
http://yoursite.comand replace withhttps://yoursite.com. - Select all tables and run it. Be sure to check the “Run as dry run?” first to preview changes.
This replaces all old, insecure links in your database that may be interfering with Elementor operations.
Step 2: Clear All Forms of Cache
Sometimes, the issue lies within cached versions of the site trying to load assets the old way. Clear all caches completely:
- Your browser cache
- WordPress caching plugin (like WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache)
- Server-level cache (ask your hosting provider if unsure)
- CDN cache (e.g., Cloudflare users must clear their cache in dashboard)
Once all caches are cleared, reload the Elementor editor. If it’s still hanging, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Regenerate Elementor CSS & Sync Library
Elementor maintains a CSS cache that may become outdated after SSL migration. Fix this by:
- Go to Elementor → Tools
- Click on Regenerate Files under the General tab
- Next, go to the Library tab and click Synchronize Library
Try opening the Elementor editor again at this point. This often resolves the issue if site assets were loading via old links.
Step 4: Disable Third-Party Plugins Temporarily
Some plugins might not play nice with Elementor, especially after an SSL migration. To test this:
- Temporarily deactivate all non-essential plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro
- Reload the Elementor editor
- If it loads normally, reactivate your plugins one by one to find the culprit
A common antagonist is a security plugin with aggressive content-filtering rules or outdated caching layers.
Step 5: Confirm Site Address Settings
Make sure your WordPress and Site Address are both set to HTTPS:
- Navigate to Settings → General
- Check that both WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) start with
https://
If they don’t, update them and click save. This often corrects internal errors causing Elementor to hang.
Step 6: Edit .htaccess (Optional but Effective)
If your site is still misbehaving, add the following rewrite rule in your .htaccess file to force HTTPS. Be cautious and back up your site before editing this file.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
This enforces secure connections and may help avoid asynchronous loading errors with Elementor JS scripts.
Step 7: Enable Safe Mode in Elementor
In some cases, Elementor doesn’t load due to backend conflicts. Safe Mode disables theme and plugin influences during editing:
- Go to Elementor → Tools → Safe Mode
- Enable Safe Mode
- Then try loading the Editor again
If it works in Safe Mode, you can be sure the issue comes from plugin or theme interference.
Final Tips & Additional Checks
If nothing seems to work, here are some final checkpoint actions you can take:
- Switch temporarily to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four to test theme compatibility
- Use browser Developer Tools (F12) to inspect console errors on the Elementor load screen
- Check ModSecurity logs or WAF filters that may be blocking Elementor’s AJAX requests on HTTPS
- Contact hosting support to check if any server rule is limiting SSL-based requests
Alternative Workaround
If you’re in a rush and none of the above steps is showing a breakthrough, install the plugin Really Simple SSL. This automatically detects and fixes most issues related to SSL migrations in WordPress websites.
Enable it, let it apply basic rules, and then test Elementor again. Many users have reported this quick-fix plugin helped resolve SSL-based Elementor stalling.
Conclusion
Elementor’s infinite loading screen after an SSL migration is frustrating but fixable. Most of the time it boils down to outdated or insecure links, cache issues, or plugin/theme conflicts. By following the above real-user-tested steps—especially database URL fixes and cache clearing—you can get Elementor back up and running smoothly, without needing to downgrade or reinstall.
The key is patience and taking a systematic approach. Try one fix at a time and test after each step to isolate what works for your setup. Hopefully, with the tips above, you’ll be editing pages again in no time!