Unexpected URL Duplicates After Editing "Menu Alias" In Joomla
Alejandro Lengua
I recently edited the "menu alias" field of a page created in Spanish, using accents in the name as can be seen here: https://prnt.sc/jW4KPdv5tcQz But now, I've noticed that now there are two additional URLs leading to the same page: one with the same name but without accents and another with .html at the end. Is it possible that Joomla created them automatically?
Toufiq
Accepted AnswerHi there,
Thank you for reaching out, Yes, Joomla can automatically generate two additional URLs in this case:
A version without accents: Joomla often removes special characters (like á, é, Ã) when generating SEO-friendly URLs, so it may create a version without accents.
A version with .html at the end: If the "Add Suffix to URL" option is enabled in Global Configuration > SEO Settings, Joomla will append .html to URLs.
To prevent these additional URLs:
After changing the Menu Alias, enable "URL Rewriting" (Use URL Rewriting) and disable "Add Suffix to URL" in Global Configuration > SEO Settings.
Check the Redirects Component (System > Redirects) to see if Joomla has automatically created any redirects.
You can customize the .htaccess file to redirect old URLs to the new one.
If SEO is important for your site, setting a Canonical URL is a good practice to ensure Google indexes only the main URL.
I appreciate your cooperation and will ensure to get back to you as soon as possible.
Best regards,
Toufiqur Rahman (Team Lead, Support)