How to use .htaccess file on windows server?

@declan_ritchie 

To use .htaccess file on a Windows server, you need to follow these steps:

1. Enable the use of .htaccess files: By default, Windows servers do not support .htaccess files. You need to enable this feature in the server configuration. Open the server configuration file (httpd.conf) and locate the relevant section (typically under the "Directory" or "VirtualHost" directive). Look for the line AllowOverride None and change it to AllowOverride All. Save the changes and restart the server for the changes to take effect.
2. Create or edit the .htaccess file: Using a text editor, create a new file and save it with the name ".htaccess" (including the dot at the beginning). Alternatively, if you already have an existing .htaccess file, you can edit it.
3. Add your desired directives: Inside the .htaccess file, you can add directives as needed. For example, to redirect all traffic to HTTPS, you can use the following directive:

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RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

1. Save the changes to the .htaccess file.
2. Upload the .htaccess file to the root directory of your website: Transfer the .htaccess file to the root directory of your website using an FTP client or any other method you prefer.

Note: It's important to ensure that your server supports the relevant module for the directives you are using in your .htaccess file. For example, for URL rewriting directives using mod_rewrite, make sure the mod_rewrite module is enabled in your server configuration.

Remember, editing or using .htaccess file requires server-level access and may require appropriate permissions to modify the server configuration.