In short. Ask Kinsta Support to add custom Nginx rules or some response headers because hosted customers cannot edit the Nginx file themselves.
Definition: Kinsta-hosted WordPress sites use an Nginx configuration managed by Kinsta. Kinsta's documented route for a server rule is a request to Support, which adds the relevant rule.
Key facts
- Kinsta says its WordPress sites run without a
.htaccessfile because the platform uses Nginx instead of Apache. Its configuration changes documentation describes MyKinsta tools for functions such as redirects and IP bans. - Nginx has its own configuration file, and Kinsta says its syntax differs from
.htaccesssyntax. - Kinsta says direct customer editing of the Nginx configuration file is unavailable. Its Support team can add relevant rules when asked.
- Kinsta's technical FAQ says custom Nginx rules require root access and tells customers to contact Kinsta support.
- Kinsta's HSTS guidance gives a support-ticket example in which Kinsta adds an HSTS header to the site's Nginx file.
What can be changed through MyKinsta?
Kinsta's configuration changes documentation separates common site controls from other Nginx rules. The Redirects tool creates redirects, the IP Deny tool blocks specific IP addresses, and the password protection tool is available under the site's Tools section. Kinsta also documents password protection as incompatible with its CDN or Edge Caching.
For rules outside those tools, Kinsta describes the Nginx configuration file as the place where similar server rules can be set. The page gives folder password protection and image hotlinking prevention as examples. It also says that the Nginx configuration file is the equivalent of Apache's .htaccess file for this purpose, although the syntax is different.
How do custom headers get added?
Kinsta's HSTS guidance gives a concrete example of this workflow. It says a Kinsta customer can open a support ticket requesting an HSTS header, and that the team will make the change to the Nginx file. The page shows this Nginx directive for the HSTS example:
add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload";
This is an HSTS example from Kinsta's page, not a general instruction that every header or directive is available through Support.
Why is direct file editing unavailable?
Kinsta's technical FAQ, updated September 18, 2026, says adding custom Nginx rules requires root access and directs customers to support. The same FAQ states that root access is unavailable. This makes the documented workflow a support request rather than editing a server file over a hosting account.
Kinsta's configuration documentation also excludes conversion of an .htaccess rule into an Nginx rule by Support. A request based on an Apache rule therefore needs the Nginx form of the rule or a description that Support can assess. Kinsta's pages provide no response-time commitment for these changes.
Related terms
- Why can MyKinsta password protection be unavailable when caching is enabled?
- Can MyKinsta redirects match a URL's query string?
- How does Kinsta classify AI crawlers separately from other verified bots?
FAQ
Can I edit the hosted Nginx file through MyKinsta?
No. The hosted Nginx file is managed by Kinsta, and the documented route is to contact Support.
Can Kinsta add a custom security header?
Kinsta's HSTS guidance documents a support-ticket request for adding an HSTS header to the Nginx file. The page does not extend that example to every response header.
Can Kinsta convert my .htaccess rule?
No. Kinsta's configuration documentation assigns .htaccess to Nginx conversion outside Support's documented service.
Sources
- Kinsta Docs, "Site Management - Configuration Changes", 1 July 2025
- Kinsta Docs, "Reference - Technical FAQ", 18 September 2026
- Kinsta Community, "Setting (security) HTTP response headers", 5 December 2023
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