A redirect checker traces what happens when a URL is requested: each redirect, its status code and where it ends. This one follows up to 10 hops and flags loops and chains. SEOs use it after migrations, and developers use it to debug rules.
- How to use the redirect checker
- What the redirect checker shows
- Redirect status codes explained
- Redirect chains and why they matter
- Using the checker for site moves and migrations
- FAQ
- Related tools
How to use the redirect checker
- Enter the full URL you want to trace, including
http://orhttps://. Start with the version of the URL that people or old links actually use. - Run the check. Our server requests the URL and follows each redirect, up to 10 hops, and records what happens at every step.
- Read the hop table. Each row shows the status code, the URL requested, and how long that hop took.
- Check the final status. The last row should be a
200on the URL you want indexed. - Review the flags. The tool warns about loops, chains of two or more redirects, temporary redirects used for permanent moves, and hops that pass through plain http.
- Copy the share link, which carries your URL as
?url=, to send the trace to a developer or client.
The request comes from our server, not your browser. That avoids cached redirects and browser extensions, so you see what a fresh visitor or crawler sees.
What the redirect checker shows
301, 302, 307, 308 and any other code the server returns, so you can see whether each redirect is permanent or temporary.
The full chain from the first URL to the last, which makes http to https and www to non-www jumps easy to spot.
Each redirect adds a round trip. The timing column shows which hop is slow, and what the chain costs your visitors.
The URL and status code where the chain ends, plus a clear notice when it ends in an error or never ends.
If a URL leads back to one it has already visited, the trace stops and names the loop instead of hanging.
Flags chains of 2 or more redirects, temporary codes on permanent moves, and hops through http.
Redirect status codes explained
The status code tells browsers and search engines how long to treat the move. Google documents the difference in its redirects guide: permanent redirects signal that the target should become the canonical URL, while temporary redirects signal that the source should stay.
| Code | Meaning and typical use |
|---|---|
| 301 | Moved permanently. Use for site moves, URL changes and http to https |
| 308 | Permanent, and the request method is preserved. Treated like a 301 for search |
| 302 | Found (temporary). Use only when the move really is short-term |
| 307 | Temporary, and the request method is preserved. Common behind HSTS |
| 200 | No redirect. The page loads normally, which is where a chain should end |
If you only need the status of a single URL, use this tool as an HTTP status checker: enter the URL and read the first row. If it shows a 200 with no hops, the URL does not redirect at all.
Redirect chains and why they matter
A chain happens when one redirect leads to another. A common example is http://example.com to https://example.com to https://www.example.com to https://www.example.com/home/. Each hop is a new request, so every step adds delay for users and spends crawl effort for bots.
The fix is simple. Point every old URL straight at the final destination in one hop. After a migration, re-trace your top URLs and rewrite any rule that points at a URL that itself redirects. Our server follows up to 10 hops, so anything beyond that gets reported as a problem, and long chains are a problem long before they reach that limit.
For Google, keep chains short. Googlebot follows redirects, but the more hops there are, the more likely a crawler gives up before reaching the content. Google's own robots.txt handling follows at least five hops before treating the file as missing, which shows that tolerance is limited.
Using the checker for site moves and migrations
When you change URLs or domains, Google's site move guidance asks for server-side permanent redirects from each old URL to its new equivalent, and recommends keeping them in place for as long as possible, typically at least a year. Use this 301 redirect checker as a spot check on a sample of URLs after launch.
- Test a mix of URL types: the homepage, top landing pages, deep blog posts, URLs with parameters and old image paths.
- Confirm one hop to a 200. More than one hop means a rule needs rewriting.
- Watch for redirect-to-homepage. Sending every old URL to the homepage is treated like a soft 404 and wastes the equity the old page earned.
- Check both protocols and hostnames. Test http and https, with and without www, so every variant lands on one canonical version.
- Avoid JavaScript and meta refresh redirects when a server-side redirect is possible. Google says server-side redirects are the most reliably interpreted.
A redirect checker only sees the HTTP response. Redirects done in JavaScript after the page loads will not appear in the hop list, so test those in a browser as well.
Frequently asked questions
What is a redirect checker?
A redirect checker follows a URL hop by hop and reports every status code, URL and response time until the chain ends. It shows whether a link goes where you expect, how many redirects stand in the way, and whether any of them are temporary, looped or insecure.
How do I check if a URL redirects?
Enter the URL into the redirect checker and run it. If the first row returns a 200, the URL does not redirect. If it returns a 301, 302, 307 or 308, the tool follows the Location header and lists each further hop until it reaches a final response.
What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 is permanent: it tells search engines the new URL replaces the old one and should be indexed. A 302 is temporary: it says the original URL will return, so search engines usually keep it in the index. Use 301 for moves that will not be reversed.
How many redirects are too many?
One redirect is normal, two is usually avoidable, and three or more should be fixed. Each hop adds latency and uses crawl effort. Rewrite old rules so every URL goes straight to its final destination in a single step, then re-run the trace.
Do redirects hurt SEO?
A single permanent redirect passes the signals Google needs to index the new URL, and does not harm rankings on its own. Problems come from long chains, loops, temporary codes used for permanent moves, and redirecting many pages to an irrelevant destination such as the homepage.
Why does the checker show a loop?
A loop means URL A redirects to B and B redirects back to A, directly or through other URLs. Browsers stop with an error. Common causes are conflicting http to https and www rules, or a plugin and a server rule that both rewrite the same path.