Redirect Checker
Type an address and see exactly where it ends up. We follow every redirect one hop at a time and show each status code, the next address and how long the hop took, then point out chains, loops and downgrades that slow visitors down or hurt search rankings.
What the result shows
Each numbered box is one request. It shows the HTTP status code the server answered with, the time that request took and the HTTP version used. When the status is a redirect, the line below shows where the server sent the visitor next. The last box is the page the visitor finally sees. If you enter an address without http:// or https://, we start from plain http://, which is how a visitor who types the bare domain begins.
Redirect status codes
| Code | Meaning | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | Moved permanently | A page or site has a new address for good. Search engines transfer ranking signals to the new address. |
| 308 | Permanent redirect | Same as 301, but the browser must repeat the same method (for example POST). |
| 302 | Found (temporary) | A short-term detour. Search engines keep the original address in their index. |
| 307 | Temporary redirect | Temporary, and the browser must repeat the same method. |
| 303 | See other | Sends the browser to a result page with a GET, typically after a form submission. |
Problems this checker flags
- Redirect chains: A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Every hop is a full round trip before the page can start loading. Point the first address straight at the final one.
- Redirect loops: the chain returns to an address it has already visited, so the page never loads and browsers show a “too many redirects” error. Loops are usually caused by two rules that disagree, for example one forcing www and another removing it.
- HTTP not upgraded to HTTPS: if the plain http:// address still loads, visitors can use the site unencrypted. It should redirect to https:// with a 301 or 308.
- HTTPS downgraded to HTTP: a hop that sends visitors from https:// back to http:// removes encryption and is flagged as a problem.
- Temporary redirects that should be permanent: a 302 on a move that will never be undone keeps search engines on the old address.
- Redirects to errors: a redirect that ends on a 404 or a server error is worse than no redirect.
How to fix a messy chain
- List the four versions of your home page: http and https, with and without www. Choose one as the final address.
- Make the other three redirect directly to it with a single 301, not one after another.
- Update internal links, sitemaps and canonical tags so they already use the final address.
- Run the checker on old URLs that moved, such as renamed pages, and shorten any chain longer than one hop.
After a change, check the result in the security headers checker too, because HSTS only helps once the HTTPS address is the one everyone lands on.
About this tool
Our server requests the address and follows up to ten redirects, one at a time, with a fresh safety check at every hop. It only reaches public websites on the standard web ports (80 and 443), never private or internal addresses, never sends cookies or logins, does not download page content and is rate limited. Nothing you enter is stored. Results can differ from a browser when a site redirects by country, language or login state, or by JavaScript, which this checker does not run.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 is permanent: search engines move their ranking signals to the new address. A 302 is temporary: search engines keep the original address. Use 301 or 308 for permanent moves and 302 or 307 only for short-term detours.
How many redirects are too many?
Aim for one hop at most. Two or three hops slow down every visit and waste crawl budget. Browsers stop after about 20 redirects and search engines give up sooner, so chains of more than five can leave pages unindexed.
What causes a redirect loop?
Two rules sending visitors back and forth, for example one that forces the www version and another that removes it, or an HTTPS redirect that sits behind a proxy that already terminates HTTPS. The checker stops when it sees an address a second time and tells you.
Should http:// redirect to https://?
Yes. The plain http:// address should send visitors to https:// with a 301 or 308 redirect, so nobody uses the site unencrypted and search engines index only the secure address.
Why does the result differ from what my browser does?
Our checker is a plain request from a server. It does not run JavaScript, keep cookies or use your language and country, so sites that redirect on those can behave differently for you.
Does the checker pass on cookies or logins?
No. Requests carry no cookies and no credentials, so pages behind a login will show their public behaviour, usually a redirect to the sign-in page.
Related tools and guides
- Security headers checker: grade HSTS, CSP and more.
- Is it down? checker: status and response time.
- Robots.txt and sitemap checker: what crawlers can read.
- SSL certificate checker: is the certificate valid.