Redirect checker
Follow a link hop by hop to the page it lands on. See every status code, Location target and response time, catch loops and long chains, and check that the http, https and www versions all lead to one address.
- Up to 10 hops, loops stopped
- Meta refresh followed, JavaScript flagged
- No signup needed
Lands on
Enter a URL to start
- You enteredWaiting for inputStarting URL
- Redirects—Hops on the way
- Lands on—Final address
- Final status—What the page returned
Redirect chain
Enter a URL above to see each redirect hop, its status code, timing and what changed, the final page, and whether the http, https and www versions agree.
Fair-use limit: 30 traces per hour and 200 per day for each visitor IP address. Results are not stored.
What a redirect is
A server answer that says "this address is somewhere else", with the new address in a Location header.
Permanent or temporary
301 and 308 tell browsers and search engines the move is permanent. 302 and 307 say it is temporary, so the old URL usually stays in search results.
Every hop costs time
Each redirect is another request before the page starts loading, often 100 to 300 ms on mobile. One hop is fine, chains of three or more need fixing.
Server, page and script redirects
Server redirects use a 3xx status. Meta refresh tags and JavaScript move the page only after HTML arrives, which is slower and less reliable for search engines.
Browsers remember 301s
A browser can cache a permanent redirect for a long time, so after changing a rule your own browser may still show the old path. A fresh check avoids that.
Redirect types compared
Which status to use, and how search engines read each one.
| Type | What it does | Search engines |
|---|---|---|
301 Moved Permanently |
Permanent. Browsers may turn a POST into a GET. | Strong signal: the target replaces the old URL |
308 Permanent Redirect |
Permanent. The request method is kept. | Same as 301 |
302 Found |
Temporary. Browsers may turn a POST into a GET. | Weak signal: the old URL usually stays indexed |
307 Temporary Redirect |
Temporary. The request method is kept. | Same as 302 |
303 See Other |
Temporary. Always continues with GET, used after forms. | Not meant for moved pages |
Meta refresh |
Page-level redirect inside the HTML. | Instant ones are treated like permanent, delayed ones like temporary |
JavaScript redirect |
The page changes location after scripts run. | Seen only after rendering, so it is slower and less reliable |
How this tool works
What happens between pressing Trace and seeing the chain.
You enter a URL
https:// is added when the scheme is missing. Only public addresses on the standard ports 80 and 443 are checked.
Our server asks once
A GET request with the user agent you chose, no cookies, and redirects not followed automatically, so each answer is seen as it is.
Each Location is followed
Every target is checked again before it is requested. Loops and chains longer than 10 hops are stopped.
The final page is read
The first 192 KB are checked for a meta refresh, a JavaScript redirect and the canonical tag. Host variants are traced if you asked.
What this tool does, and what it doesn't
A plain list, so you know exactly what to expect.
This tool does
- Follow up to 10 hops and stop loops
- Show status, Location and time per hop
- Show which plugin set it (X-Redirect-By)
- Follow meta refresh and Refresh headers
- Test the http, https and www versions
- Visit as Googlebot, Chrome or iPhone
This tool does not
- Run JavaScript on the page
- Send your cookies or log in
- Get past CAPTCHAs or bot protection
- Check private or local addresses
- Request from Google's own IP addresses
- Store the URLs you trace
Where your data goes
The URL you enter, every redirect target and, if you choose, the http, https and www versions of the host are requested by our server. Those sites see our server's IP address and the user agent you picked, not you. Results are returned to your browser and not saved. A hashed, temporary copy of your IP address is used for rate limiting. Like any website, our server may keep normal access logs, as described in our privacy policy.
Step-by-step guide by Bhavin J. Sheth.
Why your results might look unexpected
The six surprises people run into most, and what each one means.
403 or 503 instead of a redirect
Bot protection such as Cloudflare or a firewall blocks requests from servers. Try another user agent, or check in your own browser.
Different result on a phone
Some sites send phones to an m. subdomain or an app page. Choose Safari on iPhone to see the mobile path.
Redirect loop
Two rules undo each other, often an HTTPS rule behind a proxy that talks to the server over http, such as Cloudflare Flexible SSL.
Your browser goes somewhere else
Browsers cache 301 redirects. Test in a private window after clearing the cache. This tool always fetches fresh.
200 OK, but the page still moves
A JavaScript redirect runs after the page loads. The tool flags likely ones but does not run scripts.
Redirect depends on country or language
Geo or language redirects use the visitor's IP or Accept-Language. Our server's location decides the path you see here.
Questions about redirects
What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 (or 308) says the page has moved permanently, so search engines move the old URL's signals to the new one and show the new URL in results. A 302 (or 307) says the move is temporary, so the old URL usually stays indexed. Use 301 for site moves, HTTPS and www changes, and 302 only for moves you will undo.
How many redirects are too many?
One redirect is ideal. Every extra hop is another round trip that delays the page, and Googlebot stops after 10 hops. Chains usually build up over time, for example http to https, then to www, then to a new slug. Point each old URL and internal link straight to the final address.
Why does my browser end up somewhere else than this tool shows?
Browsers cache 301 redirects, sometimes for months, so your browser may replay an old rule. Your cookies, login, language or country can also change where a site sends you, and JavaScript can move the page after it loads. This tool requests every hop fresh from our server, with no cookies and no JavaScript.
Does it follow meta refresh and JavaScript redirects?
It follows Refresh headers and meta refresh tags found in the first 192 KB of an HTML page, and marks them so you can tell them apart from server redirects. JavaScript is not run. When the final page contains a likely JavaScript redirect, the tool shows it as a hint with the target it found.
Why should the http, https and www versions all lead to one URL?
If example.com, www.example.com and their http versions all load the page, search engines see four copies and links are split between them. Each version should reach the one preferred address in a single 301 hop. Turn on the host variants test to check all of them at once.
Can I check redirects as Googlebot?
You can send Googlebot's user agent, which shows redirects that depend on it. Our requests do not come from Google's IP addresses, so sites that verify Googlebot, or that block unknown bots, may answer differently. For the real Googlebot view, use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console.
Is the URL I check stored?
No. Each trace runs live and the result is not saved. The sites you check see a request from our server with the user agent you chose, not your IP address. A hashed, temporary copy of your IP address is used for rate limiting. Like any website, our server may keep normal access logs, as described in our privacy policy.