SysAdmin Tools

A redirect checker follows every HTTP redirect in a URL chain and shows you every hop — the status code, redirect type, and final destination URL. Whether you are auditing SEO redirects, debugging a redirect loop, or verifying that a domain migration preserved the correct permanent redirects, this tool gives you complete visibility in seconds.

HTTP redirects are a fundamental part of the web. When a server returns a 301 Moved Permanently, 302 Found, 307 Temporary Redirect, or 308 Permanent Redirect, it tells the browser (and search engine crawlers) to request a different URL. A properly configured redirect chain ensures users and bots reach the right content — but chains with too many hops, mixed HTTP-to-HTTPS steps, or redirect loops can silently destroy SEO equity and slow down page load.

Google's crawler and other search engine bots follow redirect chains up to a certain depth. Each hop in a redirect chain passes less "link juice" than a direct link, and too many hops can cause crawlers to give up entirely. Our online redirect checker fetches each step from an external server perspective — just like Googlebot does — so you see exactly what a crawler sees rather than what your browser's cache shows.

Common scenarios where a redirect checker is essential: verifying that HTTP to HTTPS redirects are in place after installing an SSL certificate, checking that a rebranded domain redirects correctly to the new brand, confirming that old blog post URLs redirect to their new permalink structure after a CMS migration, and detecting redirect loops that cause browsers to display "too many redirects" errors.

How to Use the Redirect Checker

  1. 1

    Enter the URL to check

    Paste the full URL you want to trace — for example, http://example.com/old-page. You can include or omit the protocol; the tool defaults to HTTPS if no protocol is specified. Do not use shortened URLs from external services; paste the original source URL.

  2. 2

    Click Check

    Press the Check button. The tool immediately sends a HEAD request to the URL from an external server and follows every redirect it receives, recording the status code and Location header at each step.

  3. 3

    Review the redirect chain

    Each hop in the chain appears as a numbered step showing the full URL, HTTP status code, and redirect type (e.g. 301 Permanent, 302 Temporary). The final step is highlighted and shows the destination URL where the chain ends.

  4. 4

    Act on the results

    A healthy redirect should be a single 301 hop from HTTP to HTTPS, or from the old URL to the new one. If you see multiple hops, mixed protocols in the middle of the chain, or a loop, take action in your server or CDN configuration to streamline the redirect path.

Understanding Redirect Checker Results

Each step in the redirect chain contains three key pieces of information. The HTTP status code tells you what kind of redirect the server sent: 301 and 308 are permanent redirects that tell search engines to transfer all ranking signals to the destination URL, while 302 and 307 are temporary redirects that preserve the original URL's ranking. The URL column shows the exact address requested at that step — including any query strings or path segments. The redirect type label translates the status code into a human-readable form so you can quickly assess whether the redirect is correct for your use case. The most SEO-critical aspect of redirect analysis is distinguishing between permanent and temporary redirects. A 301 or 308 permanently transfers all accumulated page authority (PageRank) to the destination URL — use these for domain migrations, URL restructuring, and canonical consolidation. A 302 or 307 does not transfer PageRank; the original URL retains its ranking. Using a 302 where a 301 is intended is a common mistake that causes the old URL to continue appearing in search results instead of the new canonical page.
FieldDescription
Step #Sequence number of the redirect hop — step 1 is your input URL, the last step is the final destination.
Status CodeThe HTTP response status: 200 = final destination, 301 = permanent redirect, 302 = temporary redirect, 307/308 = modern equivalents preserving request method.
URLThe full URL requested at this step, including protocol, hostname, path, and query string.
Redirect TypeHuman-readable label derived from the status code: Permanent, Temporary, or Final Destination.

Common Redirect Checker Use Cases

Verify HTTP to HTTPS redirect after SSL installation

After installing an SSL certificate and forcing HTTPS, confirm that every HTTP URL on your domain issues a 301 redirect to its HTTPS equivalent. A missing or incorrect redirect causes both duplicate content issues and loss of ranking signals accumulated on the HTTP version.

Audit redirects after a domain migration or rebrand

When a company rebrands and moves to a new domain, every old URL should 301 redirect to the correct new URL — not just the homepage. Use this tool to spot-check critical old URLs and confirm the full redirect chain ends at the right destination without extra hops.

Debug "too many redirects" browser errors

Browsers display an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error when a redirect chain loops back to a URL already in the chain. This tool shows every hop including the loop, making it straightforward to identify exactly which step redirects back to an earlier URL so you can fix the configuration.

Check redirect chains for SEO equity loss

Each redirect hop reduces the PageRank passed to the final URL by a small but measurable amount. Long redirect chains (3 or more hops) can significantly reduce the authority transferred. Use this checker to find and flatten chains to a single hop wherever possible.

Redirect Checker — Frequently Asked Questions

What is a URL redirect?
A URL redirect is an HTTP instruction that tells browsers and search engine crawlers to request a different URL than the one they originally asked for. The server responds with a 3xx status code and a Location header containing the new URL. Redirects are used for domain migrations, URL restructuring, enforcing HTTPS, and canonicalising duplicate content.
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?
A 301 redirect is permanent — it tells search engines that the original URL has moved forever and all ranking signals (PageRank, backlinks) should be transferred to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary — search engines continue to index the original URL and do not transfer ranking signals. Use 301 for permanent moves, 302 for truly temporary situations like A/B testing or maintenance pages.
How many redirects are too many?
Google recommends a maximum of 3-5 redirects in a chain, but ideally a single hop is best. Each hop adds latency for users and crawlers, and each hop slightly reduces the PageRank passed to the final destination. Browsers like Chrome give up after 20 redirects and display an error. If this tool shows more than 2 hops in your chain, consider flattening it to a direct redirect to the final URL.
What is a redirect loop and how do I fix it?
A redirect loop occurs when a URL in the chain redirects to a URL that was already visited, creating an infinite cycle. For example, A redirects to B and B redirects back to A. Browsers detect this after a few iterations and show an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error. Fix it by checking your server configuration, .htaccess file, or CDN rules to ensure the redirect target URL does not itself redirect back to the source.
Does a redirect affect SEO?
Yes, but the impact depends on the redirect type. A 301 permanent redirect transfers nearly all PageRank from the old URL to the new URL and is the SEO-safe way to move pages permanently. A 302 temporary redirect does not transfer PageRank, causing the old URL to retain its ranking while the new URL may not rank. Redirect chains with many hops dilute the PageRank transferred at each step, so always aim for a single 301 hop to the final destination.
What is the difference between 307 and 302?
Both 307 and 302 are temporary redirects. The difference is in how they handle the HTTP method. A 302 redirect historically caused many clients to switch from POST to GET when following the redirect. A 307 Temporary Redirect strictly preserves the original HTTP method — a POST request to a 307-redirected URL will POST to the new URL. Use 307 when you need to temporarily redirect form submissions or API endpoints without changing the request method.
Why does this tool show a different result than my browser?
Browsers cache redirects, especially 301 permanent redirects. Once your browser has followed a 301, it saves the destination and goes directly there on subsequent visits, bypassing the redirect entirely. This tool fetches the URL fresh from an external server with no cache, so it shows the current live redirect behaviour — the same view Googlebot gets. If you recently changed a redirect, your browser cache may show the old destination while this tool correctly shows the new one.
How do I check if HTTP redirects to HTTPS correctly?
Enter your domain with the HTTP protocol — for example, http://example.com — and click Check. A correct HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect shows a single 301 redirect from the HTTP URL to the HTTPS version. If you see the HTTP URL as the final destination (no redirect), HTTPS is not being enforced. If you see multiple hops such as HTTP → HTTPS → www, consider consolidating them into a single redirect directly to your canonical HTTPS URL.

Related Tools

Security Headers

Audit the HTTP security headers returned at the final redirect destination.

SSL Checker

Verify the SSL certificate is valid on the HTTPS URL you redirect to.

DNS Lookup

Check DNS records for the domain involved in the redirect chain.