URL Redirect Checker
Enter a URL to trace its full redirect path — status codes, intermediate hops, and final destination, all at once.
How to Use the Redirect Checker
- 1Enter the URL you want to inspect in the input field.
- 2Click 'Check Redirects' or press Enter.
- 3Read the chain: each row shows the URL, status code, and Location header.
- 4Green = final destination. Blue = permanent redirect. Yellow = temporary redirect. Red = error.
- 5Great for SEO audits, post-migration checks, and verifying affiliate or tracking links.
What Are URL Redirects?
A redirect is a mechanism that sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another. Websites use redirects when URLs change, during site migrations, or when content moves permanently. There are several redirect types, each with a distinct purpose:
- —301 — Permanent redirect: signals that a page has moved for good. Essential for SEO because it passes ranking value to the new URL.
- —302 — Temporary redirect: used when content has moved briefly. Search engines keep the original URL in their index.
- —307 — Temporary redirect that preserves the HTTP request method.
- —308 — Permanent redirect that also preserves the request method.
Picking the right type matters: a 301 vs. 302 decision directly affects how Google interprets your site.
How Does the Redirect Checker Help?
Whether you're an SEO professional or a site owner, this tool gives you a clear view of what happens between a click and a final page load. Here's what it does:
- —Traces redirect chains: a chain occurs when a URL bounces through multiple redirects before reaching its destination. The tool shows each step with its HTTP status code.
- —Reveals HTTP status: captures response headers and shows the status of every hop in the chain.
- —Spots errors: misconfigurations in .htaccess, NGINX, or server rules can cause redirect loops or broken chains — the checker surfaces them.
- —Supports SEO audits: confirms that redirects send the correct signals to search engines, protecting your rankings.
Real-World Uses
Site migrations
Confirm that every old URL redirects correctly to its new location after a domain change or restructure.
SEO audits
Find unnecessarily long redirect chains that slow down crawling and dilute link equity.
Debugging broken links
Understand exactly why a link fails by inspecting every hop in the redirect path.
Why Redirects Matter
A 301 redirect tells Google a page has moved permanently and transfers its SEO value. A 302 suggests the move is temporary, so search engines may hold off updating the index. Misconfigured redirects can create loops or chains that are too long, degrading both user experience and search rankings.
Features
- Traces up to 15 hops in a redirect chain
- Displays the HTTP status code for every step
- Automatically resolves relative Location headers
- Color-codes permanent redirects, temporary redirects, and errors
- 8-second timeout to prevent indefinite waits
- Works with both HTTP and HTTPS URLs
- Requests run server-side — no data sent to third parties
FAQs
What is a redirect chain?
A redirect chain is when a URL redirects to a second URL, which redirects to a third, and so on. Long chains slow page loads and reduce the link equity passed to the final destination.
What is the difference between a 301 and a 302?
A 301 is permanent: it tells search engines the page has moved for good and transfers SEO value. A 302 is temporary: bots keep the original URL indexed and don't transfer ranking signals.
Does the tool detect JavaScript or meta refresh redirects?
No. The checker traces server-side HTTP redirects (3xx responses) only. JavaScript and meta refresh redirects require a browser to execute.
How many hops does the tool follow?
Up to 15. If a chain exceeds that, there's likely a redirect loop that should be fixed.
Is the tool free?
Yes — completely free with no usage limits.