How to use the redirect checker
- Enter the address to start from, for example an old link,
http://or thewwwversion of a domain. - Each step of the chain is listed with its status code, the address it answered for, where it sends visitors next and how long it took.
- Notes point out loops, HTTPS downgrades, temporary redirects used for permanent moves, long chains and pages that end in an error.
Up to 10 redirects are followed. Only HTTP redirects (status codes 301, 302, 303, 307 and 308 with a Location header) are followed; a <meta http-equiv="refresh"> on the final page is reported but not followed, and redirects made with JavaScript are not seen.
Which redirect should I use?
- 301 Moved Permanently and 308 Permanent Redirect: the address has moved for good. Browsers cache them and search engines move their ranking to the new address. 308 also keeps the request method, which matters for forms and APIs.
- 302 Found and 307 Temporary Redirect: the move is temporary, and the old address stays the one to index.
- 303 See Other: “the result is over there”, usually after a form is submitted.
Why chains matter
Every redirect is another round trip before the page starts loading, often with a new connection and TLS handshake. A typical chain such as http://example.com → https://example.com → https://www.example.com can be shortened by sending the first address straight to the final one. Search engines follow a few redirects, but stop on long chains and loops.
Privacy
The address you enter is sent to this site, whose server follows the redirects. It sends no cookies or sign-in details, only reads the start of the final page (to notice a meta refresh), and only connects to public internet addresses: a redirect to a private or local address is reported and not followed.