Redirect Checker
Enter a URL to see the full redirect chain and final destination with status codes.
Redirect best practices
- Use 301 (Moved Permanently) for URL changes that are permanent.
- Avoid redirect chains - go directly from old URL to final destination.
- Do not redirect to the homepage when the original content has moved.
- Check that HTTPS redirects to HTTPS, not back to HTTP.
- Avoid self-redirects (a URL that redirects to itself).
Redirect types explained
Not all redirects behave the same way. Using the wrong type can cost you rankings or cause crawling problems.
301 Moved Permanently
The correct redirect for permanent URL changes. Google transfers most of the ranking signals from the old URL to the new one. Use this for site migrations, URL restructures, and removing duplicate pages.
302 Found
A temporary redirect. Google does not transfer ranking signals from a 302 in the same way as a 301. Use this only when the redirect is genuinely temporary, such as during A/B testing or maintenance.
Redirect chains
A chain occurs when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C. Each extra hop wastes crawl budget, slows page load, and dilutes any signals being passed. Always redirect directly to the final URL.
When should you check redirects?
Redirect problems are easy to introduce and easy to miss without tooling. These are the situations where a redirect check matters most.
After a site migration
Every URL that changed during a redesign or platform move needs a correct 301 in place. Missing redirects mean lost traffic and rankings. Use the redirect checker to verify the most important pages resolved correctly before and after launch.
After a URL restructure
Changing URL patterns across a site introduces thousands of redirect opportunities for mistakes. Spot-check key URLs and verify that none are redirecting to intermediate pages before reaching the final destination.
When checking backlink targets
Backlinks pointing to pages that now redirect lose some of their value compared to links pointing directly to the live URL. Identifying these allows you to request link updates or consolidate pages.
Routine maintenance
Old redirects accumulate over time and chain together as URLs move again. Periodically checking important redirects keeps chains from building up and ensures crawlers and users reach the right pages efficiently.
Find redirect chains across your whole site
Crawly crawls your entire site and identifies every redirect chain automatically, showing you the full hop-by-hop path for each affected URL. No page cap, no subscription required.
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