Redirect checker
Enter an address and this tool requests it, follows each redirect one hop at a time, and lists every step with its status code, where it pointed and how long it took. It stops at the page that finally answers, or when something goes wrong.
It’s for anyone who moved a site, changed a domain or added HTTPS and wants to confirm old links land in the right place in one step. It follows up to 10 hops, the same limit Google uses.
Free with a ShipScroll account.
How to use the Redirect Checker
- Enter the address to test. Old links, http:// versions and the domain without www are good ones to try.
- Press Trace. Each hop is requested separately, so you see every step rather than only the end.
- Check the last line: it should be the page you expect, answering 200.
- If there’s more than one hop, point the first address straight at the final one.
What each redirect code means
| Code | Meaning | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | Moved permanently | A page or site that has moved for good |
| 308 | Permanent redirect, keeps the request method | The same, where forms post to the old address |
| 302 | Found, a temporary move | A short-term detour, such as a sale page |
| 307 | Temporary redirect, keeps the request method | A temporary move for forms and APIs |
| 303 | See other | Sending someone to a result page after a form |
Why chains and loops matter
Each hop is another round trip before the page starts loading, which visitors on slow connections notice. Google follows up to 10 hops and then gives up, so a long chain can mean the final page is never reached. A loop, where addresses redirect to each other, means the page never loads at all.
Search engines use permanent redirects as a strong sign the new address should replace the old one in results. A temporary one suggests the old address will be back, so use it only when it will.
Example: the move that left two hops
A site moves to HTTPS and later adds www. Now http://example.com goes to https://example.com, which goes to https://www.example.com. Both work, but every old link takes two hops. One rule sending all variants straight to https://www.example.com fixes it.
Questions
Does it follow JavaScript or meta refresh redirects?
No. It follows HTTP redirects, the kind servers send with a Location header. Redirects done by scripts or a meta refresh tag happen in the browser, after the page loads.
Why is the result different from my browser?
Browsers cache permanent redirects, so you may be seeing an old rule. Your site may also redirect differently by country, device or cookie. This tool asks fresh each time, from our server, with no cookies.
Do redirects lose SEO value?
Google says permanent redirects pass signals to the new address. The real risks are chains, loops and redirecting many old pages to one unrelated page, such as the home page.
Can it check pages behind a login?
No. It sees what a signed-out visitor sees, which for private pages is usually a redirect to the sign-in page.
Related tools
- Canonical URL CheckerCheck which address a page asks search engines to show, and whether it’s right.
- HTTP Header CheckerSee a page’s response headers, with notes on security, caching and indexing.
- Website Down CheckerCheck whether a site is down for everyone, or just for you.