Redirect Checker
Enter a web address and follow it hop by hop to the final page. Our server requests each step and shows the status code, the headers and the time — and points out loops, long chains and temporary redirects.
- 301 · 302 · 307 · 308
- Loop detection
- http · https · www
- Traced by our server
Following a redirect chain is not possible inside a browser, so the address you enter is requested by the ToolCMB server, hop by hop. Only the address is sent — we do not store it or the result, and page contents are never passed on.
Redirect chain
What we found
http, https and www variants
All four spellings of an address should reach the same final page, ideally with a single redirect.
| Start address | Redirects | Final address | Status |
|---|
How to check a redirect
One address in, the whole chain out.
- 1
Enter the address
Type or paste the URL you want to trace. It is sent to the ToolCMB server, which requests it and every redirect target after it — a browser cannot show these steps for another website.
- 2
Pick the options
Choose who the request claims to be — the ToolCMB checker, a desktop or phone browser, Googlebot or Bingbot — and keep the variant test on to compare http, https and www.
- 3
Read the chain
Each hop shows its status code, address, IP, HTTP version and time. “What we found” lists the problems in plain words. Copy the chain or share a link to the check.
See where a link really goes
Every step between the address you type and the page that loads.
Hop-by-hop chain
Each step is listed with its status code and target, marked as permanent (301, 308) or temporary (302, 303, 307). The chain is followed for up to 10 redirects.
Loops and dead ends
A chain that returns to an address it has already visited is reported as a loop. Broken targets, time-outs and a Location header without a usable address are shown at the hop where they happen.
Meta refresh, too
A page that redirects with a meta refresh tag instead of a status code is followed as well, so the chain does not stop at a page that only forwards.
Four variants of the address
http and https, with and without www, are each traced. You see at once whether all four reach the same final page and whether any of them needs more than one redirect.
Findings in plain words
Temporary redirects used for permanent moves, https going back to http, a change of domain, a missing HSTS header, a different canonical address or a noindex tag on the final page.
Headers and timing
Open the response headers of any hop — Location, Cache-Control, Server and more — and see how long each step took and how long the whole chain costs.
Honest about what is sent
The check runs on our server because a browser is not allowed to do it. Only the address you enter is sent; it is not stored.
Protected against abuse
Only public addresses can be checked, and the number of checks per minute is limited so the tool cannot be misused against other sites.
Redirects, chains and what they cost
A redirect is a server answer that says “this address has moved — go there instead”. It consists of a 3xx status code and a Location header with the new address. Redirects keep old links working after a redesign, send http visitors to https and merge the www and non-www spellings of a domain. A redirect chain appears when the target redirects again: A sends you to B, B to C. Every extra hop is another round trip before the page starts to load, and another point where the chain can break.
Our server requests the address you enter without following redirects automatically. It reads the status code and the Location header, checks that the target is a public web address and then requests that target, up to 10 times. If the final page is HTML, the server also reads its title, canonical tag, robots meta tag and a possible meta refresh; the page content itself is not returned. With the variant test switched on, the same trace is repeated for the http, https, www and non-www forms of the address, so you can compare where each one ends.
The usual problems are easy to spot. Chains often grow from rules added over the years: http to https, then non-www to www, then an old path to a new one — three hops where one would do. Temporary codes (302, 307) are used for moves that are permanent, so search engines keep the old address. Loops happen when two rules contradict each other, often a CDN and the origin server each forcing a different scheme. And redirecting every removed page to the home page confuses visitors; search engines may treat it as a soft 404.
Redirect types at a glance
| Type | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 301 Moved Permanently | Permanent; clients may change POST to GET | Moved pages, domain changes, http to https |
| 308 Permanent Redirect | Permanent; the request method is kept | Permanent moves of APIs and form targets |
| 302 Found | Temporary; clients may change POST to GET | Short-lived campaigns, A/B tests, maintenance |
| 307 Temporary Redirect | Temporary; the request method is kept | Temporary moves where POST must stay POST |
| 303 See Other | Fetch the target with GET | Showing a result page after a form was sent |
| Meta refresh | A tag in the HTML, not a status code | Only when you cannot configure the server |
Tips
- Write the 301 rules for Apache — https, www and single pages — with the .htaccess Generator.
- Need the status of many addresses after a migration? The HTTP Status Checker takes up to 50 URLs per run.
- The final page should name itself as canonical. Build the tag with the Canonical URL Generator.
- Point every redirect straight at the final address, and update internal links so that they do not need a redirect at all.
Frequently asked questions
Can’t find your answer? Contact us — we reply quickly.
How many redirects are too many?
Aim for one. Each hop adds a full request before the page loads. Google documents that Googlebot follows up to 10 redirect hops, and browsers stop with an error after roughly 20, but visitors feel the delay long before that. This tool stops after 10.
Does a 301 redirect hurt SEO?
A correct 301 does not. Google states that 301, 302 and 308 redirects do not lose PageRank, and a permanent redirect is a strong signal that the new address should be the one shown in search results. Chains, loops and redirects to unrelated pages are what cause problems.
What causes “too many redirects” (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS)?
A loop: two rules send the browser back and forth. Typical causes are an https rule on the server combined with a CDN or proxy that talks plain http to it, conflicting www rules, or a login page that redirects to itself. The chain here shows the hop where the loop closes.
What is the difference between 301 and 308, or 302 and 307?
They differ in the request method. After a 301 or 302, a browser may turn a POST request into GET. 308 and 307 forbid that: the same method and body are sent to the new address. For ordinary page links there is no practical difference.
What is sent to your server?
Only the address or domain name you enter. A browser is not allowed to make this kind of request itself, so our server makes it for you and returns the result. We do not store the address or the result, and the content of the checked pages is never passed on.
Why is there a limit on the number of checks?
Each check makes our server contact another website. To keep the tool from being used to flood or probe other sites, the number of checks per minute and per day is limited, and private or internal network addresses are refused. Wait a moment and try again.
More free SEO and website tools
Generate tags and files, check status codes, redirects, DNS and certificates — free, without an account.