Free Redirect Checker Tool

What the redirect checker does

The tool loads the page you enter, finds the internal links on it and follows each one step by step. Instead of only showing where a link finally lands, it records every hop along the way with its HTTP status code. It checks up to 15 links per scan and follows up to 8 hops for each one, which makes it a handy redirect chain checker for your internal links.

How to use it

1. Enter your homepage, or any page with lots of internal links such as a blog listing.
2. Run the scan and wait for the results.
3. Look for links marked as long chains, loops or errors. Links that load directly need no action.
4. Fix the flagged redirects, then scan again.

Reading the status codes

• 200: the page loaded normally. This is where every chain should end.
• 301: a permanent redirect. When you use this as a 301 redirect checker, every moved page should show a single 301 followed by a 200.
• 302 and 307: temporary redirects. Fine for short term changes, but if the move is permanent, switch to a 301.
• 308: a permanent redirect that keeps the request method. For most sites it works like a 301.
• Loop: the URL redirects back to an address it already visited, so the page never loads.

The HTTPS and www check

Every normal scan also tests the four versions of your domain: http, https, http with www and https with www. All four should end on the same https address. If two versions land on different pages, search engines can treat them as two separate sites. If one version takes two or three hops, it slows down every visitor who types your domain without https.

Check a list of old URLs

After a migration you often have a list of old addresses that must still work. Open "Or check a list of URLs" under the search box, paste up to 20 URLs, one per line, and run the scan. Only those URLs are checked, and each one shows its full path to the final page. Use Download CSV to keep a record of the results.

Redirects after an HTTPS or domain change

Moving to HTTPS, switching between www and non www, or changing your domain creates redirects for every old URL. These moves are where chains usually start, because new rules get stacked on top of old ones. Right after the change, run this 301 redirect checker on your homepage and a few key pages. Each one should take a single hop to its new address. If you see two or three hops, merge the rules so they all point straight to the final version of the URL.

Why redirect chains are a problem

A chain happens when one redirect leads to another before reaching the final page. A common example is http to https, then non www to www, then an old slug to a new one. Each hop adds a little delay before the page starts loading, and search engines may stop following a chain that runs too long. A redirect chain checker shows the whole path, so you can see exactly which step to remove.

How to fix what you find

• Long chains: update the internal link so it points straight to the final URL. Then change the first redirect rule so it also goes directly to the final page.
• Loops: look for two rules that send a URL back and forth, often a plugin rule clashing with a rule in .htaccess or your hosting panel. Remove one of them.
• Redirects that end in an error: point the redirect to a page that exists, or remove it and update the link.
• Temporary redirects used for permanent moves: change them to 301.

After a site migration, scan your main pages with the redirect checker and confirm each old URL reaches its new address in one hop. If some old URLs return errors instead, the 404 link checker will show you where they are still linked.

Official reference: Google's guide to redirects and Search lists which redirect types Google treats as permanent and which as temporary.