Free Redirect Checker
Redesigned your website? Every old URL people saved, shared or found on Google still exists, and each one that 404s throws away a visitor and the ranking it earned. Check how any address redirects, hop by hop, or paste your old URLs to find the ones that break.
Free · No sign-up · Nothing stored
At a glance
- Use 301 for anything that has moved for good. 302 tells search engines the move is temporary.
- Every address should reach its page in one hop. Chains slow people down; loops never arrive.
- Your http, https, www and non-www versions should all end on the same page.
- After a redesign, old URLs that end on a 404 need a 301 to their closest new page, or they become broken links everywhere they're shared.
301 vs 302: redirect codes explained
A redirect code tells browsers and search engines two things: where the page went, and whether it's coming back. That second part decides whether rankings move to the new address.
| Code | Type | Passes ranking signals | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 301 Moved Permanently | Permanent | Yes | Redesigns, renamed pages, http to https, new domain |
| 308 Permanent Redirect | Permanent | Yes | The same, when the request method must stay the same (forms, APIs) |
| 302 Found | Temporary | Not reliably | Short-term moves, like a seasonal sale page |
| 307 Temporary Redirect | Temporary | Not reliably | Temporary moves where the request method must stay the same |
| 404 / 410 | No redirect | Lost | An old address nobody redirected: add a 301 |
| Loop | Never arrives | Lost | Two rules point at each other: remove one |
Real example: a page we renamed
We renamed one of our own tools from Mobile-Ready Checker to Mobile-Friendly Checker, which changed its address. The old address, /tools/mobile-ready-checker/, now answers with a 301 and lands on the new page in one hop. Run through this checker, our domain's http, https and non-www versions each reach https://www.cmoowls.com/ in a single 301, and a made-up old address correctly ends on a 404, which is exactly what the checker flags for you to redirect.
Two ways to use the redirect checker
- One address
- Enter your domain or a page. We check it plus its http/https and www/non-www versions and show whether they all end on the same page, and in how many hops.
- A list of old URLs
- Paste up to 10 addresses separated by spaces or new lines. We follow each one and flag the ones that end on an error instead of redirecting.
Redirect chains and how to flatten them
Chains build up over years: the site moved to https, then to www, then a page was renamed. A visitor typing the oldest address now goes through every step:
http://example.com/old-page
→ 301 https://example.com/old-page
→ 301 https://www.example.com/old-page
→ 301 https://www.example.com/new-page (200)- Find the final address with this checker.
- Point the first address straight at it, so http://example.com/old-page goes to https://www.example.com/new-page in one hop.
- Update your own links to use the final address, so visitors never touch a redirect.
- Check again and confirm one hop.
Redirecting old URLs after a redesign
- List every old address from your old sitemap, Google Search Console and your analytics, before the old site disappears.
- Map each one to its closest new page. Not the homepage, unless the page truly has no replacement.
- Set up 301 redirects (see the table below for where).
- Test them here in batches of 10 and fix any that end on a 404 or go through a chain.
- Keep the redirects for at least a year, ideally for good.
Where to set up redirects
| Platform | Where redirects live |
|---|---|
| WordPress | A redirect plugin, such as Redirection, or your SEO plugin's redirect manager |
| Shopify | URL redirects in the Shopify admin |
| Wix | The URL Redirect Manager in your site's SEO settings |
| Squarespace | URL Mappings in the developer tools settings |
| Webflow | 301 redirects in the site settings, under Publishing |
| Apache server | Redirect 301 lines in the .htaccess file |
| Nginx server | return 301 rules in the server block |
What the redirect checker can't see
- Up to 10 addresses per check, and up to 10 hops per address.
- Server redirects only. Redirects done with JavaScript or a meta refresh tag aren't followed; search engines treat those less reliably too.
- It can't create redirects. It shows what happens today, so you or your developer can fix the rules.
- It checks the addresses you give it. To find every redirect and chain across a site, a crawler such as Watch Owl or a technical audit with Owl-gorithm Hacker covers every page.
Redirects on one map
Once your redirects are in place, check that your sitemap lists only final addresses with the Sitemap Checker, and look for dead links on your pages with the Broken Link Checker.
Catch broken links and redirects across your whole site
Watch Owl crawls every page for broken links, redirect chains, errors and failing forms.
Frequently asked questions
Is the redirect checker free?
Yes. It's free with no sign-up. Check one address with its http, https, www and non-www versions, or paste up to 10 old URLs at once.
What's the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?
A 301 (or 308) says the page has moved permanently, so search engines pass the old address's signals to the new one and update their index. A 302 (or 307) says the move is temporary, so they may keep showing the old address. For a redesign, a new domain or http to https, use 301.
What's the difference between 301 and 308, or 302 and 307?
308 and 307 are the stricter versions: they promise the browser keeps the same request method, which matters for forms and APIs. For ordinary pages, 301 and 308 behave the same for SEO, and so do 302 and 307.
What is a redirect chain?
A redirect that leads to another redirect before reaching the page, for example http → https → www → the new URL. Each hop adds delay for visitors and crawlers. Point the first address straight at the final page.
What is a redirect loop?
Redirects that point back to each other, so the browser never reaches a page and shows an error. They usually come from two rules fighting, such as a plugin and a server setting both forcing www in opposite directions.
How do I find old URLs that should redirect?
Export the URLs from your old sitemap, from Google Search Console's Pages and Links reports, or from your analytics, then paste them here. Any that end on a 404 need a 301 to their closest new page.
Do redirects lose rankings?
A single 301 to the right page keeps the old page's signals. What loses rankings is no redirect at all, a redirect to an unrelated page such as the homepage, or long chains.
How long should I keep redirects?
As long as you can, and at least a year after a move. People keep old bookmarks and other sites keep old links for years, so removing redirects early brings the 404s back.
Should I redirect every old page to the homepage?
No. Redirect each old page to its closest new equivalent. Search engines treat mass redirects to the homepage like missing pages, and visitors land somewhere that doesn't match what they wanted.
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