Question 1

What does a redirect checker do?

Accepted Answer

It requests a URL the same way a browser would, then follows each redirect one hop at a time, recording the status code and destination of every step. The result is the full redirect chain, or path, from the address you entered to the final page, so you can see exactly what happens between click and landing.

Question 2

What is a redirect chain?

Accepted Answer

A redirect chain is two or more redirects in a row: URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C. Chains commonly build up over time as sites move to HTTPS, change domains, restructure their URLs, or layer short links on top of tracking links. Each layer usually still works, but the hops add up.

Question 3

What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?

Accepted Answer

A 301 says the move is permanent: browsers cache it and search engines transfer the old URL’s ranking signals to the new address. A 302 says the move is temporary, so search engines keep the original URL in their index. Using a 302 for a permanent move is one of the most common technical SEO mistakes.

Question 4

How many redirects are too many?

Accepted Answer

Aim for one hop, and treat three or more as a problem worth fixing. Googlebot abandons a URL after about 10 consecutive redirects, and most browsers give up around 20, showing a too-many-redirects error. Beyond correctness, every hop adds latency for real visitors, so shorter is always better.

Question 5

Do redirects hurt SEO?

Accepted Answer

A single well-chosen redirect is fine and often necessary. What hurts is using the wrong type, like a 302 for a permanent move, chaining several redirects together, or redirecting every old page to the homepage instead of its true replacement. Point each old URL at its closest equivalent with one 301 hop.

Question 6

How can I see where a short link goes without clicking it?

Accepted Answer

Paste it into the checker above. It follows the redirect on our servers and shows you the full chain and final destination without your browser ever visiting the link, which is a safe way to inspect shortened or disguised URLs from emails and messages before trusting them.

Question 7

Why does my URL redirect several times?

Accepted Answer

Typical layers include HTTP to HTTPS, adding or removing www, adding a trailing slash, geographic or mobile routing, and a short link or tracking link at the front. Each rule is reasonable alone, but stacked together they form a chain. Fix it by pointing the first URL directly at the final destination.

Question 8

Does this tool detect meta refresh and JavaScript redirects?

Accepted Answer

No. It follows server-side HTTP redirects, meaning 3xx status codes with a Location header, which covers the vast majority of real-world redirects, and it traces up to 20 hops with loop detection. Meta refresh tags and JavaScript redirects happen inside the browser after the page loads, so they are not visible at the HTTP level.

Code	Meaning
301	Permanent redirect. The page has moved for good: browsers cache the hop and search engines transfer the old URL’s rankings to the new one.
302	Temporary redirect (Found). The move is not meant to last, so search engines keep the original URL indexed.
303	See Other. Sends the browser to a different page with a GET request, typically after a form submission.
307	Temporary redirect that strictly preserves the request method and body.
308	Permanent redirect that strictly preserves the request method and body.
4xx / 5xx	Error. The chain ends at a broken, blocked, or missing page, which usually means a dead link that needs fixing.

Redirect Checker

About the Redirect Checker

Redirect status codes explained

Why redirect chains matter

Redirect checker FAQ

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