Redirect Checker: what it does and how to use it

When a URL redirects (like an old page forwarding to a new one), it can sometimes chain through multiple hops before reaching its final destination - each hop adds load time and can affect SEO if not configured correctly. This tool traces every redirect hop of a URL, showing the status code (301, 302, etc.) at each step.

SEO and webmaster checks are only useful if they match what Googlebot or a browser would see. Guessing from the HTML source alone is how people ship broken tags.

Redirect Checker is a good fit when auditing old URLs after site migration.

The useful part

Redirect Checker is built around a few practical wins, not a long feature list:

• Exposes hidden redirect chains that slow page loads.
• Improves technical SEO by validating proper 301 usage.
• Helps detect loops and misconfigured routing quickly.
• Useful for migration and domain-change QA.

Do this, in order

1. Enter source URL. Use full URL you want to audit, including protocol and path.
2. Trace redirect chain. Follow each HTTP hop until final destination response resolves.
3. Review status codes. Check permanent vs temporary redirects and unexpected loops.
4. Fix server rules. Update CDN/server routing to reduce hops and canonical confusion.

Who it is for

• Auditing old URLs after site migration.
• Checking HTTP-to-HTTPS and WWW canonical routing.
• Fixing campaign URLs with excessive redirect hops.
• Validating affiliate/referral redirect behavior.

If you want a clean result

• Keep redirect chains as short as possible (ideally one hop).
• Use 301 for permanent moves and 302 for temporary tests.
• Align redirects with canonical tags and sitemap URLs.
• Retest after CDN or hosting rule changes.

Common mix-ups

• Stacking multiple legacy redirects over time without cleanup.
• Using 302 for permanent URL migrations.
• Creating mixed protocol loops with conflicting rules.
• Ignoring mobile and subdomain variants in redirect testing.

Private by default

Redirect Checker needs the ToolBox API for work a browser cannot do. What you submit is processed, then discarded. It is not kept as a library of your files.

Related tools worth opening next

If this is one step in a longer job, these usually come after it:

• Broken Link Checker - Scan a page for broken links and see each status code
• DNS Lookup - Query A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, PTR, SRV and CAA records for any domain
• SSL Certificate Checker - Inspect the TLS certificate of any site - expiry, issuer, SANs and chain

Before you ask

What's the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

301 means "permanently moved" - search engines transfer ranking signals to the new URL. 302 means "temporarily moved" - search engines generally keep the original URL as the canonical one, expecting it to return eventually. Using the wrong type can affect how search engines treat the redirect for ranking purposes.

Why are multiple redirect hops a problem?

Each hop adds extra time before the page finally loads, hurting page speed - and very long redirect chains can sometimes cause search engines to stop following them, potentially failing to reach the final destination at all.

Can I check any URL, including ones on other people's websites?

Yes - enter any publicly accessible URL to trace its redirect chain, whether it's your own site or one you're investigating.

Open the Redirect Checker when you are ready. It is free, and you do not need an account.