Redirect Checker

Choosing the redirect code

Use 301 for a permanent move and 302 for a temporary one. 307 and 308 are their stricter equivalents: they require the browser to repeat the request with the same method and body, so a form POST stays a POST. After a 301 or 302 many clients switch to GET. For ordinary page moves, 301 or 308 both work.

Browsers cache a 301 or 308, sometimes for a long time, so a mistaken permanent redirect keeps affecting visitors after you fix it. Test with a 302 first when unsure.

Chains, loops, and site migrations

A visitor typing http://example.com/page should reach https://www.example.com/page in one hop, not one hop for HTTPS and another for www. Each extra hop adds a round trip. A loop, where two URLs redirect to each other, fails in every browser, and this checker stops after eight hops.

In a migration, redirect each old URL to its closest new equivalent. Sending everything to the home page is treated by search engines much like a missing page. Only server redirects appear here; a <meta http-equiv="refresh"> or JavaScript redirect is not followed. Confirm that each destination answers 200 with the HTTP status checker.

How to use it

1. Paste a public HTTP or HTTPS URL.
2. Choose “Trace redirects.”
3. Review every hop, status code, location, and response time.

Privacy & limitations

The check runs through TOEA’s API because browsers cannot inspect arbitrary redirect chains. Requests are not saved, private network addresses are blocked, responses are size-limited, and the tool never signs in to a site.