Redirect Chain Checker
Follow a URL through every redirect, see the status and timing of each hop, and catch loops, chains and mixed protocol jumps.
Follow every hop a URL takes, with the status, timing and meaning of each one, plus loop and mixed protocol detection.
Enter a URL to see every hop it takes before the final page.
About the redirect chain checker
A browser hides redirects, so a chain three hops long looks identical to a direct hit. Meanwhile every hop is a full round trip before anything renders, and search engines stop following after about five.
This follows the chain by hand rather than letting fetch collapse it, so every hop is visible with its own status and timing. Each status code is explained in terms of what it does to your ranking signals.
How to use it
- 1Enter the URL, including http if you want to see the upgrade to https.
- 2Read the chain from top to bottom.
- 3Check the total hop count and time.
- 4Link straight to the final URL wherever you can.
Questions
What is the difference between 301 and 302?
301 is permanent and passes ranking signals to the target. 302 is temporary, so search engines keep the original URL indexed. Using 302 for a permanent move is a common and costly mistake.
How many redirects are too many?
One is normal. Two is tolerable. Beyond that you pay a round trip each time, and Google stops following at around five hops.
Why does my URL start on http?
Because the first request went out unencrypted before the upgrade. That is the exact window HSTS closes, by telling browsers to use https before they ever ask.
What is a redirect loop?
The chain returns to a URL it already visited, so it never resolves. Browsers give up and show an error. It is detected and reported here rather than followed forever.