Understanding a redirect report
A redirect tells a client to request a different URL. It can move visitors from HTTP to HTTPS, send an old article to its new address, or bring different versions of a domain to one destination. This tool shows the HTTP responses reported along that journey, including the final response.
How to check the right URL
Enter the full address you want to investigate, including its path and any public query parameters. Checking a homepage will not tell you how a particular article or product URL redirects. If you omit the scheme, the tool starts with HTTPS; use http:// explicitly when you want to inspect the HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect.
For a migration, compare the old URL with the destination you expect. Also check the variants visitors may use, such as the version with or without www. The part after # is a browser fragment and is not sent in an HTTP request.
What do the common status codes mean?
- 200 OK: the request succeeded. It is often the response at the end of a redirect chain.
- 301 Moved Permanently: the resource has a permanent new location.
- 302 Found: the resource is temporarily available at a different location.
- 303 See Other: directs the client to retrieve another resource, commonly after a form submission.
- 307 Temporary Redirect: a temporary move that preserves the request method and body.
- 308 Permanent Redirect: a permanent move that preserves the request method and body.
A final 4xx or 5xx response is also useful evidence. A chain can redirect successfully and still end at a missing page, an access restriction, or a server error. Read MDN's guide to HTTP redirects and its HTTP status reference for the full definitions.
Why does a chain have several steps?
A request might move from HTTP to HTTPS, then from a bare domain to www, then to a new page path. Each step adds another request. When you control the configuration, routing an old address directly to the intended final URL can reduce unnecessary hops.
The list includes the final response, which is not itself another redirect. A single response with status 200 therefore means zero redirects were reported. Confirm that the final URL is the one you intended, rather than treating a successful status as proof that it is the right page.
What is a redirect loop?
A loop occurs when addresses keep redirecting back to one another, such as A sending the client to B and B sending it back to A. Conflicting HTTPS, domain, or application rules can cause this. A loop or an unusually long chain may prevent the service from returning a completed report.
If you manage the site, review the relevant redirect rules together. Retrying a failed check can help with temporary network trouble, but it will not correct a loop in the site's configuration.
What do HTTPS and request time tell me?
The HTTPS summary describes the final URL's scheme. It does not certify that every step used HTTPS or replace a security review. Check the URLs in the list to see whether the journey includes an HTTP connection.
Times are reported by the checking service for its requests. They are not a measurement of how long your browser takes to download images, run scripts, and display a page. Network conditions and caching can also make repeated checks differ.
Why can my browser show something different?
This report follows HTTP responses. A page can also navigate using JavaScript or an HTML refresh instruction, which may not appear here. Your browser's login state, cookies, cached redirects, location, or user agent can also change the response it receives. Use the browser's Network panel when you need to inspect that particular session.
The tool sends the URL to a checking service, so use public addresses and leave out passwords, session identifiers, and private access tokens. For a connection-level check rather than an HTTP report, use Down or not.
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