What is a redirect chain?
A redirect chain is a sequence of HTTP redirects that occur between the URL you request and the page you eventually land on. Each hop in the chain returns a 3xx status code and a Location header pointing to the next URL, until a page finally responds without redirecting.
How do I check a redirect chain?
Enter a URL above and click 'Check redirects'. The tool follows each redirect in turn, showing the status code and destination at every hop, right through to the final page – or an error if the chain breaks down.
Why does the number of hops matter?
Long redirect chains slow page loads and make it harder for search engines to crawl and pass ranking signals through to the final URL. Ideally, a redirect should resolve in a single hop. If a chain doesn't finish within the configured limit, you can continue following it for more hops without starting over.
What's the difference between a permanent and temporary redirect?
301 and 308 are permanent redirects, telling browsers and search engines the move is final and future requests (and ranking signals) should go to the new URL. 302, 303 and 307 are temporary, signalling the original URL may still be used again later.
Can this detect redirect loops?
Yes. If a chain revisits a URL it's already followed, the tool flags it as a loop and stops, rather than following it indefinitely.
Does this work for any website?
Yes, as long as the URL is publicly reachable over HTTP or HTTPS. Local, private and internal network addresses aren't supported.