See every hop
Expose intermediate 301, 302, 303, 307 and 308 responses that browsers normally follow automatically.
Redirect Checker
Trace HTTP redirect chains and see every 301, 302, 303, 307 or 308 hop through to the final URL.
Result
Trace a redirect chain one hop at a time
The Redirect Checker requests the starting URL, reads its redirect status and Location header, then follows the destination one hop at a time. The result table shows the URL, status code and next Location for each step through to the final response.
Find the final destination
Confirm where an old URL, short link, campaign URL or migrated page ultimately lands.
Detect redirect loops
The checker tracks previously visited URLs and reports when a chain loops back to a URL it has already seen.
Public-target validation
Each hop is normalized and validated before the server follows it, reducing unsafe access to private or reserved network targets.
Why redirect chains matter
Redirects are normal infrastructure, but unnecessary hops add connection and request latency. Long historical chains also make migrations harder to reason about. Where possible, old URLs should point directly to the correct current destination rather than passing through several previous URL structures.
Common redirect patterns to inspect
HTTP to HTTPS
Confirm the insecure URL moves to the intended HTTPS hostname and does not bounce through extra host or path variations.
www and non-www normalization
Make sure the preferred hostname is reached consistently and internal links already use the canonical version.
Domain or CMS migration
Check representative legacy URLs and important deep links. Redirect each old page to the closest relevant new page rather than sending everything to the homepage.
Tracking and short links
Inspect where marketing, affiliate or shortened links land and whether intermediate redirects introduce unexpected domains or parameters.
Redirect status codes in context
301 and 308 commonly communicate permanent redirects, while 302 and 307 are commonly used for temporary routing. 303 instructs the client to retrieve the destination with GET. The correct status depends on the application and request method, so choose the code that matches the routing behavior you intend.
Limits of this checker
The server follows up to ten request steps and reports redirects visible to its HTTP client. Redirect behavior can still vary by cookie, authentication, user agent, geography, JavaScript execution or application state. Client-side JavaScript navigation is not the same as an HTTP redirect and may not appear in this chain.
Related website tools
Frequently asked redirect questions
How many redirect hops should a URL have?
There is no universal magic number, but fewer unnecessary hops are easier to maintain and faster for clients. A direct redirect to the intended destination is preferable when it is practical.
What causes a redirect loop?
Conflicting rules can send URL A to URL B and then send URL B back to URL A, or cycle through a larger set of URLs. Proxy, CDN, CMS and web-server rules can all contribute.
Why does my browser show a different redirect?
Cookies, login state, user agent, geographic routing, bot protection and A/B testing can change redirect behavior between clients.
Should internal links point to redirected URLs?
Usually it is better to update internal links to the final intended URL so normal navigation does not rely on avoidable redirect hops.