Skip to main content

Gamepad Tester

Redirect checker

Check any URL for its full redirect path and see every status code along the way. Follow a chain of 301, 302, 307 and 308 responses, spot redirect loops, and read the response headers that matter for SEO.

What the status codes mean

CodeNameWhat it tells you
301Moved permanentlyThe page has moved for good. Search engines pass most ranking value to the new address, so this is the correct choice for permanent moves.
302FoundA temporary move. The original address is expected to return, so ranking value stays with the old address.
303See otherSends the browser to another address using a GET request, often after a form submission.
307Temporary redirectLike 302 but the request method is preserved. Common on HTTPS upgrades.
308Permanent redirectLike 301 but the request method is preserved.
200OKThe final page loaded successfully. This is where a healthy chain should end.
404Not foundThe address does not exist. A redirect that lands here is broken.
5xxServer errorThe server failed to respond. The destination needs attention before it can rank.

Why redirect checking matters for SEO

Every extra hop in a redirect chain adds load time and bleeds a little ranking value. A clean setup sends visitors and crawlers from the old address to the final page in a single step. This tool shows the full path so you can flatten long chains, replace temporary redirects that should be permanent, and remove loops that trap crawlers.

It also surfaces the response headers that shape how search engines treat a page, including the canonical link header and the robots directive header. Reading these next to the status code gives you the complete picture in one view.

How to use it

Step one

Paste the full address, including https at the start, into the field above.

Step two

Pick the user agent you want to test with. A page can redirect a phone visitor differently from a desktop visitor or a search crawler, so testing as Googlebot or as a mobile device can reveal issues a normal browser check would miss.

Step three

Read the chain from top to bottom. Each row is one hop with its status code, the address it points to, and the headers returned. The summary at the top shows the total number of hops and the final destination.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect

A 301 is permanent and passes almost all ranking value to the new address. A 302 is temporary and keeps ranking value on the original address. Use a 301 when a page has moved for good and a 302 only when the move is genuinely short term.

How many redirects are too many

Aim for a single hop. Two is usually acceptable. Once a chain reaches three or more hops you lose speed and a portion of ranking value, and some crawlers stop following after a handful of steps.

What is a redirect loop

A loop happens when address A points to B and B points back to A, or a longer cycle returns to a place it already visited. The page never resolves, so visitors and crawlers get stuck. This tool flags a loop as soon as it sees the same address twice.

Can it detect meta refresh and javascript redirects

Yes. When the option is enabled the checker reads the final page and reports a meta refresh tag or a common javascript redirect pattern. These are slower and weaker than server redirects, so it is useful to know when a site relies on them.