Redirect Chain Checker
Follow a live URL safely and show each HTTP redirect, status code, and destination. This live check sends only the URL or domain you enter to ToolkitPoint’s server and the named authoritative service.
How to use Redirect Chain Checker
- Paste the address into "Public URL" with its protocol, for example a plain http:// version of your domain.
- Finish any human-verification box, then press "Run live check".
- Read the badge (Direct, or a count of redirect hops) and the Final Destination link.
- Walk down the "Redirect Hop Chain" list, where each step shows an HTTP status and a Redirects to line with the Location header.
- Press "Toggle Raw JSON Output" to see the chain array and the finalUrl value.
Worked example
Enter http://example.com and run the check. A typical setup would list a first hop with a 301 status and a Redirects to line pointing at the https version, then a final hop with 200 OK. The badge would read 1 Redirect Hops, but the real chain depends on the site's current configuration, so no figures are asserted here.
When to use this tool
- Verifying that the http and www versions of a domain all reach one https address.
- Debugging a redirect loop after changing rewrite rules.
- Checking a shortened campaign link to see where it finally lands.
Important limitations
Traces HTTP-level redirects (301, 302, 307, 308) and follows HTML meta refresh tags as distinct hops. Client-side JavaScript redirects (window.location or location.replace) are detected on 200 responses and surfaced honestly as not followed.
Frequently asked questions
How many redirects are followed?
Up to six hops. If the chain is longer the check stops with an error saying the URL exceeded six redirects, which is itself worth fixing because long chains slow crawling and page loads.
Which requests does the server make?
It sends ordinary GET requests, re-validating each hop as a public web address. Addresses with a username, non-standard ports, localhost and private network ranges are refused.
Does it follow JavaScript or meta refresh redirects?
HTML meta refresh tags are parsed from 200 responses and followed as hops, labelled with their delay in seconds. JavaScript redirects (window.location or location.replace) are detected on 200 pages and displayed honestly as not followed (needs a browser).
Can it test a page behind a login?
No. The request is anonymous and sends no cookies, so login walls and geolocation rules will show what a fresh visitor from the server sees. Results may also differ from a real browser.
Which status codes matter most?
A 301 or 308 signals a permanent move and 302 or 307 a temporary one. Search engines treat them differently, so confirm the intended type appears rather than only the final page.