12 min read
How to Check URL Redirects (and Read a Redirect Chain)
Check URL redirects step by step with TrueURL, curl and DevTools, read every hop of a redirect chain, and fix loops, long chains and mixed 301/302 redirects.
Read articleFree redirect tool
Bulk Redirect Checker
Paste a list of URLs to check all their redirects in one run. Each URL is traced to its final destination, and you can export the results as CSV or JSON.
Cloudflare's edge always validates certificates, so this cannot skip the check. Certificate problems are reported in the result.
Sent with the first request, up to 16 KB. JSON bodies are sent as application/json, others as a form, unless you set a Content-Type header.
1 to 50. Browsers stop after 20.
Sites can redirect phones, crawlers and link preview bots differently.
Custom Request Headers 0/20
Sent with every request in the chain.
No custom headers.
Enter a value to send this header. Header values are never saved.
Follow <meta http-equiv="refresh"> tags and Refresh headers found in HTML pages.
Follow simple, unconditional redirects such as location.href = "…" in page scripts.
Settings are remembered in this browser. Cookies, header values and the POST body are never saved.
When to use a bulk redirect check
- Site migrations and redesigns: confirm that every old URL in your redirect map reaches its new page in a single permanent redirect.
- Domain and HTTPS moves: test a sample of deep URLs, not just the home page.
- Link audits: find outbound, affiliate or partner links that now redirect somewhere else or are broken.
- Campaign QA: check every short link and tracking URL before an email, ad or print run goes out.
How the bulk check works
Paste up to 100 URLs, one per line. URLs without http:// or https:// are checked as https. Each URL is checked separately on Cloudflare's edge, a few at a time, with the same engine and Advanced Settings as the single Redirect Chain Checker.
Because every URL is its own check, a slow or failing URL doesn't hold up the rest of the list, and a problem with one site doesn't affect the results for another.
Reading and exporting the results
Each row summarises one URL: where it ended up, the final status code, how many redirects it took and any warnings. Look out for:
- A final status other than 200, such as a broken destination (404, 410) or a server error.
- More than one redirect: chains to flatten.
- 302 or 307 where you meant to redirect permanently.
- Final URLs you didn't expect, such as the home page instead of the matching new page.
Export to CSV to work in a spreadsheet, where you can compare each final URL with the target in your redirect map, or to JSON for scripts and further processing.
Tips for large URL lists
- Start with the URLs that matter most: top landing pages, pages with backlinks and pages that get search traffic.
- Split lists of more than 100 URLs into batches. For a whole site, use the Sitemap Redirect Checker.
- Checks are rate-limited per IP address (about 120 per minute) to keep the service fast for everyone, so long lists run at a steady pace rather than all at once.
- If many rows show a bot challenge, the site is blocking data-center traffic, and those rows show the block rather than the real redirect.
Guides
Frequently asked questions
How many URLs can I check at once?
Up to 100 per run. For more, split your list into batches, or enter your sitemap in the Sitemap Redirect Checker, which checks up to 500 URLs.
Do Advanced Settings apply in bulk mode?
Yes. The HTTP method, Max Hops, User-Agent, custom headers and cookies you set are used for every URL in the list. You can, for example, check a whole redirect map with the Googlebot User-Agent.
How do I validate a redirect map after a migration?
Paste the old URLs from your map, run the check and export the results to CSV. In your spreadsheet, compare each final URL with the planned target and filter for rows where they differ, where the final status isn't 200 or where it took more than one redirect. Fix those rules, then re-check only the URLs that failed.
Should I export to CSV or JSON?
CSV opens directly in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers and is the quickest way to sort, filter and share results. JSON keeps the structure of the data and is better for scripts, monitoring jobs or importing into other tools.
Why do some URLs fail or show a bot challenge?
Common reasons are a typo in the URL, a domain that no longer resolves, a server that times out, or a site that blocks requests from data centers. Each row shows the specific error or warning. Try failed URLs again later, or check one in the Redirect Chain Checker to see every hop in detail.
Is the bulk redirect checker free?
Yes, with no account or sign-up. Fair-use rate limits apply per IP address so the service stays fast for everyone, and the URLs you check aren't stored.