301, 302, 307 and 308 Redirects Explained

A redirect sends visitors, and search engines, from one web address to another. Every redirect comes with a number, called a status code, that tells the browser what kind of move it is. The four you are most likely to meet are 301, 302, 307 and 308. They look similar, but they do not all mean the same thing, and choosing the wrong one can cause problems for your search results.

This guide explains what each one means in plain English, how they compare, and which to use.

The short version

• 301 and 308 are permanent. Use them when a page or a whole website has moved for good.
• 302 and 307 are temporary. Use them when the move is short term and you expect the original address to come back.
• 307 and 308 are the strict versions. They are the same as 302 and 301, but they insist that the browser sends the same type of request to the new address.
• For most website changes, such as a new page address, moving to https, or changing domain name, a 301 is the right choice.

What each redirect means

301: Moved Permanently

The page has moved to a new address for good. Browsers and search engines are told to use the new address from now on. Google and Bing treat it as a strong sign that the new address should be the one shown in search results, and the old page’s history carries over to the new one.

302: Found (a temporary move)

The page is temporarily somewhere else. Search engines generally keep the original address in their results, because you are saying it will be back. If a 302 is left in place for a long time, a search engine may eventually treat it as permanent, so a 302 should not be used as a shortcut for a move that is meant to last.

307: Temporary Redirect

Also a temporary move, and for most visitors it behaves exactly like a 302. The difference is that it was designed to be strict: the browser must repeat the same type of request at the new address, for example sending a submitted form again rather than turning it into an ordinary page view.

308: Permanent Redirect

Also a permanent move, and for most visitors it behaves exactly like a 301. Like the 307, it insists that the browser repeats the same type of request at the new address.

How they are alike

• All four send the visitor on to a different web address, which is included in the response.
• For ordinary page visits, a 301 and a 308 look the same to a visitor, and so do a 302 and a 307.
• Google groups them in pairs: 301 and 308 are permanent redirects, and 302 and 307 are temporary redirects.
• None of them change the address you type. The visitor ends up on the new address and sees it in their browser.

How they differ

• Permanent or temporary. 301 and 308 say “moved for good”. 302 and 307 say “moved for now”. This matters most to search engines, which decide which address to show in results.
• What happens to forms and other submissions. For historical reasons, browsers are allowed to turn a submitted form (a POST request) into an ordinary page request (a GET request) when they follow a 301 or 302, and they usually do. The 307 and 308 forbid that, so the information sent is not lost. This rarely matters for pages that people only read, but it can matter for contact forms, shopping baskets, payment pages and anything connected to an API.
• Remembering. Browsers may remember a 301 or 308 for a long time and go straight to the new address without asking your website again. A 302 or 307 is normally not remembered unless the website says so. This is why a mistaken permanent redirect can be slow to put right, and why testing in a private browsing window is a good idea.
• Age. The 301 and 302 have been used since the early web and work everywhere. The 307 and 308 are newer, but every current browser and search engine understands them.

Which one should you use?

• Moving a page to a new address: 301.
• Moving your website to a new domain name: 301, from every old page to the matching new page.
• Switching from http to https, or from www to non-www (or the other way round): 301.
• A short-term change, such as sending visitors to a holding page during maintenance or a seasonal page that will return: 302.
• Anything that carries a submitted form or other data, and you need it to arrive intact: 307 if temporary, 308 if permanent.

In practice, a 301 is the right answer for the large majority of small business websites. A 308 works equally well for search engines, so if your developer or hosting uses a 308 you do not need to change it.

What search engines do with them

When Google or Bing finds a permanent redirect, it learns that the new address is the real one, passes the old page’s standing to it, and over time replaces the old address in search results. This is why a well-planned set of 301 redirects is the most important part of moving a website without losing visitors.

With a temporary redirect, the search engine keeps the old address in its index, because it expects it to return. A temporary redirect used by mistake for a permanent move can leave the old address showing in search results for longer than you want.

Neither search engine penalises you for using redirects. The problems come from using the wrong kind, from long chains of redirects, from loops, and from redirecting many different pages to one unrelated page, such as the home page.

Redirects in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools

You may see redirects mentioned in your webmaster tools reports.

• Google Search Console: in the Pages report under Indexing, the reason “Page with redirect” means a web address was found but not indexed because it redirects somewhere else. This is normal and expected for any old address you have redirected on purpose. Check that the page it redirects to is indexed. If you search for a redirected address with the URL Inspection tool, it also shows where the redirect leads.
• Bing Webmaster Tools: the URL Inspection tool shows how Bing sees a page, including whether it redirects. If you are moving a whole website to a new domain, Bing Webmaster Tools also has a Site Move tool.
• Moving to a new domain name: Google Search Console has a Change of Address tool for this. Put your permanent redirects in place first, and add both the old and new websites to Search Console.

If we manage your webmaster tools, we can check these reports for you. See our guides to giving us access to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

Redirects and domain names

Domain names are where redirects matter most, because a single redirect rule can affect every page on your website.

• Changing your domain name. Redirect each old page to the equivalent page on the new domain with a 301, not just the home page. Keep the redirects in place for at least a year, and for as long as people still use the old address. Keep renewing the old domain name, otherwise the redirects stop working.
• Several domain names for one website. If you own other versions of your name, such as the .com and the .co.uk, redirect the extra ones to your main website with a 301 so that there is only one address to find.
• www and non-www. Pick one version of your address and redirect the other to it with a 301, so that search engines see a single website.
• http and https. Redirect the insecure version of every page to the secure one. Your browser may show this step as a “307 Internal Redirect”. That is the browser upgrading the address itself, and it is not something your website has set up.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Chains. A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Point the first address straight at the final one.
• Loops. A redirects to B and B redirects back to A. Visitors see an error and the page cannot be reached.
• Everything to the home page. Redirecting every old page to the home page confuses visitors and is often treated by Google as if the pages were missing. Send each page to its closest match.
• Using a 302 for a permanent move. This is the most common mistake, and some hosting settings and plugins use a 302 by default. If a move is meant to last, check that it is a 301 or 308.
• Removing redirects too soon. Leave them in place for as long as old links, bookmarks and search results still point to the old address.

How to check a redirect

1. Open the old web address in a private browsing window and check that you land on the right page.
2. To see the redirect number, open your browser’s developer tools (usually the F12 key), choose the Network tab, reload the page and look at the first entry. It shows a status such as 301 and the address it points to. Some browsers show an extra “307” line for the http to https upgrade described above.
3. You can also use a free online redirect checker, which lists every step and its status.
4. If you use Google Search Console, test a few old addresses with the URL Inspection tool.

Need help?

Setting up redirects correctly is a normal part of our website redesign and migration work, and we can look after your domain names so they point where they should. If you are not sure whether a redirect on your website is the right one, contact us or open a ticket from your Client Connect account and we will be happy to take a look.