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Use a 301 redirect when an old URL has moved permanently; use a 302 when the diversion is temporary and the old URL should remain the intended address in Google Search. For a permanent migration, point each old URL directly to its closest relevant new URL with a server-side 301 (or permanent 308), then update your sitemap, internal links and monitoring. A 302 is the right choice for a short-lived diversion, maintenance route or URL-based experiment that you expect to reverse.
The decision in one table
| Question | Choose 301 (or 308) | Choose 302 (or 307/303) |
|---|---|---|
| How long will the change last? | Permanent move or no planned return | Temporary diversion with an expected return |
| Which URL should Google treat as the main one? | The destination URL should become canonical | The original URL should remain eligible to appear |
| Typical use | Domain, protocol, path or page migration | Short outage routing, maintenance, campaign diversion or URL-based A/B test |
| Google Search signal | Google uses the redirect as a signal that the destination should be canonical | Google follows the redirect but does not apply that same canonicalization signal |
Google Search Central lists 301 and 308 as permanent redirects, and 302, 307 and 303 as temporary options. The code should describe the intended lifetime of the move, not how urgent the change feels or how much traffic you expect.
What a 301 and a 302 actually tell browsers and search engines
301: the old address has been replaced
A 301 is an HTTP status response saying that the requested resource has moved permanently. When Google encounters one, it can transfer the old URL’s indexing signals to the target and show the new target in search results. That makes it the normal choice when a site changes domains, switches from HTTP to HTTPS, restructures paths or permanently replaces a page.
The redirect does not automatically make every destination appropriate. The target still needs to be accessible, relevant and able to serve the intended content. A permanent code pointing an old product page to an unrelated home page is a poor migration, even though the status code is technically valid.
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302: the original address is still the intended one
A 302 means the requested resource is being found elsewhere for now. Google can follow the redirect, but it does not receive the same permanent-canonicalization signal. The old URL may therefore remain in search results, which is desirable when the diversion will be removed or when you are testing an alternate version.
Do not use a 302 simply because you are unsure whether a move is permanent. That uncertainty should be resolved before launch: a temporary code on a permanent migration can leave the old addresses as Google’s preferred results and delay consolidation of signals.
Other status codes
A 308 is another permanent redirect. A 307 and a 303 are temporary alternatives. The same duration rule applies: select a permanent status for a move that is intended to last and a temporary status when the original URL is expected to return. If your platform exposes only one redirect type, confirm which HTTP status it emits rather than assuming a setting labeled “redirect” is permanent.
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Changing domains
If a site moves from one domain to another and the old domain will no longer host the pages, redirect each old URL to its corresponding page on the new domain. A page-level mapping preserves the relationship between an old article, product, category or support document and its replacement.
Moving from HTTP to HTTPS
When HTTPS is the permanent version of the site, redirect the HTTP URL to the equivalent HTTPS URL. Keep the path and relevant query handling consistent, and make sure internal links already use HTTPS so visitors and crawlers do not encounter unnecessary hops.
Changing folders or URL paths
For a permanent restructure, send every old path to the new path that serves the same purpose. If /guides/old-topic became /learn/topic, the redirect should go there rather than to a generic landing page. Pages with no genuine replacement need a deliberate outcome; do not manufacture relevance by redirecting them all to the home page.
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Replacing a page permanently
When an article, product or service page has a successor, a 301 communicates that replacement. The destination should contain substantially the information a visitor was seeking. If the content has been retired with no replacement, a redirect may not be the best response; review the retirement plan and the user experience instead of sending a misleading destination.
When a 302 is the correct choice
Temporary maintenance or outage routing
If a page is unavailable while work is performed and the same URL should come back, route visitors temporarily with a 302. Remove the redirect when the original page is restored. Leaving the temporary code in place after the work becomes permanent creates an ambiguous signal.
Short-lived campaign or operational diversion
A temporary promotion, event route or operational change can use a 302 when the original URL remains the long-term address. Set an owner and an end date so the rule is reviewed and removed rather than becoming an accidental permanent redirect.
URL-based A/B testing
Google specifically recommends a 302, not a 301, when users are sent to a test variation by URL. The temporary status helps keep the original URL as the intended result while the experiment runs. Treat the test route as temporary and retire it when the experiment ends.
Plan a migration before changing traffic
Prepare and test the new site
Build the replacement site and verify it before switching production traffic. Check that important pages return successful responses, assets load, forms work and the new infrastructure can handle the additional crawling that commonly follows a move.
Create a complete old-to-new URL map
Export the old URL inventory from your server logs, analytics, CMS or crawl data. For every address, record the intended destination and the reason for the mapping. Include alternate URL forms that receive real traffic, such as trailing-slash variants, case variants where your server treats them differently, and important query-based routes.
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- Map an old page to the closest relevant replacement, not automatically to the home page.
- Include high-value pages, pages with external links and URLs that still receive organic or referral visits.
- Mark URLs with no replacement for a separate retirement decision instead of assigning an arbitrary target.
- Have someone review the map for topical relevance before launch.
Decide the status code per rule
For a migration intended to last, use a server-side 301 or 308. Reserve 302, 307 or 303 for diversions that are expected to end. Document exceptions so a temporary rule is not mistaken for the permanent migration pattern.
Implement redirects so each old URL reaches the final page directly
Prefer server-side responses
Configure the redirect at the web server, reverse proxy, application or CDN layer so the first response to the old URL is the redirect status. Google recommends server-side permanent redirects where possible and documents approaches for common server configurations and server-side scripts. A client-side redirect that depends on JavaScript adds another failure point and is not the preferred migration mechanism.
Use a direct old-to-new rule
Suppose an old address first redirects from HTTP to HTTPS, then from an old domain to a new domain, and finally from an old path to a new path. Replace those sequential rules with one rule that sends the original HTTP URL on the old domain directly to the final HTTPS URL on the new path. Test both the status and the final location.
Keep rule precedence predictable
Place specific page mappings ahead of broad catch-all rules. A general rule that redirects every unmatched path to the home page can silently override carefully mapped destinations. After publishing rules, test representative URLs from every migration pattern, including a URL that should not redirect.
Check protocol, host, path and query behavior
Confirm whether the destination should preserve, remove or transform query parameters. Track any parameter that controls content or attribution, and avoid creating multiple redirect variants for parameters that do not change the page. The correct behavior depends on your application, but it should be intentional and documented.
Why redirect chains and loops cause trouble
Chains add latency and can lose support
A chain occurs when URL A redirects to B, B redirects to C, and so on. Google says it can follow up to 10 redirect hops, but advises keeping chains low—ideally no more than three and fewer than five. Other clients, crawlers and network conditions may handle long chains less reliably, and every hop adds response time.
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Point old URLs straight to the final destination whenever possible. After each deployment, crawl the old URL list and record every hop, status code and final URL. Fix any chain that is longer than your operating standard, even if Google can currently follow it.
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Loops make the page unreachable
A loop occurs when rules send a URL back to itself or cycle between two or more locations. Browsers report that the page redirected too many times, and crawlers cannot reach the content. Inspect overlapping host, protocol and path rules; test the final URL independently; then remove the rule that sends the destination back into the redirect pattern.
Launch-day migration checklist
- Freeze and back up the old configuration. Keep a copy of the previous redirect and routing rules so you can identify exactly what changed.
- Deploy the new site first. Confirm the new URLs work before enabling redirects from the old site.
- Activate the URL map. Use 301 or 308 for permanent moves and the documented temporary code for genuine diversions.
- Test status and destination. Verify that old URLs return the intended 3xx response and that the final page returns successfully. Test representative pages from every template and directory.
- Update internal links. Change navigation, canonicals, images, feeds and content links to use the final new URLs directly.
- Submit the new sitemap. In Google Search Console, submit a sitemap containing the new canonical URLs and remove obsolete entries from the submitted set.
- Update important external references. Ask partners and other site owners to link directly to the new URLs where practical, reducing redirect latency for their visitors.
- Monitor both old and new properties. Watch traffic, crawl activity, indexing, server errors and redirect responses in Search Console and your server analytics.
- Review capacity. A migration can increase crawling of both old and new addresses. Ensure the new infrastructure can handle that load without timeouts or intermittent errors.
How long should migration redirects stay in place?
Google generally recommends keeping migration redirects for at least one year so it has time to recrawl old URLs and process the move. Users may still arrive through old bookmarks, external links and cached references, so leaving redirects indefinitely can be beneficial when the old domain or paths are inexpensive to maintain.
Keeping redirects does not remove the need to update links. Change your own navigation and other important links to the final URLs so visitors do not pay an avoidable redirect delay. When evaluating removal, review residual traffic, crawl requests, backlink references and business requirements rather than relying on an arbitrary date.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Monitoring: what to measure after the switch
Coverage of the URL map
Compare the old URL inventory with redirect logs. A high-value old URL returning a 404, 500 or unexpected 302 is a mapping defect to investigate. Sample pages from every content type, language path and host variant rather than checking only the home page.
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Use Search Console to inspect representative old and new URLs, review indexing reports and watch for spikes in errors. Some temporary fluctuation is normal while Google crawls old and new addresses; the duration depends on site size, URL volume and server speed. Do not change a permanent migration to 302 merely because visibility moves during this processing period.
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Traffic and technical health
Compare organic, referral and direct traffic by landing URL before and after launch. At the same time, monitor response times, redirect counts, crawl volume and server capacity. A traffic drop accompanied by redirect loops or elevated server errors requires technical remediation; a short indexing transition without those symptoms may simply reflect recrawling.
Common mistakes and their fixes
Using 302 for a permanent move
Symptom: Old URLs continue to appear as the main results, and the new pages do not consolidate the expected signals.
Fix: If the move is permanent, replace the temporary response with a server-side 301 or 308 and point it directly to the relevant destination.
Redirecting every page to the home page
Symptom: Visitors land on a generic page that does not answer the request, while many old URLs lose their useful context.
Fix: Build page-level mappings. Use the home page only when it is genuinely the closest relevant replacement.
Leaving a chain after several migrations
Symptom: A crawler reports multiple 3xx responses before the final page, or users notice slow navigation.
Fix: Replace the chain with a direct rule from every known old URL to the current final URL, then remove obsolete intermediate rules.
Redirecting the new destination again
Symptom: A correctly mapped old URL ends in another redirect, a loop or an unexpected host or protocol.
Fix: Test the final destination as a standalone URL and adjust rule order, host normalization and protocol rules so the destination returns content without another migration hop.
Removing redirects immediately after launch
Symptom: Old bookmarks and external links begin returning errors before crawlers have processed the move.
Fix: Keep migration redirects for at least one year, and longer when users or links still depend on them.
Updating redirects but not internal links
Symptom: Your own site repeatedly sends users through redirects, increasing latency and crawl work.
Fix: Update navigation, templates, canonicals, XML sitemaps and high-value content links to reference the final URLs directly.
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A practical decision framework
- Will the old URL ever be restored? If no, use 301 or 308. If yes, continue evaluating it as temporary.
- Should the destination replace the old URL in Google Search? If yes, use a permanent redirect. If the old URL should remain, use 302, 307 or 303.
- Is this a domain, protocol, path or permanent page replacement? Treat it as a migration and map URLs one to one wherever relevant.
- Is this an experiment, maintenance window or short campaign? Use a temporary response, define an owner and schedule a review date.
- Does the rule point directly to the final page? If not, remove the chain before launch.
The code is a statement about intent. Choose it based on whether the old address has been replaced or merely diverted, then support that choice with a relevant destination, direct routing and post-launch monitoring.
Scope of the search guidance
These canonicalization and migration recommendations describe how Google Search interprets redirects. Other search engines may use different signals or timing. If traffic from another engine is important to your business, monitor that service separately rather than assuming identical behavior.
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