Free tools

301 redirect generator

Old URLs to new ones, as Apache, Nginx or Next.js rules. Free and no account. Nothing leaves your browser.

3 redirects. Separate with a comma or a tab, so two columns pasted straight out of a spreadsheet work. Full URLs are reduced to paths.

Server

.htaccess

# 301 redirects. Place in .htaccess at the document root.
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteRule ^old-page/?$ /new-page [R=301,L]
  RewriteRule ^blog/2019/thing/?$ /blog/thing [R=301,L]
  RewriteRule ^legacy/?$ / [R=301,L]
</IfModule>

301 is permanent and is what passes ranking signals. Browsers cache it hard, so test on a staging host or in a private window — getting a 301 wrong and then fixing it does not clear it from anyone who already followed it.

What it tells you

  • Three server formats

    Apache .htaccess, Nginx, or a Next.js redirects() block.

  • Finds redirect chains

    A to B where B also redirects. Chains dilute signals and Google stops following after a handful.

  • Finds loops and self-redirects

    Both make the page permanently unreachable, and both come from spreadsheet copy-paste.

  • Takes spreadsheet output

    Comma, tab or multi-space separated, with full URLs reduced to paths automatically.

How to use it

  1. 1Paste old and new URLsTwo columns, straight out of the migration spreadsheet.
  2. 2Read the warningsChains and loops are listed before you generate anything. Fix them in the source list, not in the rules.
  3. 3Pick your server and deployTest on staging first — browsers cache a 301 aggressively, and a wrong one is hard to take back.

Questions people ask

301 or 302?

301 for a permanent move, which is what a migration is, and what passes ranking signals to the new URL. 302 says the original will return, so signals stay with the old URL. Using 302 for a permanent move is a common and expensive mistake.

Why do redirect chains matter?

Each hop loses a little and adds latency, and Google gives up following after roughly five. More practically, chains accumulate: a site on its third redesign often has URLs going through four hops to reach a live page. Always point the oldest URL directly at the final destination.

Should I redirect everything to the homepage?

No. A bulk redirect to the homepage is treated as a soft 404 and passes nothing. Map each URL to its closest equivalent; if there genuinely is not one, let it 410 or 404 honestly.

How long do I keep redirects?

At least a year, and indefinitely if the old URLs still have links pointing at them. Removing a redirect breaks every external link that ever pointed there, which is the value you were trying to preserve in the first place.

Other free tools

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