What you get
The full chain
Every hop from your link to the final page - the redirect path a browser would take, in order.
Per-hop forensics
Status code, redirect target, resolved IP, TLS yes/no, server header and hop timing - detail most redirect checkers do not show.
Shortener expansion
bit.ly, t.co, tinyurl and friends are just redirects - we follow them to the real destination and flag the shortener.
Safety flags
Cross-domain jumps, http-to-https downgrades, redirect loops, non-standard ports and JavaScript redirects are called out.
How it works
- You paste a URL. We resolve its hostname with our own resolver and follow the redirects server-side - your device never touches the target.
- We walk each hop. For every redirect (HTTP 3xx or meta-refresh) we record the response, then move to the next, re-checking safety at each step.
- We stop at the destination. When a page no longer redirects, that is the real final URL. If it redirects only via JavaScript, we flag that rather than guess.
Common uses
- Expand a shortened link before clicking it, to see the real destination.
- Check a suspicious email link - see where a phishing or tracking URL really lands, safely.
- Verify email links such as unsubscribe or click-tracking URLs resolve where they should.
- Audit marketing links - confirm your UTM and tracking redirects reach the right page without extra hops.
Frequently asked questions
What does a URL redirect checker do?
It follows a link the way a browser would - through each redirect hop - and shows the full path down to the real final destination, so you can see where a shortened or tracking link actually leads before you click it.
Can it expand shortened links like bit.ly?
Yes. Shortened links are just redirects, so the tool follows them to the real destination and flags when a known shortener is in the chain.
Does it follow JavaScript redirects?
It follows standard HTTP redirects and meta-refresh redirects, and it detects and flags JavaScript redirects without executing them. A page that jumps only via JavaScript is marked so you know the chain may continue beyond what is shown.
Is it safe to check a suspicious or phishing link?
Yes. The check runs on our server, not your device, and never executes page content - it only reads response headers. Requests to internal or private addresses are blocked, and the tool follows only http and https on standard ports.
What do the per-hop details mean?
Each hop shows the URL, the HTTP status code, the redirect target, the resolved server IP, whether the connection used TLS, the server header and how long the hop took. The final row is the real destination.