What Is the ‘Too Many Redirects’ Error? & Find out how to Repair It

What Is the ‘Too Many Redirects’ Error?

The “too many redirects” error means your web site has incorrectly configured redirects that create an infinite loop and forestall the web page from loading. Which hurts website positioning and the consumer expertise as a result of serps and customers gained’t be capable of entry the web page. 

For instance, let’s say URL X redirects to URL Y. Then URL Y redirects again to URL X. 

That creates a loop. And the browser retains going backwards and forwards between these two pages till it provides up.

Most browsers will observe as much as about 20 redirects. If they’ll’t attain a closing web page by then, they cease and present an error as a substitute.

For instance, Chrome says this web site redirected too many occasions and suggests clearing cookies. 

What Causes the ‘Too Many Redirects’ Error?

The “too many redirects” error is brought on by the browser being caught in a loop that retains stepping into circles with out reaching a closing web page.

Dan Taylor, Associate & Head of Technical website positioning at SALT.company, says the commonest trigger he sees is cookie or cache mismanagement.

“From my expertise, it’s normally all the way down to cache or cookie points—issues like session affinity, session management, or incorrect cache management headers. Ten years in the past, when HTTPS adoption was extra the ‘hype,’ modifications within the HTTP/HTTPS protocol induced conflicts, however that’s a lot much less frequent now.”

Listed here are another frequent causes behind redirect loops:

• Outdated server cache: Your server would possibly nonetheless be exhibiting an previous model of your web site that features damaged redirect directions
• Content material supply community (CDN) cache points: Your CDN is perhaps serving outdated variations of your web site with incorrect redirect guidelines
• Third-party instruments or plugins: If two instruments (like a firewall and a plugin) try to deal with redirects in several methods, they’ll create a battle

Find out how to Verify Your Web site for ‘Too Many Redirects’ Errors

You possibly can examine for the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error manually by visiting your web site in several browsers.

Dan says his first step is to examine redirect guidelines immediately:

“I’ll begin by reviewing the .htaccess or server configuration recordsdata to ensure there are not any conflicting or incorrect redirect guidelines in place.”

He then checks that redirects between HTTP and HTTPS pages and www and non-www pages are arrange correctly and persistently.

You possibly can crawl your web site for redirect points brought on by misconfigured guidelines with Semrush’s Website Audit instrument:

Open the instrument and observe the prompts to configure your mission.

As soon as the audit is finished, go to the “Points” tab and search “redirect.”

In case your web site has redirect loops (and/or chains), you’ll see the “# redirect chains and loops” error.

Click on on it to see the record of affected URLs.

Simply know that this particularly uncovers loops ensuing from incorrect redirect guidelines. 

Different points can get in the best way as properly. So let’s go over repair them.

8 Methods to Repair the ‘Too Many Redirects’ Error

1. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Clearing your cache and cookies removes outdated knowledge that is perhaps inflicting your browser to load an previous redirect path. 

Dan says he at all times contains this step when debugging redirect loops:

“I’ll clear the cache and cookies in my browser to rule out any saved redirect knowledge that is perhaps inflicting the loop.”

This can be a good place to begin in case you’re seeing the error your self, however others aren’t. Or if one consumer experiences it, however nobody else is affected.

Listed here are the steps to do that in several browsers:

Google Chrome

Click on the three dots within the prime proper nook and choose “Settings.” 

Navigate to “Privateness and safety” and click on “Delete shopping knowledge.” 

Choose each the checkboxes subsequent to “Cookies and different web site knowledge” and “Cached photographs and recordsdata.” You possibly can uncheck the field subsequent to “Looking historical past.”

Set the time vary to “All time.” And click on “Delete knowledge.”

Firefox

Click on the menu button (three traces) within the prime proper and choose “Settings.” 

Go to “Privateness & Safety,” scroll to the “Cookies and Website Information” part, and click on “Clear Information…” 

Choose the checkboxes subsequent to “Cookies and web site knowledge” and “Momentary cached recordsdata and pages.” You possibly can go away different choices unchecked. 

Select “The whole lot” because the timeframe. Then click on “Clear.”

Safari

Click on the “Safari” tab within the prime menu, then choose “Settings…”

Go to the “Superior” tab and allow “Present options for internet builders.”

Click on the brand new “Develop” tab that seems within the prime menu and select “Empty Caches.”

To clear cookies, go to the settings once more.

Go to the “Privateness” tab and click on “Handle Web site Information…” 

Click on “Take away All” and ensure by clicking “Take away Now” when prompted.

Microsoft Edge

Click on the three dots within the nook and select “Settings.”

Go to “Privateness, search, and companies” within the sidebar. Click on “Clear shopping knowledge.”

Choose the checkboxes subsequent to “Cookies and different web site knowledge” and “Cached photographs and recordsdata.” You possibly can go away different bins unchecked. 

Choose “All time” because the time vary. Click on “Clear now.”

2. Clear Your Web site Cache from the CMS

Clearing your web site cache removes outdated redirect directions that your content material administration system (CMS) or plugins should be serving.

For those who’re utilizing WordPress, you might have a caching plugin like WP Tremendous Cache put in.

To clear the cache utilizing this plugin, go to your WordPress dashboard, click on “Settings” within the left menu, and choose “WP Tremendous Cache” within the submenu.

Scroll down to seek out the “Delete Cached Pages” part and click on the “Delete Cache” button.

For those who’re utilizing a distinct CMS, observe the steps within the acceptable assist documentation:

3. Clear Cached Recordsdata from Your Server

Clearing your server cache ensures your server isn’t utilizing outdated recordsdata which have redirect errors.

Most internet hosting suppliers provide instruments to clear the server cache by way of their management panels. 

Let’s say you’re utilizing Kinsta to host a WordPress web site.

Go to your dashboard, click on “WordPress websites,” and choose the checkbox subsequent to your web site. 

Click on the “Actions” button within the prime proper nook and select “Clear cache.”

Choose the checkbox subsequent to “Clear server cache” and click on “Clear cache.”

Different internet hosting suppliers even have built-in cache-related instruments. For those who’re having hassle, attain out to your supplier’s help crew for assist.

4. Clear Previous Redirects from Your CDN

A content material supply community (CDN) quickens your web site by saving copies of it elsewhere around the globe. But when these copies have previous redirect settings, they’ll maintain inflicting the loop.

For example you employ Cloudflare as your CDN.

Go to your Cloudflare dashboard, select your account and your web site, click on “Caching” within the left menu, and choose “Configuration.”

Click on “Purge The whole lot.”

For different CDNs, observe the suitable documentation:

5. Verify for HTTPS-Associated Issues

Ensuring you’ve gotten a correctly applied SSL certificates (which verifies your web site’s identification and lets you use HTTPS) and that you simply aren’t making an attempt to drive HTTPS with out one can repair redirect loops.

Use an SSL checker like SSL Shopper to substantiate your certificates is legitimate and put in appropriately. 

If there’s an issue, ask your internet hosting supplier for assist.

You can even discover HTTPS points utilizing Semrush’s Website Audit instrument.

Go to your “Overview” report, discover the HTTPS part, and click on “View particulars.”

Additional studying: Find out how to Redirect HTTP to HTTPS (4 Strategies)

6. Evaluate and Repair Redirect Guidelines

Conflicting redirect guidelines can create loops that set off ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error.

You possibly can see these loops in your Website Audit Points report:

To repair the problem, replace or take away the conflicting redirect guidelines utilizing no matter instrument or platform you used to set them up. 

This could possibly be a plugin, your CMS settings, or a server config file.

For instance, in case you’re utilizing WordPress with the Redirection plugin, you possibly can view all lively redirect guidelines within the plugin’s dashboard. 

Edit or delete any rule inflicting loops.

For those who’re on an Apache server, your redirect guidelines would possibly reside in a file known as .htaccess. 

You possibly can reset this file to take away problematic guidelines.

However solely do that in case you’re assured modifying server recordsdata or have assist from a developer.

To reset it, entry your web site recordsdata by way of your internet hosting supplier’s File Supervisor or join utilizing FTP.

Let’s say you are utilizing Bluehost. Go to your cPanel and click on “File Supervisor.”

Navigate to your web site’s root listing (normally named “public_html,” “www,” or “htdocs”).

Discover the .htaccess file

Earlier than modifying, obtain a duplicate to again it up. Proper-click the file and select “Obtain.”

Then, right-click on the .htaccess file once more and choose “Edit.”

Exchange your entire content material with this default WordPress .htaccess configuration:

# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
# END WordPress

Save your modifications and examine if the redirect error is resolved.

In case your web site makes use of Nginx or one other server kind, contact your internet hosting supplier or developer for assist.

7. Verify URL Settings in Your CMS

Redirect loops can occur when your CMS makes use of two barely totally different variations of your web site’s URL.

For those who use WordPress, go to “Settings” > “Basic.”

Take a look at the “WordPress Deal with (URL)” and “Website Deal with (URL)” fields. These ought to match.

For instance:

• If one makes use of http:// and the opposite makes use of https://, it might probably create a loop
• If one contains “www” and the opposite doesn’t, that mismatch also can set off the error

Replace each fields to match.

For those who’re utilizing a distinct platform, examine their assist documentation for replace your web site’s foremost URL.

After updating these settings, save your modifications. 

8. Disable or Alter Plugins and Extensions

For those who’re utilizing a CMS, certainly one of your put in plugins or extensions is perhaps creating the battle.

Deactivate them to seek out which one is perhaps the perpetrator.

In WordPress, go to “Plugins” > “Put in Plugins” and choose the checkbox subsequent to every plugin.

Choose the “Bulk Actions” drop-down, select “Deactivate,” and click on “Apply.” This may flip off all plugins.

If the error disappears, one of many plugins was accountable.

Reactivate your plugins one by one. And examine your web site after each to seek out the one creating the loop.

You should utilize an analogous course of in case you use one other CMS or web site platform.

As soon as you discover the plugin inflicting the problem, take into account switching to another. And let the plugin’s builders know to allow them to examine.

Find out how to Forestall ‘Too Many Redirects’ Errors within the Future

You possibly can forestall most redirect loops by testing modifications rigorously earlier than pushing them reside.

Dan recommends doing correct QA and evaluation everytime you make deployments that have an effect on URLs, redirects, cookies, or asset supply.

Which suggests reviewing how URLs, redirects, cookies, and asset supply are dealt with after modifications to catch any surprising habits earlier than it causes loops.

How?

• Verify frequent redirect paths manually. After making updates to your web site, go to key pages to examine that redirects go to the proper locations with out bouncing between variations. And check out a number of browsers and units. 
• Verify plugins or customized scripts. Be sure these choices aren’t inflicting redirect issues. Some instruments set their very own guidelines, which might by chance create conflicts and result in loops.

• Audit redirects after main web site modifications. Issues like redesigns, migrations, or area updates can unintentionally create redirect loops. So, run a full web site audit after any main updates utilizing Semrush’s Website Audit instrument to seek out redirect loops. 

You must also do a full technical audit of your web site repeatedly to catch points earlier than they harm your website positioning rankings or natural site visitors.

Run your first audit now.