.htaccess Redirect Generator

What is an .htaccess file?

If your website is hosted on an Apache web server (which is the vast majority of cheap shared hosting providers like Bluehost, HostGator, or GoDaddy), there is a hidden, extremely powerful file sitting in the root folder of your website named .htaccess (Hypertext Access).

This tiny configuration file essentially acts as the traffic cop for your website. It intercepts every single visitor trying to load a page and gives them directions on where to go before the website actually loads.

Why do you need to generate Redirects?

Let's say you published a blog post in 2018 with the URL /top-10-laptops-2018. Over the years, that page earned thousands of backlinks from other websites and ranks #1 on Google. In 2024, you want to update the article and change the URL to /best-laptops.

If you just delete the old page and create a new one, every single person who clicks those old backlinks across the internet will be met with a massive, ugly "404 Page Not Found" error. Worse, Google will notice the 404 error, delete your #1 ranking, and you will lose all of your traffic instantly.

To prevent this, you have to write a redirect rule in your .htaccess file. It tells the Apache traffic cop: "Hey, if anyone tries to visit the 2018 page, instantly teleport them to the new page instead."

301 vs 302 Redirects: The SEO Secret

Our tool gives you two options for your redirect type. Choosing the wrong one can destroy your business.

• 301 Permanent Redirect: This is the Holy Grail of SEO. It tells Google that the old page is dead forever, and they should immediately transfer 100% of the "Link Juice" (ranking power) from the old URL to the new URL. Always use this when updating content or changing your domain name.
• 302 Temporary Redirect: This tells Google, "Hey, the page is broken right now because I'm doing server maintenance, so send users to this backup page for a few days. But don't transfer my ranking power, because I'm bringing the original page back soon!"