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After creating a redirect rule, test it to ensure the pattern matches the right URLs and redirects visitors to the correct destination.
Redirect rules only work on broken links. The “Redirect from” URL must lead to a 404 error page for a rule to trigger. Redirect rules cannot redirect from active pages on your store.

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Test your redirect rule

The best way to test a redirect rule is to visit a URL that matches your “Redirect from” pattern.
1

Identify a test URL

Choose a URL that matches your “Redirect from” pattern and currently shows a 404 error.Example: If your rule is /products/⑴, test with a broken link like https://yourstore.com/products/shirt
2

Visit the test URL

Paste the full URL into the address bar and press Enter.
3

Verify the redirect

You should see:
  • A brief flash of the 404 page (this is normal)
  • Automatic redirect to your “Redirect to” destination
  • The correct page loads with wildcard token content preserved

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Understanding the redirect delay

You may notice a split-second delay where the 404 page flashes before redirecting. This is expected behavior. Why the delay happens:
  • Redirect rules use JavaScript that runs in the browser rather than 301 redirects
  • The browser must load the 404 page first, then execute the redirect
  • This creates a brief visible delay
How to minimize the delay:
  1. Browser caching: After the first visit, the browser caches the redirect and subsequent visits are much faster.
  2. Convert to 301 redirects (Enterprise): For high-traffic URLs, use rule matches to identify frequently-accessed URLs and convert them to 301 redirects. This eliminates the delay entirely and provides SEO benefits.
301 redirects happen before the page loads, so there’s no visible delay. Consider converting your most-visited URLs to 301s for a better user experience.

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What to test

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Verify rule matching

Test URLs that should match: Rule: Redirect from /blog/old-posts/⑴ Test these (should redirect):
  • /blog/old-posts/announcement ✓
  • /blog/old-posts/update-2023 ✓

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Verify wildcard tokens

If using multiple tokens, confirm they capture correctly: Rule:
  • Redirect from: /blog/⑴/category/⑵
  • Redirect to: /news/⑴/⑵
Test: Visit /blog/2024/category/updates
  • Should redirect to: /news/2024/updates
  • Verify both “2024” and “updates” appear in the destination

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Common issues

Possible causes:
  • App embed not activated in theme editor
  • Usage quota limit reached
  • “Redirect from” URL doesn’t actually show a 404 error (page is active)
  • Pattern doesn’t match the URL being testing
Fix: See Redirect rule not working for troubleshooting steps.
Possible causes:
  • Wildcard tokens in wrong order in “Redirect to” field
  • Wrong destination URL configured
Fix: Edit the rule and verify your wildcard token positions.

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Need help?

If your rule isn’t working as expected during testing: