ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS: What It Is & How to Fix It

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What Is the “ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS” Error? 

The “ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS” mistake occurs erstwhile a browser fails to load a webpage due to the fact that it’s stuck successful an infinite redirect loop. 

This means the requested leafage redirects to a 2nd page, and the 2nd leafage redirects backmost to the archetypal page—creating an endless rhythm of redirects.

"What is simply a Redirect Loop?" infographic

Eventually, the browser gives up trying to load the leafage and returns a “too galore redirects” mistake message.

Like this:

“too galore  redirects” mistake  connection   example

This “too galore redirects” mistake is problematic for 2 reasons:

  1. It negatively impacts the idiosyncratic experience: Users can’t entree your webpage and whitethorn permission your website arsenic a result. Which means mislaid traffic. And imaginable mislaid gross for your business.
  2. It traps hunt motor crawlers: Search motor crawlers get stuck successful the redirect loop, truthful your pages can’t beryllium decently crawled. And if your pages aren’t crawled and indexed, they won’t fertile successful hunt engines to thrust postulation to your website.

In this post, we’ll research the causes of the “too galore redirects” mistake and however to hole it. 

But first, let’s analyse what this mistake looks similar successful antithetic web browsers.

What Does the ‘Too Many Redirects’ Error Look Like successful Browsers?

Different browsers amusement the “too galore redirects” mistake differently. 

Here’s an overview:

Google Chrome

In Google Chrome, the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake volition amusement this connection successful the mediate of the screen: “This leafage isn’t working. example.com redirected you excessively galore times.”

Like so:

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake  successful  Chrome

And a fastener allows you to retry loading the page.

Firefox

In Firefox, you whitethorn spot a connection successful the mediate of the surface that says: “The leafage isn’t redirecting properly.”

Like so:

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake  successful  Firefox

And there’s a fastener to effort reloading the page.

Safari

In Safari, the “too galore redirects” mistake connection reads: “Safari Can’t Open the Page.”

Like this:

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake  successful  Safari

Unlike with Chrome and Firefox, Safari doesn’t connection a fastener for reloading the page.

What Causes the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS Error?

The ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake occurs erstwhile a browser is stuck successful a loop of redirects trying to load your webpage.

This tin hap for respective reasons, including:

  • Browser cookies and cache issues: Corrupted cookies and an outdated cache could origin a redirect loop that leads to the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error
  • Misconfigured redirects: If your redirects struggle with 1 another, it tin besides origin the error
  • Issues with third-party services and plugins: Misconfigured third-party services specified arsenic content transportation networks (CDN) and the usage of outdated plugins tin origin “too galore redirects” issues connected your site
  • Incorrect HTTPS settings: A misconfigured unafraid sockets furniture (SSL) certificate oregon HTTPS redirect rules tin besides origin the issue
  • .htaccess record misconfiguration: If your site’s .htaccess record (a record utilized to configure web server settings) has a faulty variable, it tin pb to the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake connected your website

Below, we’ll spell done solutions to each of these imaginable causes of the error.

How to Fix Too Many Redirects: 10 Solutions 

1. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies

In immoderate cases, the existent culprit causing the “too galore redirects” mistake mightiness beryllium your browser—not your website.

Your browser could incorporate corrupted cookies oregon an outdated cache. Both of which mightiness trigger the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS for you, specifically. But not for different users accessing your website.

To corroborate whether that’s the case, effort deleting the stored cache and cookies from your browser. Here’s however to bash that connected Chrome, Firefox, and Safari:

Google Chrome

Click the 3 dots astatine the apical right-hand country of your browser and click “Settings.”

Google Chrome “Settings”

In settings, prime “Privacy and security” from the sidebar and click “Clear browsing data.”

“Clear browsing data” successful  Settings

Set your clip scope to “All time.” You tin uncheck “Browsing history,” past click “Clear data.”

“Clear data”

Firefox

Click the paper fastener astatine the apical right-hand country of your browser and prime “Settings” successful the drop-down.

Firefox “Settings”

In settings, prime “Privacy & Security” from the sidebar. Then, scroll down to the “Cookies and Site Data” conception and click “Clear Data.”

“Clear Data” successful  Privacy and Security section

Click “Clear.”

“Clear” button

Safari

Click "Safari" successful the apical paper bar, followed by "Settings..."

Safari paper   expanded and Settings enactment    highlighted.

Click connected the "Advanced" tab successful the settings window, prime the checkbox adjacent to “Show features for web developers” if it’s not already checked, and adjacent the settings window.

Advanced tab selected and Show features for web developers checked.

“Develop” should present look successful the apical paper bar. Click connected it and prime “Empty Caches.

Develop paper   expanded and Empty Caches enactment    highlighted.

2. Clear Your Site Cache

Like with your browser, the cache stored connected your tract mightiness besides origin the “too galore redirects” issue.

If you usage WordPress, the beneath 2 plugins tin assistance you wide your website’s cached files.

W3 Total Cache Plugin

Go to your WP admin dashboard and navigate to “Performance.” Then, click “Dashboard.”

WordPress “Dashboard”

Next, click “empty each caches.”

“empty each  caches”

Refresh your leafage to spot if the mistake is gone.

WP Super Cache Plugin

Go to your WP admin dashboard, navigate to “Settings,” and past click “WP Super Cache.” 

“WP Super Cache” 

Scroll down and click “Delete Cache” nether the “Delete Cached Pages” conception to region each cached files.

“Delete Cached Pages” section

Then, refresh your webpage to spot whether the mistake is gone.

3. Clear Your Server Cache

The cache stored connected your server tin beryllium different origin of “ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS” issues.

The steps to wide your server cache tin alteration depending connected your hosting provider. 

Many managed WordPress hosts, specified arsenic WP Engine, Kinsta, and SiteGround, supply tools wrong their hosting dashboard to assistance you easy wide the cache.

If you're utilizing Kinsta, you tin wide the cache by going to the “WordPress sites” leafage wrong your dashboard. And clicking “Actions” followed by “Clear cache” from the drop-down.

If you person aggregate sites, marque definite to prime the close one.

WordPress sites successful  Kinsta dashboard selected with Actions paper   expanded and Clear cache highlighted.

Select the type(s) of cache you privation to wide and click “Clear cache.”

Clear cache popup with cache types checked and 'Clear Cache' fastener  highlighted.

If your hosting supplier doesn't person a built-in instrumentality for clearing your cache, you whitethorn request to interaction their enactment squad for assistance.

4. Clear Your CDN Cache

A content transportation network (CDN) specified arsenic Cloudflare, Fastly, and Akamai is simply a web of geographically distributed servers that enactment unneurotic to present contented to users much efficiently.

But if an outdated oregon infinite redirect loop gets cached, the CDN volition support sending the user's browser successful circles. Resulting successful the "too galore redirects" error.

To resoluteness this, you indispensable wide the cache connected your proxy oregon CDN. 

If you’re utilizing Cloudflare, caput to your domain’s dashboard. Then prime “Caching” successful the left-hand paper and prime “Configuration.”

Cloudflare dashboard with Caching paper   expanded and Configuration point  highlighted.

Then, click the “Purge Everything” button.

Caching configuration leafage   with Purge Everything fastener  highlighted.

5. Check Your Existing Redirects

If you've ruled retired caching issues, the "ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS" mistake whitethorn beryllium caused by misconfigured rewrite rules successful your server configuration files.

Configuration files are settings files that power however your web server behaves. They incorporate instructions that archer your server however to grip requests, way traffic, and negociate information settings.

Review the rewrite rules successful your server configuration record to place imaginable redirect loops. 

The circumstantial record depends connected your web server:

  • Apache servers: Look successful the .htaccess file
  • Nginx servers: Look successful the nginx.conf file
  • IIS servers: Look successful the Web.config file

If you’re utilizing an Apache server, you tin usage your .htaccess file to acceptable up 301 redirects

But if you acceptable it up incorrectly, similar below, you tin tally into issues:

RewriteEngine On
# Redirect everything to /example-page
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /example-page [R=301,L]
# Redirect /example-page to /
RewriteRule ^example-page$ / [R=301,L]

In this scenario, erstwhile users effort to entree “/example-page/,” they’ll beryllium redirected to “/example-page” (without a trailing slash) utilizing a 301 (permanent) redirect. 

But the 2nd regularisation past redirects “/example-page” backmost to “/example-page/,” creating an infinite .htaccess redirect loop.

To hole this redirect loop, you could region the 2nd regularisation that redirects “/example-page” backmost to “/example-page/.” Like this:

RewriteEngine On
# Redirect everything to /example-page
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /example-page [R=301,L]

Now, users volition beryllium permanently redirected to “/example-page” erstwhile they effort to entree “/example-page/”—without getting stuck successful a redirect loop.

You tin easy usage Semrush’s Site Audit instrumentality to cheque if your tract has immoderate redirect issues similar this. You’ll find them by looking for the “# redirect chains and loops” issue.

Site Audit Issues filtered for 'redirect' issues.

6. Reset Your .htaccess File

You tin besides reset your .htaccess record to corroborate whether it is the culprit of the redirect error. 

But due to the fact that making changes to your .htaccess record tin origin large issues with your website if you’re not careful, lone bash this if you cognize what you’re doing. Or if you person a developer to assistance you.

Here’s however to reset your .htaccess record backmost to the default configuration for WordPress:

Access the WordPress files folder by going to your hosting provider’s power panel. (We’re utilizing Bluehost for this walkthrough.) And click “File Manager.”

Click “File Manager” successful  Bluehost

Next, spell to your basal directory folder. 

The folder is usually named “public_html,” “www,” “htdocs,” oregon “httpdocs.”

“public_html” folder

Find the .htaccess file, right-click connected it, and click “Download” (in lawsuit you request to reconstruct it later).

Download .htaccess file

Then, right-click connected the .htaccess record again and click “Edit.”

“Edit” .htaccess file

Review your existent configuration. And marque definite the rules are acceptable to the default WordPress .htaccess configuration

If the rules don’t match, delete the existent ones, paste successful these default rules, and prevention your file:

# 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

Bear successful caput that if you bash this, you’ll suffer immoderate customized rules you person acceptable up.

7. Check Your URL Settings

Misconfigured URL settings tin origin the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS errors connected a WordPress website.

This happens erstwhile your WordPress website points astatine the incorrect domain, often during a big migration oregon domain change. 

To cheque for this issue, spell to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to “Settings.” Then, find your “WordPress Address (URL)” and "Site Address (URL).”

Check URL Settings

Check to spot if they match. If they don’t, modify them to constituent to the close domain.

8. Disable Plugins

Sometimes, the redirects you instrumentality utilizing WordPress plugins mightiness struggle with redirects that beryllium astatine the server level.

Your plugins could besides beryllium outdated oregon person corrupted data.

To trial whether your plugins are causing problems, disable them. Then, re-enable them 1 by 1 to spot which plugin is causing the problem.

Go to your WordPress admin dashboard and prime “Plugins” > “Installed Plugins.”

Navigate to “Installed plugins”

Select each your plugins by checking the container successful the apical left-hand corner.

Plugin container  checked

Select “Deactivate” from the “Bulk Actions” drop-down paper and click “Apply.”

Select “Deactivate”

Now, refresh your site. If you don’t spot the “too galore redirects” mistake message, plugins were creating the issue.

Activate each plugin 1 by one. As you activate each plugin, reload your website to spot which plugin caused the error.

Once you place the faulty plugin, study the occupation to the plugin enactment team. Or find different plugin with the aforesaid functionality to usage instead.

SSL certificates alteration you to usage hypertext transportation protocol unafraid (HTTPS) connected your website to encrypt and support information transmitted betwixt the server and the browser. So, erstwhile users entree your website, their information is harmless from attackers.

But if you don’t instal an SSL certificate decently oregon unit HTTPS connected your website without installing an SSL certificate, your website could trigger the “too galore redirects” error.

Use an SSL checker instrumentality specified arsenic SSL Shopper to guarantee you’ve installed your SSL certificate properly. 

SSL Shopper

You whitethorn besides get an "ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS" mistake if you misconfigure HTTPS redirect rules. Which instruct your server to redirect users from your site's unsecure HTTP mentation to the unafraid HTTPS version. 

If you got your SSL certificate done your web host, they’ll apt bash this for you automatically.

But if you don’t constitute these rules correctly (such arsenic successful the .htaccess record we mentioned earlier), they tin origin redirect loops, starring to the “too galore HTTP redirects” error.

To debar this issue, guarantee you configure your HTTPS redirect rules correctly.

10. Check Any Third-Party Services

If you usage Cloudflare arsenic your CDN and your SSL is acceptable to “Flexible,” it could trigger redirect loops connected your site. Because this mode forces your tract to load implicit HTTP adjacent if you already person an SSL certificate.

You tin hole it by switching to different encryption enactment successful Cloudflare, specified arsenic Full oregon Full (strict).

To bash this, motion successful to your Cloudflare dashboard and prime your domain.

Cloudflare dashboard

Go to “SSL/TLS” successful the left-hand menu.

SSL/TLS successful  left-side Menu

Then, acceptable the encryption mode to “Full” oregon “Full (strict).”

Set the encryption mode   to Full oregon  Full (strict)

How to Identify ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS Errors connected Your Website

Manually identifying the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS mistake tin beryllium a time-consuming and tedious process.

Semrush’s Site Audit instrumentality automatically scans your website for redirect-related issues. Like redirect chains and loops.

Start by mounting up a task for your website.

Go to the Site Audit tool, participate your URL, and click “Start Audit.”

Site Audit tool

The “Site Audit Settings” model volition popular up. 

Here, prime the fig of pages you privation to scan (you tin besides tweak different crawler settings). Then, click “Start Site Audit.”

“Site Audit Settings” window

Once the audit is complete, navigate to the “Issues” tab and hunt for “redirect.” 

The instrumentality volition amusement whether your tract has redirect chains and loops.

“Issues” tab

If issues exist, click connected “# redirect chains and loops” to spot the circumstantial pages triggering these issues.

You’ll spot a database of URLs similar this:

“X redirect chains and loops”

Clicking the “Why and however to hole it” nexus astatine the apical of the study tin usher you connected fixing these issues.

“Why and however  to hole  it” section

If you tally a ample website, docket periodic audits to negociate caller redirect-related issues.

To docket audits, click the cog icon successful the apical right-hand corner. Scroll down to the “Site Audit settings” conception and click “Schedule.”

Site Audit Settings

Now you tin docket play audits for your website. Click “Save” erstwhile you’re ready.

Scheduling play   audits

Fix and Prevent Redirect Errors with Regular Site Audits

Redirect-related issues specified arsenic redirects chains and loops could trigger the ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error.

Fixing these issues arsenic they popular up ensures you supply a bully idiosyncratic acquisition and don’t suffer invaluable traffic. 

Semrush’s Site Audit instrumentality automatically checks for issues with your website’s redirects. So you tin find and hole them fast.

Try the Site Audit instrumentality for escaped today.