Create web redirects
Use this guide to redirect a domain or subdomain to another URL with Domain Chief hosted DNS.
Choose your task
- Create a redirect
- Choose a status code
- Keep or remove paths and query parameters
- Edit or remove a redirect
- Fix a redirect problem
Before you start
Web redirects require Domain Chief nameservers. If the domain uses custom nameservers, create the redirect at its current web or DNS provider, or move the domain to Domain Chief nameservers first.
Create a redirect
- Open Domains and select the domain.
- In the DNS section, select Manage redirects and mail forwarding.
- Under Web Redirects, select create redirect. If none exist yet, select the empty redirect area.
- Choose the source in Subdomain.
- Enter the complete Target URL, including
https://. - Choose the Status code.
- Choose whether to append paths and merge query parameters.
- Select Save redirect.
Domain Chief creates the DNS records needed to send the selected hostname to its redirect service. DNS propagation can delay the first successful request.
What happens next
Open the source address in a browser after its DNS records have propagated. Check both the root domain and www when the redirect covers them. If it does not work, review the managed records under Manage DNS records.
Configure redirect behavior
Redirect the root, www, or a subdomain
Leave Subdomain empty to cover both the root domain and www. Entering www has the same result.
Enter another relative name to redirect only that subdomain. For example, entering support on northstar-studio.example creates a redirect for support.northstar-studio.example. Do not enter the full domain name in the field.
Each source can have only one redirect. The list shows root redirects as covering both the bare domain and www.
Choose a status code
| Code | Use it when | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
302 Temporary Redirect | The destination may change or you are testing the redirect. | Browsers and search engines should continue treating the source as temporary. This is the default. |
301 Permanent Redirect | The source has moved permanently. | Browsers and search engines may cache it and transfer indexing signals to the target. |
307 Temporary Redirect | The move is temporary and non-GET requests must keep their method and body. | Preserves the request method. |
308 Permanent Redirect | The move is permanent and non-GET requests must keep their method and body. | Preserves the request method and can be cached as permanent. |
For an ordinary browser address, use 302 while testing and change it to 301 only after the target is final. Permanent redirects can remain cached after you edit or remove them.
Decide what happens to paths
Turn on Append path when pages below the source should keep their relative paths.
For a redirect with target https://destination.example/archive:
| Incoming URL | Append path off | Append path on |
|---|---|---|
https://old.example/products/desk | https://destination.example/archive | https://destination.example/archive/products/desk |
The incoming path is added after any path already present in the target. Leave the option off when every request should land on one page.
Decide what happens to query parameters
Merge query parameters carries values after ? into the destination. It is enabled by default.
If the target is https://destination.example/?campaign=archive&lang=en and the visitor requests ?lang=nl&ref=email, the merged destination keeps campaign=archive, uses lang=nl, and adds ref=email. A value from the incoming request replaces a target value with the same name.
Leave the option off when incoming tracking, search, or application parameters should not reach the destination.
Review DNS conflicts
A redirect can replace working DNS records
The source hostname must point to Domain Chief's redirect service. If it already has website or other address records, saving the redirect can replace them and take that service offline. Select Review changes when Domain Chief reports a conflict.
The conflict preview shows which records must change. Confirm that the hostname no longer serves a website or another service, then return and select Save redirect if the replacement is intentional.
Records created for a redirect are marked as managed on the DNS-records page. Edit the redirect rather than changing those records manually. See Manage DNS records for an explanation of managed rows and conflict warnings.
Edit or remove a redirect
Use the pencil button beside a redirect to change its target, status code, path behavior, or query behavior. The source subdomain cannot be edited. Delete the redirect and create a new one if the source hostname must change.
Use the delete button to remove a redirect. Domain Chief also removes the DNS records that it managed for that redirect. Visitors may still see a cached permanent redirect or cached DNS answer for a while.
When no redirects remain, the domain shows Domain Chief's generic parked page unless other hosted DNS records direct it elsewhere.
Troubleshooting
Why are web redirects unavailable?
The domain does not use Domain Chief managed DNS. Change its nameservers or configure the redirect with the provider that hosts its DNS.
Why does the redirect work at www but not at the root?
You probably created a redirect for a specific subdomain or have conflicting root records. A root redirect is represented by an empty Subdomain field and covers both hostnames.
Why is a path duplicated?
The target already includes a path and Append path adds the incoming path after it. Edit the target or turn the option off.
Why do some visitors still reach the previous destination?
A 301 or 308 may be cached by the browser or an intermediary. Test in a fresh browser profile and wait for caches to expire. Use a temporary status while preparing a migration.
Why is HTTPS not ready yet?
Wait for the managed DNS records to propagate and try again. Use the Chief Tools DNS checker to confirm that the source hostname points to Domain Chief. If it does and the redirect still fails, check for synchronization warnings on Manage DNS records and contact support.