What Is a 302 Redirect?
A 302 redirect temporarily sends traffic to another URL while the original keeps its ranking value. When to use it, with a real example.
A 302 redirect is a temporary server-side instruction that sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another, signaling that the original URL will return and should keep its ranking value in the interim.
Why 302 redirects matter
Using a 302 instead of a 301 for a permanent move is a common, costly mistake, since search engines treat the original URL as still the “real” version and don’t transfer ranking signal the same way, meaning the old URL can linger in the index far longer than intended, sometimes indefinitely if the redirect never gets removed or converted. Reserve 302s strictly for genuinely temporary situations where you want the original URL to retain its authority and reappear once the redirect is lifted. The inverse mistake, a 301 used for something genuinely temporary, is less common but also problematic: it can shift ranking signal to a page you intended to be short-lived.
How 302 redirects work
- A visitor or crawler requests the original URL.
- The server responds with a 302 status code, signaling a temporary redirect, along with the interim destination.
- The browser follows the redirect to the temporary URL, functionally identical to a 301 from the visitor’s perspective.
- Search engines generally keep the original URL indexed and don’t pass its ranking signal to the temporary destination, since the redirect is expected to be short-lived.
When to use a 302 redirect
- Short-term promotions or sales, where the original page should resume normal traffic once the promotion ends.
- A/B testing, temporarily routing a portion of traffic to a variant page.
- Site maintenance, redirecting to a maintenance page while the original is briefly unavailable.
- Geographic or device-based routing intended as an ongoing, not permanent, redirection pattern.
301 vs. 302 at a glance
| Factor | 301 (permanent) | 302 (temporary) |
|---|---|---|
| Use case | Page is gone for good | Page will return |
| Ranking signal | Transfers to new URL | Stays with original URL |
| Risk if misused | Loses signal if reverted later | Signal never consolidates if left in place too long |
Real example
For example, an online store running a short flash sale might use a 302 redirect to send visitors from a regular product page to a special promo page, then remove the redirect once the sale ends and the original page resumes normal traffic and ranking, exactly the temporary use case the 302 status code was designed for.
302 redirects and AI search
AI crawlers generally respect the same permanent-versus-temporary distinction as traditional search crawlers, treating a 302-redirected URL as still the canonical source. Leaving a 302 in place long after it should have been resolved or converted to a 301 can create the same lingering confusion for AI systems as it does for standard search indexing.
FAQ
What happens if I leave a 302 redirect in place too long?
Search engines may eventually treat it more like a permanent move regardless of the status code, but this can take a long time and behaves inconsistently, if the move is actually permanent, switch it to a 301 explicitly.
Should I use a 302 for a site redesign?
No, if the old URLs are permanently changing, use 301 redirects. A 302 signals the change is temporary, which sends the wrong message for a permanent redesign.
Does a 302 redirect hurt SEO?
Not when used correctly for genuinely temporary situations. It only becomes a problem when a 302 is mistakenly used for what should have been a permanent 301 redirect.
How do I check what type of redirect a URL is using?
Browser developer tools’ Network tab show the exact status code returned, or a dedicated redirect checker tool can confirm it without needing to inspect the site’s code directly.
Related terms
If you’re not sure whether a page is coming back, it’s probably not a 302 situation. Use the temporary redirect only when you genuinely mean temporary.