CheckWebsiteNow

Redirect problems

ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS

The website keeps redirecting in a circle, so the browser gave up.

Quick answer

The browser was sent from address to address too many times, usually in a loop. The page cannot load until the loop is broken. Sometimes an old cookie for this site causes it.

When to wait: Waiting will not fix a loop on the website side.

If you are visiting the website

  1. Type the address fresh Type the website address by hand instead of using an old bookmark or link. Old links sometimes point to an address that now sends you in a circle.
  2. Clear this site's cookies only A stored cookie for this one website often keeps the loop going. Delete the cookies and data for this site only; your other logins stay intact.
    Windows
    Chrome: click the site-information icon left of the address > Cookies and site data > Manage on-device site data > delete the entries. Edge: Settings and more > Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Manage and delete cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data > search the site > delete. Firefox: click the padlock in the address bar > Clear cookies and site data.
    macOS
    Chrome and Firefox: same steps as on Windows. Safari: Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > select the site > Remove.
    Android
    Chrome: tap Page info at the left of the address bar > Cookies and site data > Delete.
    iPhone and iPad (iOS)
    Safari: Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data (older iOS: Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data), swipe left on the site and tap Delete. Chrome on iPhone has no per-site option: use Delete Browsing Data, tick only Cookies, Site Data and pick a short time range.
  3. Try a private window Open the site in a private (incognito) window, which starts without cookies. If it works there, the stored data from the previous step was the cause.
  4. Turn off extensions that rewrite addresses Extensions that force HTTPS, change links or redirect pages can bounce requests back and forth. In Chrome use More (three dots) > Extensions > Manage extensions; in Firefox use menu > Help > Troubleshoot Mode for a quick test.
  5. Try another browser or device If the loop happens everywhere, the website itself is misconfigured. Only the owner can fix that, so tell them the exact address and time.

If you run the website

  1. Trace the redirect chain Run curl -I -L --max-redirs 10 https://example.com/ and read each Location header in order. Where the addresses start repeating, you have found the two rules that fight each other.
  2. Fix the Cloudflare Flexible loop In Flexible mode Cloudflare talks to your server over plain HTTP. If your server then redirects to HTTPS, every request loops. Install a certificate on your server (a free Cloudflare Origin CA or Let's Encrypt certificate) and set SSL/TLS > Overview > encryption mode to Full (strict).
  3. Keep one place in charge of redirects Cloudflare Always Use HTTPS, Redirect Rules or Page Rules must not point the opposite way to your server or app rules. Decide where HTTP-to-HTTPS and www or non-www redirects live, and remove duplicates elsewhere.
  4. Respect HSTS HSTS (a header that tells browsers to use only HTTPS for a set time) turns any HTTPS-to-HTTP redirect into a loop. Remove that backwards redirect; removing HSTS will not help quickly, because browsers remember it for its max-age period.
  5. Check the site URL in your CMS In WordPress, Settings > General has WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL); both must match the exact scheme and host your server redirects to. If you are locked out, WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php override them.
  6. Check login and cookie redirects A login page that redirects to itself when the session cookie is missing or set for the wrong domain also loops. Test in a private window and check the domain and path of the Set-Cookie header.

Is it the website or me?

If a private window or another device loads the page, an old cookie in your browser is the likely cause. If every browser and device shows the loop, the website is misconfigured.

You cannot fix a loop on the server from your device. You can only report it.

What this error is not

It is not a virus and not a sign that the site was hacked. The site is not down either: the server answers, but every answer points somewhere else.

You do not need to delete all your browser data. Clearing this one site is enough.

For developers: what happens technically

Chromium stops after a fixed number of redirects and shows this error (net error -310). The usual pattern is two layers that disagree about the scheme (http or https) or the host (www or not).

A CDN, a load balancer, the web server and the application can each add a redirect. List every layer before you change any rule.

How it relates to our redirect results

CheckWebsiteNow follows redirects too, with its own safety limit. Our result "Redirect loop detected" means we saw the same address twice, while "Too many redirects for our check" means the chain was longer than our limit, which is not always a loop.

Common questions

Will clearing cookies delete my passwords?

No. Cookies and saved passwords are stored separately. Deleting this site's cookies can sign you out of that site, so you may need to log in again.

Why does the site work in a private window but not in my normal window?

A private window starts without cookies. If the site works there, a stored cookie for this site triggers the loop, so delete only that site's cookies.

I use Cloudflare. Which SSL mode stops the loop?

Usually Full (strict) together with a valid certificate on your server. Flexible mode combined with a server that forces HTTPS is the classic cause.

Can a browser extension cause too many redirects?

Yes. Extensions that force HTTPS or rewrite links can send requests back and forth. Test once with extensions turned off.

Likely causes

  • Common Conflicting HTTPS or www redirect rules on the server, app or CDN. (Website side)
  • Sometimes An old or broken cookie for this site. (Your side)

What to avoid

  • Do not delete all your browser data; clearing cookies for this one site is enough.

Is the website down? Check it now

One measurement point. Results explain what we saw, not a worldwide verdict.

Sources

Last reviewed: