302 Found

When a resource is temporarily available at a different URL, the server responds with 302 Found, previously known as "Moved Temporarily". The client follows the Location header to reach the resource. Because the response is temporary, the URI is revalidated on each subsequent request.

Table of Contents

Usage

When the 302 Found status code is received, the client understands the requested resource has temporarily moved. A second request retrieves the resource at the new location. This is simpler than a 301 because the client is not expected to update internal links.

Note

For backward compatibility, the client is permitted to change the request method from POST to GET on the redirect. To remove ambiguity, the server returns an alternative status code instead. The 303 status code indicates the redirect must use a GET method, while the 307 status code requires preserving the original method.

Common triggers for 302 responses include HTTP-to-HTTPS upgrades (often better served by 301), URL normalization (trailing slash), A/B testing, geolocation-based content routing, and temporary maintenance redirects.

Note

A 302 is a successful redirect, not an error. The server found the resource and is directing the client to the current location. To resolve unwanted 302 redirects: verify the redirect is intentional, convert to 301 if the move is permanent, and check CMS settings or .htaccess for unintended rules.

Cacheability

A 302 response is not cacheable by default. Unlike 301 and 308, a 302 requires explicit Cache-Control or Expires headers to be stored by caches.

SEO impact

Google treats a 302 as a weak signal the redirect target is the preferred URL, unlike 301 which is a strong signal. Google processes either the source or the target URL. A 302 persisting over a prolonged period is eventually treated as equivalent to a 301 and ranking signals transfer accordingly. Bing holds ranking signals on the original URL for 302 redirects. If a 302 consistently points to the same destination across multiple crawls, Bing starts treating the redirect as a 301 Moved Permanently.

Example

The client requests a resource temporarily moved. The server indicates the new location and supplies a relevant message for client-side display.

Request

GET /news.html HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.re

Response

HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: http://www.example.re/testing/news.html
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Length: 167

<h1>The Newsfeed has moved</h1>
<body>
The site is under development and the newsfeed has
temporarily moved to
<a href=/testing/news.html>here</a>.
</body>

Code references

.NET

HttpStatusCode.Found

Rust

http::StatusCode::FOUND

Rails

:found

http.StatusFound

Symfony

Response::HTTP_FOUND

Python3.5+

http.HTTPStatus.FOUND

Java

java.net.HttpURLConnection.HTTP_MOVED_TEMP

Apache HttpComponents Core

org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpStatus.SC_MOVED_TEMPORARILY

Angular

@angular/common/http/HttpStatusCode.Found