Redirects in cPanel allow you to send visitors from one URL to another automatically. This is useful when a page has moved, a website has changed domain names, a section of your site has been reorganised, or you want a shorter or easier web address to forward to a different location. For Apexhost customers using Linux hosting, redirects are commonly managed through cPanel.

Using redirects correctly helps protect visitor experience and can reduce broken links. It can also help preserve search engine visibility when website content moves. This article explains what redirects are, when to use them, how to create them in cPanel, and what to check if they do not work as expected.

A redirect tells a web browser that the requested page should be loaded from a different address. Instead of showing the original URL, the browser is sent to a new destination.

Common situations where redirects are used include:

* Redirecting an old page to a new page after a website update

* Redirecting one domain name to another domain name

* Sending visitors from a non-www address to a www address, or the other way around

* Forwarding traffic from a temporary campaign page to another destination

* Preventing visitors from landing on outdated or removed content

cPanel commonly provides two redirect types.

Permanent redirect (301)

A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a page or site has moved permanently. This is usually the best choice when a page has been replaced for the long term or when an entire website has moved to a new domain.

Temporary redirect (302)

A 302 redirect tells browsers that the move is temporary. This is more suitable when you expect to use the original URL again later, such as during testing, maintenance, or a short-term campaign.

Choosing the correct redirect type matters. A permanent redirect may influence how search engines treat the old and new addresses, while a temporary redirect signals that the original location may return.

Before creating a redirect, make sure you have:

* An active Apexhost Linux hosting service with cPanel access

* Access to the correct cPanel account for the website or domain

* The full destination URL you want visitors to be sent to

* Permission to make changes to the hosting configuration

If you are unsure how to access cPanel, see: Logging In (cPanel)

If you are unsure whether your service uses cPanel, see: Getting Started (cPanel)

1. Log in to cPanel for the hosting service you want to manage.

2. Go to the Domains section.

3. Select Redirects.

4. Choose the redirect type, either Permanent (301) or Temporary (302).

5. Select the domain you want to redirect from.

6. In the path field, enter the specific folder or page if you want to redirect only part of the site. Leave this field blank if you want to redirect the main domain or the current root path.

7. In the destination field, enter the full address you want visitors sent to, including http:// or https://.

8. Choose whether the redirect should apply only with www, only without www, or both.

9. Choose whether to enable the wildcard option if you want files and folders under the original path to redirect to matching paths at the destination.

10. Select Add to save the redirect.

[Screenshot: cPanel Redirects page showing redirect type, domain selection, path and destination fields]

Redirect a single page

If an old page such as example.com/old-page has been replaced by example.com/new-page, you can create a redirect from the old path to the new one.

Redirect an entire domain

If you want all visitors from oldexample.com to go to newexample.com, create a domain-level redirect and leave the source path blank.

Use a wildcard redirect

If you redirect oldexample.com/blog to newexample.com/articles with wildcard matching enabled, a page such as oldexample.com/blog/post1 may redirect to newexample.com/articles/post1. This is useful when the structure of the site is staying similar.

* Make sure the destination URL is correct and complete

* Confirm that the domain you are redirecting is pointed to the correct hosting service

* Be careful not to create redirect loops, where one redirect leads back to another redirect in the same chain

* If your website also uses application-level redirects, CDN rules or platform-specific redirect settings, check whether those may override or conflict with the cPanel redirect

* If you recently changed DNS, allow time for DNS propagation before testing from multiple locations

If you need help understanding DNS behaviour, see: DNS Propagation (DNS), Nameservers (DNS), DNS Troubleshooting (DNS)

The redirect does not work

Check that the domain is hosted on the cPanel account where you created the redirect. Also confirm that the redirect was saved correctly and that the destination URL includes the correct protocol.

The redirect works for some visitors but not others

This may be caused by browser caching or DNS propagation. Test in a private browsing window, from another device, or on another network.

The website keeps redirecting in a loop

This usually means there is a conflict between multiple redirect rules. Review cPanel redirects, website application settings, and any content management system redirect plugins.

The wrong page is loading

Check whether wildcard redirection is enabled when it should not be, or whether a broader redirect rule is catching traffic that should go somewhere else.

HTTPS or www behaviour is not as expected

Review the www redirection setting in cPanel and confirm whether your website or application also forces HTTPS or a preferred host name.

* Logging In (cPanel)

* Getting Started (cPanel)

* File Manager (cPanel)

* DNS Propagation (DNS)

* DNS Troubleshooting (DNS)

* Nameservers (DNS)

* Zone Files (DNS)