302 Meaning: What Is a 302 Redirect? Definition, Examples and Why It Matters

Amol Ghemud
302 Meaning: What Is a 302 Redirect? Definition, Examples and Why It Matters
Published: March 12, 2026

Contributors: Amol Ghemud
Published: March 12, 2026

Summary

The 302 meaning in HTTP is a temporary redirect: a 302 (Found) sends visitors to another URL while clients keep using the original. Google usually keeps the original page in search, which suits A/B tests and short promotions; permanent moves need a 301 or 308.

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Spotted a 302 in a crawl report or your browser’s network tab? The 302 meaning is simple: the page you asked for is temporarily at a different address, and the server is pointing you there.

It matters for SEO: use a 302 for a permanent move and Google may keep showing the old URL. Below you’ll find the 302 meaning, 5 examples, a 302 vs 301 vs 307 vs 308 table and setup code.

302 Meaning: What Is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 (Found) is an HTTP redirect status code that says the requested page temporarily lives at a different URL. The server sends the new address in a Location header, the browser follows it automatically, and clients should keep using the original URL for future requests.

That’s the core of the 302 meaning: RFC 9110 says “the client ought to continue to use the target URI for future requests.”

302 Found vs 302 Moved Temporarily

Same code, 2 names. HTTP/1.0 (RFC 1945) called it “302 Moved Temporarily”. Today it’s 302 Found, the name used on MDN’s 302 reference.

Is a 302 an error?

No. It’s in the 3xx redirection class, not the 4xx or 5xx error classes. It causes trouble only as the wrong redirect type, in a long chain or in a loop. Our 302 Found HTTP status code guide goes deeper.

How Does a 302 Redirect Work?

The server answers with status 302 plus a Location header, and the browser immediately requests the URL in that header. The original URL stays the one to use next time.

Request: a visitor or bot requests example.com/old-page.
302 response: the server returns 302 Found with a Location header.
Redirect: the browser automatically requests the Location URL.
Content loads: the visitor sees the temporary page.
Original URL kept: clients keep using the original URL, and Google Search usually keeps showing it.

HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: https://example.com/temporary-new-page

302 vs 301 vs 307 vs 308: What’s the Difference?

301 and 308 are permanent; 302 and 307 are temporary. 307 and 308 must keep the request method and body, while 301 and 302 let a POST become a GET. Google treats 307 like 302 and 308 like 301.

302 vs 301 vs 307 vs 308: redirect status codes compared (sources: RFC 9110, MDN Web Docs, Google Search Central)
Status code	Type	Request method	Cacheable by default (RFC 9110)	Google Search treatment	Best for
301 Moved Permanently	Permanent	May change POST to GET	Yes	Strong signal; target shown in results	Site migrations, changed URLs
302 Found	Temporary	May change POST to GET	No	Weak signal; source page usually stays in results	A/B tests, short promotions
307 Temporary Redirect	Temporary	Must keep method and body	No	Equivalent to 302	Temporary moves for forms, APIs
308 Permanent Redirect	Permanent	Must keep method and body	Yes	Equivalent to 301	Permanent moves for forms, APIs

302 vs 301

A 301 says the resource “has been assigned a new permanent URI”. MDN notes search engines pass SEO ranking to the new URL after a 301, but not after a 302. See our 301 redirects guide.

302 vs 307

Both are temporary. For historical reasons, RFC 9110 lets a browser change a POST to GET after a 302, while a 307 guarantees the method and body stay unchanged. Google handles both the same way.

Where 304 fits

A 304 Not Modified is also 3xx, but it points the browser to its cached copy, not a new URL. See our 304 status code guide.

When Should You Use a 302 Redirect? 5 Examples

Use a 302 only when you plan to bring the original URL back. If the move is permanent, use a 301 or 308.

1. A/B testing landing pages

Google’s A/B testing guidance says to redirect visitors to test variants with a 302, not a 301, add rel=”canonical” on variants pointing to the original, and remove test elements once the test ends.

2. A temporarily unavailable page

Checkout is down for a few hours? Google’s redirects documentation suggests a temporary redirect to a page explaining what’s happening. For a whole site offline for 1-2 days, Google recommends a 503 instead.

3. Seasonal promotions

An ecommerce store redirects /deals to /black-friday-sale during November, then removes the redirect in December.

4. Pages under revision

A post is being rebuilt with new data. A 302 sends readers to a related post until the update is live.

5. Location or language redirects (with care)

Sending Indian visitors from /store to /store/in is common, but Google advises against redirecting users based on their assumed language, since it can hide versions from users and search engines. Use language links and hreflang.

Why Does a 302 Redirect Matter for SEO?

Google follows a 302 but doesn’t treat it as a reason to make the destination canonical, so the original URL usually stays in search results. That’s ideal for a temporary move and harmful for a permanent one.

For temporary redirects, Google’s indexing pipeline “doesn’t use the redirect as a signal” that the target should be canonical; its status code page calls a 302 a weak signal. The target can still be indexed if other signals point to it.

Using a 302 when you mean 301

After a migration, a 302 can leave old URLs in search. Use a 301: Google’s site move guide says permanent redirects don’t cause a loss in PageRank.

Redirect chains and loops

Googlebot follows up to 10 hops, but Google recommends ideally no more than 3 and fewer than 5, because chaining adds latency, and long chains hurt crawling. Add chains to your list of common technical SEO issues.

Checking redirects in Search Console

The Page indexing report shows redirecting URLs as “Page with redirect” and flags long chains and loops as “Redirect error”. Then follow our steps to fix a 302 redirect error.

How Do You Set Up a 302 Redirect?

Set 302s on the server whenever you can. Google orders redirect methods by how reliably it interprets them: server-side first, then meta refresh, then JavaScript.

Apache (.htaccess)

Redirect 302 "/old-page" "https://example.com/new-page"

Apache’s Redirect directive returns a 302 by default when no status is given.

Nginx

location = /old-page {
    return 302 https://example.com/new-page;
}

WordPress (PHP)

wp_redirect( 'https://example.com/new-page', 302 );
exit;

wp_redirect() defaults to 302 but doesn’t exit automatically, so always follow it with exit.

JavaScript and meta refresh

Avoid both for temporary moves. Google interprets JavaScript location redirects and instant meta refresh as permanent, and may miss a JavaScript redirect if rendering fails.

302 Redirect Best Practices

Keep every 302 deliberate, short-lived and documented. These habits prevent most redirect problems we see in audits.

Give each 302 an end date

Log each 302 in a redirect map. If a “temporary” redirect has no end in sight, make it a 301.

Redirect to the final URL

Point straight at the destination and never stack 302s. For forms and APIs, use a 307.

Crawl before and after releases

Screaming Frog’s free version crawls up to 500 URLs and finds temporary redirects, chains and loops. Then check the Page indexing report.

302 Meaning: FAQs

What does 302 mean?

The 302 meaning is Found, the HTTP status code for a temporary redirect. The server tells the browser the page is temporarily at another URL, given in the Location header, and the browser loads it automatically. Clients keep using the original URL, and Google Search usually keeps showing the original page.

What is the difference between a 302 and a 307 redirect?

Both are temporary redirects, and Google treats a 307 the same as a 302. The difference is the request method. When following a 302, a browser may change a POST request to GET. A 307 keeps the original method and body, so it suits forms and APIs.

Does a 302 redirect pass link equity?

Don’t count on it. MDN says search engines don’t transfer SEO value to the new URL after a 302, and Google’s indexing pipeline doesn’t use a temporary redirect as a canonical signal. Google says permanent redirects don’t cause a loss in PageRank, so use a 301 for signals on the new URL.

How long can a 302 redirect stay in place?

The HTTP standard sets no time limit. If the original URL isn’t coming back, switch to a 301 so Google shows the new URL. Google may index the target of a 302 anyway if other signals, such as rel=canonical annotations or sitemap inclusion, point to it.

Should I use a 302 or a 301 for an A/B test?

Use a 302. Google’s A/B testing guidance says to use a temporary 302 redirect, not a permanent 301, when sending visitors to a test variant. Add rel=canonical on variant URLs pointing to the original, and remove the redirects once the test ends.

Your Next Move: Audit Your Redirects

In practice, the 302 meaning is a promise that the original URL is coming back. Crawl your site, list every 302 and check whether that promise still holds. Make anything permanent a 301.

Facing a migration or canonical issues? Our technical SEO services team can review your redirect map, or book a strategy call with upGrowth.

About the Author

Amol Ghemud

Optimizer in Chief

Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.

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