Shopify redirects play a crucial role in maintaining seamless navigation and preserving SEO value when making changes to your store’s URLs. Redirects ensure that customers and search engines are automatically directed to the correct pages, preventing broken links and lost traffic.

These redirects are especially important in situations like:

• Updating product or page URLs – If you modify a product, collection, or blog URL, a redirect ensures that visitors who access the old link are sent to the new page instead of encountering a 404 error.
• Managing out-of-stock or discontinued products – Redirecting users to related products or collections prevents customer frustration and reduces bounce rates.
• Rebranding or changing your domain – If you switch to a new store name or domain, redirects help retain existing traffic and SEO rankings by forwarding old URLs to the new ones.

By implementing proper URL redirects, you can enhance user experience, protect SEO rankings, and maintain a smooth shopping journey for your customers.

Types of Shopify Redirects

Shopify offers two main types of URL redirects to manage traffic and maintain SEO. Choosing the right one ensures a smooth user experience and prevents broken links. Here’s how 301 and 302 redirects work and when to use them.

• 301 Redirect (Permanent) – This type of redirect permanently moves an old URL to a new one while transferring SEO value, backlinks, and ranking power. It is best used when changing product URLs, discontinuing items, or rebranding your store.
  
• 302 Redirect (Temporary) – A short-term solution that redirects users without passing SEO authority. It is useful for testing new pages, running limited-time promotions, or temporarily redirecting traffic during site updates.

How to Create Shopify Redirects

Setting up URL redirects in Shopify is a quick and straightforward process. Whether you’re updating product URLs or managing discontinued items, redirects help prevent broken links and lost traffic. Follow these steps to create a Shopify redirect:

1. Open Shopify Admin and log into your store.
2. Navigate to Online Store > Navigation and click on View URL redirects.
3. Click on Create URL redirect to add a new redirect.
4. In the Redirect from field, enter the old URL (the page visitors previously accessed).
5. In the Redirect to field, enter the new URL where visitors should be redirected.
6. Click Save, and Shopify will automatically handle the redirection.

By setting up redirects properly, you ensure a smooth shopping experience, prevent visitors from landing on broken pages, and maintain site credibility. Redirects also help preserve your SEO rankings by passing link authority from old URLs to new ones, preventing traffic loss. This simple step keeps your store organized and improves overall user satisfaction.

How to Manage Shopify Redirects

As your Shopify store grows, you may need to update, filter, or bulk edit your URL redirects to keep your navigation optimized and error-free. Proper management ensures that customers always reach the right pages, improving both user experience and SEO performance. Here’s how you can efficiently manage your Shopify redirects.

Filtering Redirects

If you have a large number of redirects, filtering them can help you find specific ones quickly. Shopify allows you to organize and sort redirects based on different criteria:

1. Go to Shopify Admin and navigate to Online Store > Navigation.
2. Click on View URL redirects to see the full list of existing redirects.
3. Use the Date added filter to sort redirects based on when they were created, helping you track recent changes.
4. If needed, use the search bar to find specific redirects by entering a keyword or URL fragment.

Filtering makes it easier to manage a growing list of redirects and ensures that outdated or unnecessary ones are reviewed and updated when needed.

Editing Redirects

If you need to modify an existing redirect—such as updating the destination URL or correcting an error—you can easily make changes through the Shopify admin panel:

1. Locate the redirect you want to update by navigating to Online Store > Navigation > View URL redirects.
2. Click on the redirect you want to edit.
3. Make the necessary changes in the Redirect from or Redirect to fields.
4. Click Save redirect, and Shopify will apply the updates immediately.

Editing redirects is useful when products move to a new collection, blog posts are updated, or there’s a need to optimize URLs for better search engine visibility.

Bulk Editing Redirects

For stores with a large number of redirects, making individual changes can be time-consuming. Shopify’s bulk editing feature allows you to modify multiple redirects at once:

1. Go to Online Store > Navigation > View URL redirects.
2. Select multiple redirects by checking the boxes next to them.
3. Click Edit redirects, make the necessary changes, and ensure all URLs are correct.
4. Click Save to update all selected redirects at once.

Bulk editing is particularly useful during major site updates, rebranding, or large-scale product changes, ensuring that all necessary redirections are applied efficiently.

By regularly managing and updating your Shopify redirects, you can improve site navigation, reduce 404 errors, and maintain a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

How to Export and Import Shopify Redirects

Managing URL redirects efficiently is crucial for maintaining site structure, preserving SEO value, and ensuring a smooth user experience. If you’re making bulk changes, migrating to a new domain, or restructuring your Shopify store, exporting and importing redirects can save time and reduce errors. Shopify allows you to export existing redirects for backup purposes and import new ones in bulk through a CSV file. Below is a step-by-step guide to exporting and importing Shopify redirects.

Exporting Redirects

Exporting your Shopify redirects is useful for backups, audits, or migrating to another Shopify store. It ensures you have a record of all active redirects, allowing you to restore them quickly if needed. Follow these steps to export your redirects:

1. Go to Shopify Admin and navigate to Online Store > Navigation.
2. Click on View URL redirects to access your current list of redirects.
3. Click on the Export button at the top-right corner of the page.
4. Choose All redirects if you want to download the entire list, or Selected redirects if you only need a specific set.
5. Select CSV file format (Shopify uses CSV for all data exports).
6. Click Export redirects, and the file will be generated and sent to your registered email or downloaded directly, depending on your settings.

Having an exported CSV file allows you to review and edit redirects in bulk before re-importing them if necessary. It is also a safeguard against accidental deletions or modifications.

Importing Redirects

If you need to add multiple redirects at once, importing a CSV file can save time compared to manually creating redirects one by one. This is particularly useful when you’re launching a new store, rebranding, or handling a large-scale migration. Follow these steps to import redirects into Shopify:

1. Prepare Your CSV File
   • The file should include at least two columns:
     • Redirect from – The old URL that needs redirection.
     • Redirect to – The new URL where users should be redirected.
   • Ensure that URLs do not include the domain name (e.g., use /old-page instead of https://yourstore.com/old-page).
   • Save the file in CSV format (Comma-Separated Values).
2. Upload the CSV to Shopify
   • In Shopify Admin, go to Online Store > Navigation.
   • Click on Import at the top of the URL redirects page.
   • Click Upload file and select your prepared CSV file.
3. Confirm and Import
   • Shopify will display a preview of the redirects being imported.
   • Double-check the number of redirects and make sure there are no errors.
   • Click Import redirects to finalize the process.

Once the import is complete, Shopify will automatically apply the redirects, ensuring a seamless transition for customers and search engines.

Final Words

Shopify’s built-in redirect tools make it easy for store owners to manage URL changes without technical expertise. Whether you’re updating product URLs, rebranding, or preventing broken links, these features help maintain a seamless shopping experience and strong SEO performance. By regularly monitoring and optimizing your redirects, you can ensure that customers always find the right pages, boosting both trust and conversions for your store.