What is a 302 Redirect? Temporary Redirect Explained

Definition

A 302 redirect is an HTTP status code that signals a temporary redirect from one URL to another. Unlike a 301 redirect, a 302 tells browsers and search engines that the move is short-term and the original URL will eventually return.

When to use a 302 redirect

• A/B testing — temporarily routing visitors to a test variant.
• Maintenance pages — pointing users to a status page while the real one is offline.
• Geo or device targeting — short-term redirects based on user location or device.
• Promotional content — redirecting to a campaign page that will be removed later.

302 vs 301 — SEO impact

• A 302 keeps the original URL indexed by search engines, since the move is temporary.
• Link equity does not transfer the way it does with a 301 — Google generally treats 302s as a signal to keep the source page in the index.
• Using a 302 when a 301 is appropriate (e.g., permanent migration) can delay or prevent ranking transfer to the new URL.

Use 302 redirects only when the change is genuinely temporary. For anything permanent, use a 301 redirect to preserve link equity. Check any URL's redirect chain to see what status codes are returned.