How to redirect one HTML page to another on load

Asked 2023-09-21 08:10:32 View 548,920

Is it possible to set up a basic HTML page to redirect to another page on load?

  • Use .htaccess or IIS equivalent to do a server-side redirect. That way, even if your physical page disappears, the redirect will still work. - anyone
  • That insider.zone tool made my redirects all lower case, causing 404s. Plus there is no way to contact whoever made the page about it. - anyone

Answers

Try using:

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=http://example.com/" />

Note: Place it in the <head> section.

Additionally for older browsers if you add a quick link in case it doesn't refresh correctly:

<p><a href="http://example.com/">Redirect</a></p>

Will appear as

Redirect

This will still allow you to get to where you're going with an additional click.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • Use of meta refresh is discouraged by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Ref: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_refresh. So it is reccomended to use server redirect instead. JavaScript redirects may not work on all the mobile phones as JavaScript might be disabled. - anyone
  • FYI, the 0 means to refresh after 0 seconds. You may want to give the user some more time to know what's happening. - anyone
  • @NinethSense's comment makes meta refresh seem like a JavaScript redirect. Meta refresh is not JS and will still work when JS is disabled. - anyone
  • @NinethSense discouraged for refresh ("since unexpected refresh can disorient users"), but the question is about redirection. - anyone
  • Dennis - I think the user will have a better idea of what's happening without a delay - they have presumably just clicked a link or similar so what's happening is that its loading. They don't have to know that a redirect is involved. I think it would be more confusing if it loads, then there's a delay, and then something else happens. - anyone

I would use both meta, and JavaScript code and would have a link just in case.

<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html lang="en-US">
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=http://example.com">
        <script type="text/javascript">
            window.location.href = "http://example.com"
        </script>
        <title>Page Redirection</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <!-- Note: don't tell people to `click` the link, just tell them that it is a link. -->
        If you are not redirected automatically, follow this <a href='http://example.com'>link to example</a>.
    </body>
</html>

For completeness, I think the best way, if possible, is to use server redirects, so send a 301 status code. This is easy to do via .htaccess files using Apache, or via numerous plugins using WordPress. I am sure there are also plugins for all the major content management systems. Also, cPanel has very easy configuration for 301 redirects if you have that installed on your server.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • This redirect page can be much more concise with HTML5: pastebin.com/2qmfUZMk (which works in all browsers, and passes w3c validation) - anyone
  • @enyo I am not a big fan of dropping the body tags and the like. Perhaps it validates, and perhaps works in common browsers. I am sure there are some fringe cases it causes issues, and the benefit seems small. - anyone
  • @Fricker because they might not be clicking. They might be controlling via voice, tapping, or navigating in some unknown way. It is an accessibility guideline to follow standards for controls, like using standard HTML A attribute for link, and to think of it, and communicate it as a link, and not to prescribe how someone must interact with it. Also, having click here on a link is not advised, as the screen reader will be harder to navigate. Links should be on text describing the destination, so the user knows where they will arrive before following it, and however they interact with it. - anyone
  • @BillyMoon, Actually the meaning of "click" has already been overloaded to include all those meanings as well. "click" will do fine. - anyone
  • @BillyMoon under what occasional circumstances the browser ignore 0 value meta refresh? Thanks! - anyone

JavaScript

<script type="text/javascript">
    window.location.href = "http://example.com";
</script>

Meta tag

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=http://example.com">

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • Doesn't seem to work for a HTML page in Angular app. Is there any to fix it? - anyone

I would also add a canonical link to help your SEO people:

<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.example.com/product.php?item=swedish-fish"/>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • You would use a canonical link in addition to a redirect? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_link_element says that Google prefers use of a redirect instead of a canonical link. - anyone
  • @larsH So what most important to SEO, is it the redirect link or final destination page? - anyone
  • @Chakotay See: When Should You Choose Canonical vs. 301 Redirect? - anyone
  • If the redirection is because someone is trying to access a file outside the scope of root operation i.e. an include file or a file that presents the fact that you are accessing in an illegal manner it is likely that the page redirect is outside the scope of google access anyway. I know not all bots respect the robots.txt file though. Just a thought - anyone

This is a sum up of every previous answers plus an additional solution using HTTP Refresh Header via .htaccess

  1. HTTP Refresh Header

    First of all, you can use .htaccess to set a refresh header like this

    Header set Refresh "3"
    

    This is the "static" equivalent of using the header() function in PHP

    header("refresh: 3;");
    

    Note that this solution is not supported by every browser.

  2. JavaScript

    With an alternate URL:

    <script>
        setTimeout(function(){location.href="http://example.com/alternate_url.html"} , 3000);
    </script>
    

    Without an alternate URL:

    <script>
        setTimeout("location.reload(true);",timeoutPeriod);
    </script>
    

    Using the window object:

    <script>
        window.location.reload(true);
     </script>
    
  3. Meta Refresh

    You can use meta refresh when dependencies on JavaScript and redirect headers are unwanted

    With an alternate URL:

    <meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="3; url=http://example.com/alternate_url.html">
    

    Without an alternate URL:

    <meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="3">
    

    Using <noscript>:

    <noscript>
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="3" />
    </noscript>
    

Optionally

As recommended by Billy Moon, you can provide a refresh link in case something goes wrong:

If you are not redirected automatically: <a href='http://example.com/alternat_url.html'>Click here</a>

Resources

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • Do not call setTimeout with a string. Pass a function instead. - anyone
  • "HTTP Refresh Header via .htaccess" - why it is relevant in question asking about redirect from HTML page? - anyone
  • If you can do a redirect from the HTTP headers (such as in .htaccess) then you should use a 301 or 302 redirect, not a refresh. - anyone

If you are looking forward to follow modern web standards, you should avoid plain HTML meta redirects. If you can not create server-side code, you should choose JavaScript redirect instead.

To support JavaScript-disabled browsers add a HTML meta redirect line to a noscript element. The noscript nested meta redirect combined with the canonical tag will help your search engine rankings as well.

If you would like to avoid redirect loops, you should use the location.replace() JavaScript function.

A proper client-side URL redirect code looks like this (with an Internet Explorer 8 and lower fix and without delay):

<!-- Pleace this snippet right after opening the head tag to make it work properly -->

<!-- This code is licensed under GNU GPL v3 -->
<!-- You are allowed to freely copy, distribute and use this code, but removing author credit is strictly prohibited -->
<!-- Generated by http://insider.zone/tools/client-side-url-redirect-generator/ -->

<!-- REDIRECTING STARTS -->
<link rel="canonical" href="https://stackoverflow.com/"/>
<noscript>
    <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=https://stackoverflow.com/">
</noscript>
<!--[if lt IE 9]><script type="text/javascript">var IE_fix=true;</script><![endif]-->
<script type="text/javascript">
    var url = "https://stackoverflow.com/";
    if(typeof IE_fix != "undefined") // IE8 and lower fix to pass the http referer
    {
        document.write("redirecting..."); // Don't remove this line or appendChild() will fail because it is called before document.onload to make the redirect as fast as possible. Nobody will see this text, it is only a tech fix.
        var referLink = document.createElement("a");
        referLink.href = url;
        document.body.appendChild(referLink);
        referLink.click();
    }
    else { window.location.replace(url); } // All other browsers
</script>
<!-- Credit goes to http://insider.zone/ -->
<!-- REDIRECTING ENDS -->

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • w3.org/TR/WCAG10-HTML-TECHS/#meta-element includes details on why <meta http-equiv="refresh" is deprecated by the W3C. - anyone
  • The arguments which the w3c provides against HTML redirects also apply to Javascript redirects. Additionally, Javascript redirects require javascript enabled, in contrast to HTML redirects. Therefore HTML redirects are strictly better than Javascript redirects in cases where one can use both. - anyone
  • @Max. Yes, exactly. The w3c states, "However, users should not redirect users with this markup since is non-standard, it disorients users, and it can disrupt a browser's history of visited pages." This is now a de-facto standard, so it SHOULD be used if usability issues are given proper concern. - anyone
  • @Max and of course, usability issues are equivalent with meta or with javascript, just as you say. There is no difference if a zero timeout is used. - anyone

The following meta tag, placed inside the head, will tell the browser to redirect:

<meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="seconds; url=URL"> 

Replace seconds with the number of seconds to wait before it redirects, and replace the URL with the URL you want it to redirect to.

Alternatively, you can redirect with JavaScript. Place this inside of a script tag anywhere on the page:

window.location = "URL"

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

It would be better to set up a 301 redirect. See the Google's Webmaster Tools article 301 redirects.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • The question specifically asks for a basic .html page. I guess asker can't modify .htaccess or similar (for instance using Github Pages or similarly limited hosting). 301 is not doable in such cases - anyone

You could use a META "redirect":

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=http://new.example.com/address" />

or JavaScript redirect (note that not all users have JavaScript enabled so always prepare a backup solution for them)

<script language="javascript">
  window.location = "http://new.example.com/address";
</script>

But I'd rather recommend using mod_rewrite, if you have the option.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • mod_rewrite (only) applies to Apache. - anyone
  • Regarding Apache: Why mod_rewrite and not a simple Redirect directive without and extra module? - anyone

As soon as the page loads, the init function is fired and the page is redirected:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Example</title>
        <script>
            function init()
            {
               window.location.href = "www.wherever.com";
            }
        </script>
    </head>

    <body onload="init()">
    </body>
</html>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

Place the following code between the <HEAD> and </HEAD> tags of your HTML code:

<meta HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" content="0; url=http://example.com/index.html">

The above HTML redirect code will redirect your visitors to another web page instantly. The content="0; may be changed to the number of seconds you want the browser to wait before redirecting.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

Put the following code in the <head> section:

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=http://address/">

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

I found a problem while working with a jQuery Mobile application, where in some cases my Meta header tag wouldn't achieve a redirection properly (jQuery Mobile doesn't read headers automatically for each page so putting JavaScript there is also ineffective unless wrapping it in complexity). I found the easiest solution in this case was to put the JavaScript redirection directly into the body of the document, as follows:

<html>
    <head>
        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=myURL" />
    </head>

    <body>
        <p>You are not logged in!</p>
        <script language="javascript">
            window.location = "myURL";
        </script>
    </body>
</html>

This seems to work in every case for me.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

You can auto redirect by HTTP Status Code 301 or 302.

For PHP:

<?php
    Header("HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently");
    Header("Location: http://www.redirect-url.com");
?>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • That is not a redirect from an HTML page. - anyone

I use a script which redirects the user from index.html to relative url of Login Page

<html>
  <head>
    <title>index.html</title>
  </head>
  <body onload="document.getElementById('lnkhome').click();">
    <a href="/Pages/Login.aspx" id="lnkhome">Go to Login Page</a>
  </body>
</html>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • Redirect url in above method can be relative. e.g: you want to redirect to Login page or any relative page by index.html in root of website. don't need to know your domain name. but when you set window.location.href="xxx"; you must know domain name. - anyone

The simple way which works for all types of pages is just to add a meta tag in the head:

<html>
    <head>
        ...
        <meta HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" content="seconds; url=your.full.url/path/filename">
        ...
    </head>
    <body>
        Don't put much content, just some text and an anchor.
        Actually, you will be redirected in N seconds (as specified in content attribute).
        That's all.
        ...
    </body>
</html>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

You should use JavaScript. Place the following code in your head tags:

<script type="text/javascript">
 window.location.assign("http://www.example.com")
</script>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

Just use the onload event of the body tag:

<body onload="window.location = 'http://example.com/'">

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • Just a note, this will only work if javascript is enabled, if you need support clients without javascript use the meta tag method instead - anyone

Razor engine for a 5 second delay:

<meta http-equiv="Refresh"
         content="5; url=@Url.Action("Search", "Home", new { id = @Model.UniqueKey }))">

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <title>Redirect to a page</title>
    </head>
    <body onload="window.location.assign('http://example.com')">

    </body>
</html>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

As far as I understand them, all the methods I have seen so far for this question seem to add the old location to the history. To redirect the page, but do not have the old location in the history, I use the replace method:

<script>
    window.location.replace("http://example.com");
</script>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

Just for good measure:

<?php
header("Location: http://example.com", true, 302);
exit;
?>

Make sure there are no echo's above the script otherwise it will be ignored. http://php.net/manual/en/function.header.php

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • The question specifically asks for a basic .html page. I guess asker can't modify .htaccess or similar (for instance using Github Pages or similarly limited hosting). PHP is not available in such cases. - anyone
  • I would consider something generated by PHP (Pre-Hypertext Processor) a "basic HTML page". Nowhere in the question did it mention a file type. - anyone
  • Eeek. Why status 303? I've never seen that before. And why are you redirecting to an email address (an invalid URL), anyway? - anyone
  • @SimonEast no idea, i dont remember putting those values in even though it was 8 years ago! fixed anyway. - anyone

This is a redirect solution with everything I wanted, but I could not find in a nice clean snippet to cut & paste.

This snippet has a number of advantages:

  • lets you catch and retain any querystring parameters folks have on their URL
  • makes the link unique to avoid unwanted caching
  • lets you inform users of the old and new site names
  • shows a settable countdown
  • can be used for deep-link redirects as retains parameters

How to use:

If you migrated an entire site then on the old server stop the original site and create another with this file as the default index.html file in the root folder. Edit the site settings so that any 404 error is redirected to this index.html page. This catches anyone who accesses the old site with a link into a sub-level page etc.

Now go to the opening script tag and edit the oldsite and newSite web addresses, and change the seconds value as needed.

Save and start your website. Job done - time for a coffee.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="CACHE-CONTROL" CONTENT="NO-CACHE">
<META HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE">
<META HTTP-EQUIV="EXPIRES" CONTENT="Mon, 22 Jul 2002 11:12:01 GMT">
<style>
body { margin: 200px; font: 12pt helvetica; }
</style>

</head>
<body>

</body>
<script type="text/javascript">

// Edit these to suit your needs.
var oldsite = 'http://theoldsitename.com'
var newSite = "https://thenewsitename.com";
var seconds = 20;  // countdown delay.

var path = location.pathname;
var srch = location.search;
var uniq = Math.floor((Math.random() * 10000) + 1);
var newPath = newSite + path + (srch === '' ? "?" + uniq : srch + "&" + uniq);


document.write ('<p>As part of hosting improvements, the system has been migrated from ' + oldsite + ' to</p>');
document.write ('<p><a href="' + newPath + '">' + newSite + '</a></p>');
document.write ('<p>Please take note of the new website address.</p>');
document.write ('<p>If you are not automatically redirected please click the link above to proceed.</p>');
document.write ('<p id="dvCountDown">You will be redirected after <span id = "lblCount"></span>&nbsp;seconds.</p>');

function DelayRedirect() {
    var dvCountDown = document.getElementById("dvCountDown");
    var lblCount = document.getElementById("lblCount");
    dvCountDown.style.display = "block";
    lblCount.innerHTML = seconds;
    setInterval(function () {
        seconds--;
        lblCount.innerHTML = seconds;
        if (seconds == 0) {
            dvCountDown.style.display = "none";
            window.location = newPath;
        }
    }, 1000);
}
DelayRedirect()

</script>
</html>

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

You don't need any JavaScript code for this. Write this in the <head> section of the HTML page:

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=example.com" />

As soon as the page loads at 0 seconds, you can go to your page.

Answered   2023-09-21 08:10:32

  • this is already covered in the accepted answer & top comments - consider editing the answer than posting a duplicate one - anyone