How to Create a URL Redirect
The Redirects tool in cPanel will allow you to redirect your website's visitors from a source URL to a target URL. Remember that redirects only update the .htaccess file. The domain name will be available on the list once it is added to the cPanel.
Warning: Never create a redirect for domain.com to www.domain.com or from domain.com to domain.com/index.something. Doing either will cause an infinite loop. If you need to control the www and index page, you must use mod_rewrite by adding a .htaccess code.
How to Set Up a Redirect
You may find some links below that will redirect you to your cPanel and its features provided that the following conditions are met:
- You are logged into your Customer Portal. You can also log in after clicking the link.
- The hosting package you are attempting to access is either Shared or Cloud.
- Log in to cPanel.
- Under the Domains section, click the Redirects icon.
- From the Type dropdown menu, select your preferred type of redirect.
- Permanent 301 is a redirect that will update the visitor's bookmarks and direct search engines to the new site.
- Temporary 302 is a redirect that will redirect the visitor or search engine but will not update the bookmark, and search engines will continue to index to the original page.
- From the https?://(www.)? Dropdown menu, choose the domain name you would like to redirect.
- If you want to redirect a single page or directory, you can use the text field that begins with the forward-slash (/) to enter the folder or file name.
- If you want to redirect a single page or directory, you can use the text field that begins with the forward-slash (/) to enter the folder or file name.
- In the Redirects To field, enter the full URL of the page you will be redirecting.
Note: You must enter the protocol (for example https://, http:// or ftp://) for the domain URL to be accepted.
- Select one of the following www. redirection options to dictate whether or not the domain will be redirecting:
- Only redirect with www. will only redirect visitors that type www. as part of the URL.
- Redirect with or without www. will redirect all visitors regardless of whether they use www. or not.
- Do Not Redirect www. will not redirect visitors that use www. as part of the URL.
- Clicking the Wild Card Redirect option allows users to set up a redirect to the same file on a new destination.
- With Wild Card Redirect, www.example.com/about.html will redirect to www.example-destination.com/about.html.
- Without Wild Card Redirect, www.example.com/about.html will redirect to www.example-destination.com.
- Click Add to create the redirect as specified.
When visitors type the exact URL you specified, they will be redirected to your assigned target site.
Note: If you want to force your visitors to view your site securely with an SSL, you need to read the article and follow the video tutorial here: How Do I Use My SSL Certificate?