Meta Redirect Generator

Generate HTML meta refresh redirects with configurable delay. Also shows JS and PHP redirect code.

Target Host: NoneDelay: 0sActive Format: HTML

Redirect URL

Delay (seconds)

HTML Code

Meta refresh tag only: <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;URL='https://example.com'">

Meta Redirect Generator

Generate redirect code in three formats: HTML meta refresh, JavaScript, and PHP. The HTML meta refresh is the most universally supported option — set delay to 0 for an immediate redirect or any positive number for a timed redirect. The JavaScript redirect uses window.location.href and is more flexible, while the PHP header redirect is best for server-side redirects. All code is generated client-side.

Built and maintained by Meet Shah · Last updated 19 July 2026

What this tool is used for

Adding a redirect on a static host where you cannot set an HTTP status.
Producing a holding page that moves visitors on after a short delay.
Getting the syntax right for a technique you use rarely.
Comparing the meta, JavaScript and server-side options for one case.
Producing a redirect for a single file you cannot serve headers for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a meta refresh a real redirect?: Not in the HTTP sense — the server returns 200 and the browser then navigates itself. That difference matters: a 301 tells caches and crawlers the resource moved permanently, while a meta refresh is a page that happens to leave. Use a server redirect wherever you can set one.
Does the delay value change how search engines treat it?: Yes. Google has said it treats a **zero-second** meta refresh much like a 301, and a delayed one as a soft redirect that may not pass ranking signals at all. If SEO matters and you cannot set a header, use `content="0;URL=…"` rather than a countdown.
Why does the generated page include a manual link?: Because meta refresh can be disabled, and some assistive technology and older browsers do not follow it. Without a visible link, those users land on a blank page with no way forward — WCAG 2.2 also treats an automatic timed redirect as something users must be able to escape.
When should I use the JavaScript version instead?: When the destination depends on something only the client knows — a stored preference, a hash fragment, a feature test. `window.location.replace()` is usually better than assigning `href` because it does not leave the interstitial in the history, so Back does not bounce the user straight forward again.
What does the PHP version do differently?: It sets a genuine HTTP header before any output, which is the real redirect the other two are approximating — a 301 or 302 with a `Location`. It is the right answer whenever you control the server, and it must run before a single byte of body has been sent or the header call fails.

Common errors and gotchas

Using it where SEO matters, since a server-side 301 transfers ranking signals and this does not.
Setting a non-zero delay, which traps the visitor and breaks the browser back button.
Assuming crawlers follow it reliably, when treatment varies.
Relying on it for a URL that must return a redirect status to an API client.
Leaving the fallback link out, which strands anyone whose browser blocks the refresh.