HTTP 302 Found

Quick reference

What HTTP 302 means

RFC 9110 defines 302 Found as indicating that the target resource resides temporarily under a different URI. Since the redirection might be altered on occasion, the client ought to continue using the original URI for future requests. The Location header contains the temporary URI to redirect to.

The word "temporarily" is the defining characteristic. A 302 does not tell browsers or search engines to update their records. The original URL remains the canonical reference. 302 is the correct code for A/B test redirects, login flow redirects, seasonal promotion pages, and maintenance redirects — anything where the original URL will be the permanent home again in the future.

In practice, there is an important caveat: like 301, a browser following a 302 from a POST request will typically change the method to GET for the redirected request. This historical browser behavior means 302 cannot safely redirect POST requests while preserving the method. Use 307 Temporary Redirect if you need to redirect a POST while keeping it as POST.

Common use cases

Login redirects

The classic 302 pattern: a user navigates to a protected resource, the server returns 302 to /login?return=/protected-resource, the user authenticates, and the login endpoint returns 302 back to the original URL. Both redirects are temporary — the protected resource URL does not permanently move to the login page.

Post/Redirect/Get pattern

To prevent duplicate form submissions on page reload, the server processes the POST and returns 302 to a results page. The browser follows the redirect and GETs the results page. If the user reloads, they reload the GET, not the POST. This is the standard web application pattern for form handling.

A/B testing

Redirect a percentage of traffic from the original URL to a variant page using 302. The original URL remains the canonical page; the variant URL is the temporary test destination. Search engines do not consolidate the pages because the 302 signals temporary.

Maintenance pages

During planned downtime, redirect all traffic to a maintenance page with 302. When maintenance ends, remove the redirect. A 301 here would tell search engines the site permanently moved to the maintenance page — a 302 correctly signals temporary.

302 vs 301 vs 307

SEO behavior

Google treats 302 redirects differently from 301s. A 302 tells Google the original URL is still the authoritative page — it does not consolidate PageRank or index entries to the destination. If a 302 is in place for an extended period (months), Google may start treating it as permanent if it suspects the webmaster intended 301. To avoid ambiguity, use 301 for permanent moves and 302 only when the redirect is genuinely temporary.

A common mistake is using 302 for domain migrations or URL restructuring because it "feels safer" — the thinking being that 302 is reversible. While 302 is easier to reverse (it is not cached), using it for a permanent move means Google will not consolidate ranking signals to the new URL, splitting authority between old and new.

FAQ

What does HTTP 302 Found mean?

HTTP 302 means the resource is temporarily at a different URL given in the Location header. The original URL should still be used for future requests. It is not a permanent redirect and does not update browser bookmarks or search engine index entries.

Is 302 cached by browsers?

No — not by default. Unlike 301, a 302 response is not cached. Each time the client requests the original URL, it receives the 302 and follows it to the temporary URL. You can add cache headers to a 302 to make it cacheable, but this is unusual and usually unintended.

When should I use 307 instead of 302?

Use 307 when you need to redirect a non-GET request (usually POST) and preserve the original method. A 302 will change the method from POST to GET on the redirect. A 307 guarantees the method is preserved.

Does 302 affect SEO?

Not significantly for temporary use cases. Google does not transfer ranking signals across a 302. If a 302 has been in place for a long time, Google may start treating it as a 301. Use 301 explicitly for permanent moves to get the ranking signal transfer.

Related resources

On this site: HTTP 302 Found — full guide · HTTP 301 Moved Permanently · HTTP 307 Temporary Redirect · HTTP 308 Permanent Redirect · All 3xx redirect codes

Comparisons: 301 vs 302 · 302 vs 307 · 302 vs 303

Standards: RFC 9110 §15.4.3 · IANA HTTP Status Code Registry · MDN Web Docs: 302