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URL Redirect Checking — Bulk Image Downloader Pro

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A spreadsheet of image links looks simple until half of them bounce through CDNs, shorteners, or tracking wrappers. URL redirect checking answers where each link actually lands before you spend bandwidth on the wrong file.

Bulk Image Downloader Pro includes a Redirect Checker tab that runs entirely in your browser.

Step 1: paste and run the redirect checker

Open the Redirect Checker on the options page. Paste HTTP or HTTPS URLs, one per line, and start the check. The tool:

  • sends HEAD requests first, falling back to GET when HEAD is blocked (405/403)
  • follows redirect chains manually up to 20 hops
  • records each hop with status code and final destination
  • outputs copyable lists—original URLs, final URLs, chains, and status codes

All processing stays client-side; your list is not uploaded to a remote checker service.

Step 2: read the results

Healthy chains end at the image-serving URL you expect. Watch for:

  • redirect loops or “maximum redirect limit reached” errors
  • final URLs that land on login pages, HTML error pages, or non-image content
  • multiple source URLs resolving to the same final file (duplicate risk)
  • short links or affiliate wrappers you may want to replace with the final URL

Step 3: pair with the 404 checker

Redirects tell you where a URL goes. The 404 checker tests whether the destination is reachable (HEAD with GET fallback). Run both on scraped lists, then remove dead entries before building a task. Neither checker auto-updates your task—copy cleaned URLs in manually.

Step 4: clean the list for download

  1. replace wrapper URLs with final destinations where appropriate
  2. drop chains that error or exceed the hop limit
  3. run URL deduplication so redirected duplicates collapse
  4. apply dimension, file-type, or domain filters on the real destinations

Step 5: what redirect checking cannot fix

  • hotlink protection that blocks bulk downloads even when the final URL loads in a browser tab
  • URLs that require cookies or headers the checker cannot attach
  • sites that return different responses to automated requests
  • broken permissions or expired signed URLs—you still need a fresh source link

Checking gives evidence to edit the list; it does not guarantee every host allows bulk saving.

For chain mechanics, see URL redirect chains explained. Install Bulk Image Downloader Pro and run redirect checks on old exports before large batches.

Continue reading: Organize Bulk Image Downloads From CSV.

Get Bulk Image Downloader Pro on the Chrome Web Store, watch the tutorial video, or visit our YouTube channel for more redirect checking tips.