Does your page redirect through the browser?
It separates JavaScript redirects from HTML meta refresh redirects.
What Check Engine measures
A successful page with a recorded JavaScript redirect produces a low finding. Meta refresh instructions produce a notice. Delays greater than zero are collected to explain when visitors must wait. The check reads redirect instructions from the document. It can find them even when the server returned a successful response.
The check reads successful responses and their recorded JavaScript or meta refresh redirects. These instructions run after the initial response. Server-side redirects are checked elsewhere.
How to read the result
JavaScript redirects are low severity and meta refresh results notices. The report identifies the mechanism and any delay. It does not establish whether the destination is relevant or whether a deliberate delay is justified for the page.
Why it matters
A page can answer successfully and still send a browser elsewhere. That makes a status-only review incomplete, which is why this test examines document instructions separately from HTTP redirect responses.
How to fix it
Check the source URL, destination and reason for the move. Use a server redirect for a permanent address change when suitable. Preserve intentional browser flows only after reviewing their purpose and delay. Test the source response and the final destination after editing so that a replaced redirect does not leave a second client-side hop behind.
Meta refresh: the redirect your tools cannot see
What we found in field audits
Problems in Crawlability & indexing were found on 12 of the 14 sites we audited. These are area totals. Read the field-audit method.
Method note
backend/seo_engine/checks/indexability.py, meta_refresh, revision 0bb8e8d3.
Common questions
Can a successful page response still contain a redirect instruction?
Yes. A recorded JavaScript redirect can be reported even after a successful response. Document instructions and server status are separate observations.
Are JavaScript redirects and meta refresh given the same severity?
No. JavaScript redirects have low severity, while meta refresh results are notices. Review whether the mechanism fits the page.
Does the document-redirect check judge whether the destination is useful?
No. It reports the mechanism and any delay. The relevance of the destination needs a separate review.