A redirect loop means two or more URLs keep bouncing between each other forever. The browser gives up and shows ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS. The full chain is always the key to finding the conflict.
| Pattern | What's happening |
|---|---|
| HTTP → HTTPS → HTTP | Server forces HTTPS but CDN strips SSL and sends HTTP back to origin |
| www → non-www → www | Server redirects to www, CDN/proxy redirects back to non-www |
| Cloudflare Flexible SSL | Cloudflare HTTPS → origin HTTP → origin redirects to HTTPS → repeat |
| WordPress + CDN | WordPress siteurl is HTTP, CDN forces HTTPS, creating an infinite loop |
| .htaccess conflict | Two redirect rules matching the same URL and fighting each other |
| Plugin conflict | Two WordPress redirect/SSL plugins issuing conflicting redirects |
Go to Cloudflare SSL/TLS settings and change from Flexible to Full (Strict). Flexible SSL is the #1 cause of redirect loops on Cloudflare sites. Your origin needs a real SSL certificate.
In Settings → General, ensure both WordPress Address and Site Address use https://. Then deactivate SSL/redirect plugins one at a time to find the conflict.
Rename .htaccess to .htaccess.bak temporarily. If the loop stops, a rewrite rule is the cause. Add back rules one at a time.
Trace the exact chain with LinkAutopsy above. The loop point — where a URL appears twice — tells you exactly which server or rule is creating the cycle.
LinkAutopsy shows every hop with its HTTP status code and destination. Here's how to read it:
In this example: the origin forces HTTPS→HTTP, but something in the chain keeps sending HTTP→HTTPS. Cloudflare Flexible SSL mode is the classic culprit.
Cookies can force redirect loops. Clear all cookies for the domain and try again. Incognito has no cookies, so it bypasses cookie-based loops.
Chrome gives up at 20 redirects. Firefox at 20. Best practice is 0–1 redirects to reach the final URL. More than 3 is a problem.
Each redirect hop loses a small amount of link equity and adds latency. A loop means Google can't index the page at all. Even non-loop chains longer than 2 hops should be cleaned up.