Wix 301 Redirects: How to Use the URL Redirect Manager Without Losing Rankings

Every time a URL changes, the old address stops working unless you tell visitors and search engines where the content has moved. That instruction is a 301 redirect. Without one, people clicking old links hit an error page, Google eventually drops the old URL, and any ranking strength it had is lost. Wix makes redirects easy with its URL Redirect Manager, but we still see Wix sites lose traffic because redirects were forgotten, misconfigured or pointed at the wrong pages.

This article is part of our complete guide: Wix and Squarespace SEO: The Complete Guide (2026).

When you need a redirect on Wix

• You change a page’s URL slug, for example from /services-1 to /boiler-repair.
• You delete a page and another page covers the same topic.
• You merge several thin pages into one stronger page.
• You move from WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify or another platform to Wix, and the URL structure changes.
• You change your blog post URLs or move content between sections.
• You change your domain name.

How Wix handles some redirects automatically

When you change the slug of a page in its SEO settings, Wix usually offers to create a redirect from the old URL for you. Accept it. For blog posts and products, check the Redirect Manager after changing a slug to confirm a redirect was created. Wix also handles http to https and the www version of your domain automatically once your domain is connected.

How to add a redirect manually

1. In the dashboard, go to Marketing & SEO › SEO and open the URL Redirect Manager (sometimes under SEO Tools).
2. Click to add a new redirect.
3. Enter the old URL path, for example /old-page. You only need the part after your domain.
4. Choose the destination page on your site, or enter an external URL.
5. Save. Test the old URL in a private browser window.

Wix creates 301 (permanent) redirects, which is what you want for permanent moves.

Bulk redirects when migrating to Wix

If you are moving a site with dozens or hundreds of URLs, use the bulk import option in the Redirect Manager with a CSV file. Each row has the old URL and the new URL. Prepare it carefully:

1. Collect every old URL: from the old site’s sitemap, Search Console’s Performance report (Pages tab), Google Analytics landing pages and your backlink tools.
2. Map each one to the most relevant new page. Product to product, post to post, service to service.
3. Only redirect to the homepage when there is truly no equivalent. Mass homepage redirects are treated as soft 404s.
4. Use paths in the format Wix expects, and avoid creating chains.
5. Import, then test a sample of URLs from each section.

Pattern redirects

When old URLs follow a pattern, for example /blog/2019/05/post-name, Wix supports some pattern-based redirects using wildcards, which can map an entire folder at once. Use them carefully and test thoroughly, because a wrong pattern can redirect many URLs to the wrong place.

Common redirect mistakes on Wix

Forgetting to redirect after renaming

If you dismissed the redirect prompt when changing a slug, the old URL now returns a 404. Check Search Console’s “Not found (404)” report for URLs that used to receive traffic.

Redirecting everything to the homepage

It is tempting during a migration, but it loses relevance and frustrates visitors who expected specific content.

Creating redirect chains

If page A was redirected to B, and you later rename B to C, update A to point straight to C. Chains slow things down and leak value. See Page with redirect for how Google reports these.

Redirecting to pages that are hidden or deleted

Always confirm the destination is published, indexable and relevant.

Leaving the old site live

When moving to Wix from another host, make sure the old site is taken down or redirected; two live versions create duplicate content.

How to test your redirects

Testing takes minutes and catches most problems before Google does. Open each old URL in a private browser window and confirm it lands on the right page. For a more precise check, use a free HTTP header or redirect checker: it should show a single 301 response followed by a 200 on the destination. If you see a 302, more than one hop, or a final 404, fix the rule. For larger migrations, paste a list of old URLs into a crawler in list mode and export the results, so you can review hundreds of redirects at once. Repeat the test a week after launch, because later edits to pages can quietly break redirects that worked on day one.

Redirects vs. keeping old URLs

The best redirect is sometimes no redirect at all. If an existing URL is already short, clear and ranking, keep it, even if you would choose a different slug today. Change URLs only when there is a real benefit, such as removing meaningless numbers or merging duplicate pages.

Changing your domain on Wix

If you switch to a new domain, connect the new domain to your Wix site, set it as primary, and keep the old domain connected so it redirects to the new one. Add the new domain as a property in Google Search Console and use the Change of Address tool from the old property. Resubmit your sitemap on the new domain.

After setting up redirects

• Update internal links on your site so they point directly to new URLs, not through redirects.
• Update links on your Google Business Profile, social profiles and email signatures.
• Ask important partner sites to update their links where possible.
• Monitor Search Console for 404s and redirect errors for the next two months.
• Keep redirects in place permanently, or at least for a year.

Migrating to Wix without losing rankings

Redirects are only one part of a successful migration. Titles, descriptions, headings, content and internal links on the new pages should match or improve on the old ones. If a page ranked well, do not cut its content in half because the new design looks cleaner. Our redesign without losing SEO checklist applies to platform migrations too.

Example

We follow the same redirect-mapping process on every rebuild, whether the new site is Wix, Squarespace or WordPress. On projects like Crazy Color Malta and Powersports Software, a complete URL map was the difference between a smooth relaunch and weeks of lost traffic.

Redirect checklist

• Redirect every changed or removed URL that had traffic or links.
• Map to the closest relevant page, not the homepage.
• Use bulk CSV import for migrations.
• Avoid chains and loops.
• Update internal and external links.
• Monitor 404s in Search Console.

Related guides and services

• Wix SEO checklist: every Wix setting that affects rankings, in order.
• Wix site not showing on Google: the reasons a Wix site is missing and how to fix each.
• Page with redirect: which redirects are harmless and which ones waste crawl budget.
• Website redesign without losing SEO: how to relaunch a site without dropping in Google.
• Wix & Squarespace SEO service: hands-on SEO for sites built on Wix and Squarespace.

Get expert help

Planning a move to Wix or a big restructure? We build the full redirect map, set it up in Wix and monitor Search Console afterwards so you keep the rankings you have earned. Start with our Wix & Squarespace SEO service, browse real client results in our case studies, or contact us for a free, no-pressure review of your website.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wix use 301 or 302 redirects?

The URL Redirect Manager creates 301 permanent redirects.

How many redirects can I add on Wix?

Wix supports large numbers of redirects, and bulk CSV import makes it practical for migrations.

Will I lose rankings when moving to Wix?

Not if you map redirects carefully and keep or improve content. Short-term fluctuations are normal.

Can I redirect a Wix page to another website?

Yes. The Redirect Manager allows external destination URLs.