Framer redirects are one of those things you don't think about until a page move breaks your traffic. Whether you're restructuring a site, renaming a page, or cleaning up old URLs, redirects are the bridge that keeps visitors and search engines from hitting dead ends. And the 404 page? It's your safety net when something still slips through.
We build templates in Framer every day, and we see the same redirect problems repeat: pages renamed without redirects, old links scattered across social posts, and default 404 pages that confuse more than they help. This guide covers how Framer handles redirects, when to use 301 versus 302, and how to build a 404 page that actually keeps people on your site.
If you're just getting started with Framer SEO, pair this with our Framer SEO checklist. And if you haven't connected a custom domain yet, the redirect rules we're covering only apply once you do, so check our Framer custom domain setup guide first.
How do Framer redirects actually work?
Framer handles redirects at the site level through its publish settings. You define a list of redirect rules, each with an old path and a new destination. When a visitor hits the old path, Framer serves a 301 or 302 status and sends them to the new location. It works for individual pages, path patterns, and external URLs.
The redirect system lives in your site settings, not on individual pages. That means one central list controls every rule, which keeps things organized but also means you need to be deliberate about maintaining it. There's no automatic redirect creation when you rename a page, so those rules have to be added by hand.
Redirects in Framer support exact path matches and wildcard patterns. An exact match sends one specific URL to its destination. A wildcard, using an asterisk, catches groups of related URLs. The wildcard option is especially useful during site migrations, when entire sections move to new paths.
When should you use a 301 redirect versus a 302?
A 301 redirect tells search engines that a page has moved permanently. This passes most of the original page's ranking signals to the new URL. A 302 redirect signals a temporary move, and search engines typically keep indexing the original URL instead of the destination.
For almost every situation on a Framer site, you want 301. Page renames, URL cleanups, content moves, and domain changes are all permanent by nature. The only time 302 makes sense is for genuine temporary situations, like a seasonal landing page that will return to its original URL in a few weeks.
Using the wrong type creates real SEO problems. A 302 where you meant 301 means Google keeps ranking the old URL that no longer serves content. A 301 where you meant 302 means the new URL accumulates signals it might not keep. Framer lets you choose the status code per rule, so take the extra second to set it correctly.
What does a proper Framer redirect setup checklist look like?
Here's the step-by-step process we follow when setting up or auditing redirects on any Framer site. Work through it in order and you won't miss a step.
Step 1: Audit your current URLs.
Export or list every indexed page on your site. Check Google Search Console for pages with traffic, and run a site crawl with a free tool like Screaming Frog, limited to 500 URLs, to catch internal links you might have forgotten.
Step 2: Map old paths to new paths.
Create a simple spreadsheet with two columns: old path and new path. The old path should be the relative URL, like /old-page-name. The new path should be the full destination, like /new-page-name for internal moves or https://example.com/page for external redirects.
Step 3: Set redirect rules in Framer.
Open your Framer site, go to Site Settings, then Redirects. Add each rule one by one. Choose 301 for permanent moves. Test each rule by visiting the old URL in an incognito window and confirming it lands on the correct new page.
Step 4: Update internal links.
Redirects are a safety net, not a replacement for fixing your own links. Update every internal link that points to an old URL. This includes navigation, footer links, button links, and text links inside CMS content.
Step 5: Submit updated sitemap.
After a bulk redirect setup, submit your sitemap again in Google Search Console. This tells Google to recrawl and pick up the new URL structure faster. Monitor the Coverage report for any 404s that slip through.
Step 6: Build or update your 404 page.
Every site needs a custom 404 page. The default Framer 404 is functional but generic. Build one that matches your brand, explains what happened in plain language, and gives visitors a clear path forward. More on this below.
How do you create an effective Framer 404 page?
A 404 page exists because something went wrong. Your job is to make that wrong feel less wrong. The best 404 pages acknowledge the error, offer a search or navigation option, and keep the visitor from leaving entirely.
Start with a clear, human headline. "Page not found" is fine. "We can't find that page" is friendlier. Avoid technical language like "404 error" unless your audience expects it. Follow the headline with one sentence explaining what happened, something moved, the link was mistyped, or the page no longer exists.
Then give visitors three exits: a search field, a link to your most popular content or template categories, and a link back to your homepage. The homepage link is the minimum. The search field is better. Popular content links are best, because they lead somewhere specific and relevant.
Design the 404 page like any other page on your site. Same header, same footer, same typography and color. A 404 page that looks completely different breaks trust. A 404 page that feels like part of the site keeps the visitor comfortable. If you want to see how a well-structured site handles error states, browse our Framer templates. Every template we ship includes a styled 404 page as standard.
What are common redirect mistakes on Framer sites?
These are the errors we catch most often when auditing Framer sites for SEO health. Most are easy to fix once you know to look for them.
- Redirect chains: Old URL redirects to another old URL, which redirects to the new URL. Each hop slows loading and dilutes ranking signals. Always point old URLs directly to their final destination.
- Redirect loops: Page A redirects to page B, which redirects back to page A. Framer usually catches these, but manual path rules can create them if you're not careful.
- Missing redirects after page renames: Framer does not auto-create redirects when you change a page slug. This is the single most common source of 404 errors on growing sites.
- Case sensitivity issues: Framer paths are case-sensitive by default. If you rename a page from /Pricing to /pricing, set a redirect for the old capitalization pattern.
- External link rot: Links from guest posts, social bios, or partner sites still point to old URLs. Without redirects, that referral traffic dies.
- Over-reliance on 302: Temporary redirects used for permanent changes. Search engines treat 302s differently, and your SEO suffers for it.
How do redirects fit into your overall Framer SEO strategy?
Redirects are defensive SEO. They protect the authority you've already built, but they don't create new authority. Think of them as part of your site's maintenance layer, alongside sitemaps, schema markup, and speed optimization.
A well-maintained redirect list prevents the slow bleed of lost traffic that happens when pages move without forwarding rules. It also protects backlinks. When another site links to an old URL, a 301 redirect ensures that link equity flows to the new destination instead of evaporating into a 404.
For a broader view of Framer SEO, including redirects alongside the other technical foundations, see our full Framer SEO checklist. And if you're comparing Framer to another platform, our Framer vs WordPress SEO comparison covers how each platform handles redirects and technical SEO differently.
Frequently asked questions
How many redirects can I set up in Framer?
Framer supports a large number of redirect rules per site, enough for most small to medium sites and even substantial migrations. There is a limit, but it's high enough that the average site won't hit it. If you're managing thousands of redirects, you may need to evaluate whether a more enterprise-level approach is required.
Will Framer redirects affect my page speed?
A single 301 redirect adds a negligible amount of load time, typically under 50 milliseconds. Redirect chains, where multiple redirects fire in sequence, are the real speed problem. Each hop adds another server round trip. Keep your rules clean and point old URLs directly to their final destination.
Do I need redirects if I'm launching a brand new site?
If your new Framer site has no indexed pages and no existing backlinks, you don't need redirects on day one. But set up your 404 page immediately, because typos and broken links happen from the start. Once you have published pages that move or get renamed, add redirect rules as part of that change.
Redirects are insurance, not decoration
Framer redirects and 404 pages are the quiet infrastructure of a healthy site. Nobody compliments your redirect setup, but a missing redirect costs you traffic, backlinks, and search rankings every day it stays broken. The checklist above is your starting point. Audit your URLs, map your moves, set your rules, and build a 404 page that turns dead ends into new journeys.
If you're building a new site from a template, start with good structure from day one. Our Framer templates come with clean URL architecture and styled 404 pages already in place. Combine that with the steps in this guide and our website launch checklist, and your redirects will be one less thing to worry about when you go live.
