In the same way as a pattern redirect, automatic redirects use browser-based JavaScript to detect and redirect broken links. Because they run after the 404 page loads, you may briefly see the 404 error page before being redirected.
This delay only happens the first time a visitor lands on the broken link. After that, the browser caches the redirect for faster future visits.
Why does the delay happen?
Automatic redirects work differently from 301 redirects. Instead of setting up a server-level redirect for each broken URL which is saved in your store, they:
- Wait for the 404 error page to load
- Detect a match against one of your activated automatic redirect rules
- Use JavaScript in the browser to forward the visitor to the correct destination
This process introduces a brief split-second delay where you may momentarily see the 404 page before being redirected.
Will this happen every time?
No. The redirect is cached by the browser after the first few visits, meaning:
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Your first visit to a broken link may show a short delay
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Subsequent visits to that same URL will redirect immediately
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Your customers won’t repeatedly experience the brief delay
Why not just use a 301 redirect?
Automatic redirects are best for scale and speed, not SEO. Since they don’t create server-level 301s, they:
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Don’t pass SEO authority
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Aren’t indexed by search engines
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Can’t be tracked in Shopify’s native 301 redirect list
Use them when you need to quickly manage bulk broken links but SEO isn’t your top priority, like from discontinued collections, subfolders, or when migrating your store to the Shopify platform.
Need 301s instead?
If you want SEO benefits or zero-delay redirection, consider creating individual URL redirects, or importing 301 redirects in bulk using a spreadsheet.