How to Create Shopify Redirects to External URLs in 2025?

Setting up Shopify redirects to external URLs can be both a smart marketing strategy and a technical necessity. Using these redirects, you can prevent shoppers from visiting 404 pages across your Shopify store and send them to active webpages that better serve your goals.

For instance, you can send visitors to affiliate websites where you earn a percentage commission of every sale that they make. Or, you can send them to one of your own microsites that promotes specific products or campaigns, ensuring that the buyer’s journey remains uninterrupted. This way, shoppers are always engaged, and you get some good opportunities to increase the revenue and sales of your e-commerce business.

In short, by implementing Shopify external redirects, you create a consistent and reliable browsing experience for every user.

Now you might be wondering how to actually set these redirects up? For that, you will have to continue reading this article. In the sections ahead, we’ll explain what Shopify external redirects are, how to create them, and the best practices to follow.

What are Shopify Redirects to External URLs?  

External redirects in Shopify allow you to send traffic from a broken 404 page across your Shopify store to a URL that is outside your primary domain. These redirects are implemented mainly when you want users not to land on broken Shopify-hosted pages and are rather guided to relevant external destinations such as partner websites, brand microsites, affiliate platforms, etc. This helps maintain a smooth browsing experience and reduces the chances of losing potential customers due to broken links.

From an SEO point of view, Shopify redirects to external destinations are 301. This means that these signal a permanent move of the URL to the search engine. While this is helpful for transferring some link equity to the new external URL, it’s important to note that the target page does not receive the full SEO ranking and performance benefits of the original Shopify page. This is primarily because the target URL in such cases is located on a completely different domain. Therefore, it is essential to use these redirects only when absolutely necessary. 

How to Set Up Shopify External Redirects? 

There are two common and prominent methods to set up Shopify external redirects: 

1. Using the native Shopify redirect functionality 
2. Using third-party Shopify redirect apps

Below, we will be discussing both in detail. 

Using Shopify’s Native Redirect Functionality 

Here’s the step-by-step process to follow for creating external redirects using Shopify’s native functionality: 

1. Go to Shopify admin, and from the left-hand menu, click on ‘Content.’ Then, click on ‘Menus.’

2. Then click on ‘URL redirects’ from the top-right corner. 

3. Select ‘Create URL redirect.’ 

4. In the ‘Redirect from’ field, you will have to add the original 404 page’s link that you want users to forward from. It can include a value like: 

/products/blue-denim-jeans

5. In the ‘Redirect to’ field, you will have to add the new target destination’s URL. Here, you should note that as we will be adding a link to a different website (outside our primary Shopify domain), the full URL must be added.  

So, for example, you can add values like “www.johnsstore.com/products/blue-denim-jeans” 

6. Once you have defined the rule, click on the ‘Save Redirect’ button. 

And that’s it. The Shopify External redirect rule will be implemented with this process. 

Important note:  1. For your external redirect to work, your original page (basically the ‘Redirect from’ URL) should be inactive. It should return a 404 error. If you are trying to redirect a webpage that is accessible and available to users and search engines, it won’t work.  2. Shopify also allows you to create bulk redirects by importing CSV files. So, if you want to implement external redirects in bulk, we recommend using that import functionality.  Read more here in this Shopify bulk redirects blog.

Using Third-Party Shopify Redirect Apps

You can also use third-party Shopify redirect apps to set up external redirects for your Shopify store. 

Now you might wonder, the native Shopify redirect feature already allows you to create external redirects. What’s the need for a third-party app? 

Third-party apps offer more flexibility and control in setting up external redirects for your Shopify store. They let you create simple redirect rules, upload CSV files, and set up wildcard redirects for external domains. This means you can define a single rule for multiple URLs that share a pattern and automatically redirect them to a new destination outside your main domain.

In addition, these apps can auto-detect 404 pages and provide detailed analytics for both 404 and 301 redirects.

So, in short, these apps streamline redirect management for Shopify stores. 

For this blog’s reference, we will be covering the step-by-step process of creating external redirects using AdNabu’s redirect manager app. It’s a Built For Shopify certified redirect app that is available currently for free. 

Within the app, you can set up external redirects in three different ways: 

1. By defining separate rules for each broken page, similar to how we did in Shopify Admin 
2. Creating Wildcard redirects
3. By uploading CSV files with both old (404 page) URLs and new target URLs

In this blog, we will cover the first two methods in detail.

Creating Individual Rules for External Redirects

1. Start by installing the ‘404/301 URL Redirects by Nabu’ app from the Shopify app store. 
2. Inside the app, click on ‘Create Redirect’ on the main dashboard. 
3. Enter the 404 page’s link in the ‘Source Path’ field. This can include a value like /blog/synthetic-cotton-clothes

4. Then, enter the external URL to which you want to redirect users in the ‘Target Link’ field. Remember, this value should include a full URL like https://www.examplestore.com 
5. Click on ‘Create Redirect.’ 
6. Once the redirect is synced with the Shopify admin, it will be functional and start to appear under the ‘Shopify redirects’ tab on the app’s home page dashboard. 

This method is recommended when you want to redirect only a handful of 404 Shopify pages to external destinations.

Wildcard Redirects 

💡Wildcard Redirects allow you to automatically redirect 404 pages that follow a pattern to new target URLs.  Read more about them in our comprehensive blog on ‘Shopify Wildcard Redirects.’

1. Open the Nabu Redirect Manager app and go to the ‘Wildcard Redirects’ tab from the left-hand side menu. 

2. Click on the ‘Create Wildcard Redirect’ button.

3. Then you will have to create a Wildcard redirect rule. 
4. In the “Source Path” field, enter the URL pattern for 404 pages across your Shopify store. You should also add the ‘*’ symbol to match the dynamic parts of the URL. 

5. In the “Target Link” field, add the new destination URL. This should be a URL outside your primary Shopify domain. Also, if you want to preserve matching parts of the source path URL, then you should use the ‘*’ symbol again in this field. 
6. Click on ‘Create.’ 

That’s it. The wildcard redirect rule for an external destination will be created successfully. 

So, if anyone tries to access a missing page from a particular group of URLs across your Shopify store, they will be redirected to your defined external URL! 

Note: Wildcard Redirects in AdNabu are JavaScript-based. So, please note that they may affect your SEO performance.

Use Cases of Shopify External Redirects 

We will now discuss some of the most common use cases of Shopify redirects to external URLs. 

Redirecting Discontinue Products Now Sold Elsewhere

If you stop selling certain products, instead of allowing users to land on a page that returns the “Page Not Found” error, you can send users to an affiliate or partner’s listing for the same item. This will allow you to retain their buying intent, earn a commission on the purchase that occurs from your redirect, and prevent customers from getting disappointed. 

Expired Campaign or Sale Page Now Hosted Off-Site

Whenever any of your campaign or sale pages are removed, there is a high chance that users end up visiting the old link and get a 404 error. In such cases, you can use external redirects to send users to another one of your latest campaigns or offers hosted on a microsite externally. This way, they will see one of your latest and relevant offerings, which will keep them interested in your brand. 

SKU Migrated to a Marketplace 

If you stop selling a product on Shopify but continue offering it on a marketplace like Amazon or Etsy, you can redirect users to that listing page. This will ensure that a shopper’s buying journey doesn’t break and that you don’t miss out on potential sales. 

Content Moved to a Different Domain 

In case you move certain blogs, resources, or other documentation to another domain, then using Shopify’s external redirects can be helpful. This will help ensure that users can access the right information at the right online location without any confusion. 

Best Practices for Shopify External Redirects

Here are some of the best practices that you should follow while creating Shopify redirects to external URLs: 

Use External Redirects Only When Necessary

As we learned earlier in the blog, an external redirect doesn’t transfer all the ranking and performance benefits to the new URL. This is because the new target destination is outside your primary domain.

Thus, create these redirects only when absolutely necessary (for example, in the case of an affiliate partnership). Otherwise, it’s best to link to a relevant page across your Shopify store. 

Avoid Creating Redirect Chains

Ensure that when you send users to an external URL from a broken Shopify page, it is the final destination. Don’t add unnecessary redirects in between. 

For example, Page A (broken Shopify URL) shouldn’t take a user to Page B (External URL) when it redirects to Page C (another external URL). This is to reduce loading time and maintain clarity for the search engine algorithms. 

Redirect to the Most Relevant Page

As a rule of thumb, always redirect users to the most relevant and credible external URL. Don’t just send traffic to any other page. 

For example, if you discontinue a Shopify product, then redirect to a partner or affiliate where the same item (or another similar variant) is available. Or you can redirect users to one of your marketplace listings, where the product is available. This will ensure that visitors find exactly what they are looking for, rather than landing on an irrelevant page.

Test Redirects After Implementation 

Just setting external redirects isn’t enough. You should also test them to check if they lead to the correct destination. And the easiest way to do this is by copying and pasting the links manually in your browser and checking if they open the intended page. 

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Setting up Shopify redirects to external URLs is both a marketing advantage and a technical safeguard. When implemented correctly, they help you fix broken 404 pages, retain visitors, and maintain a consistent and professional browsing journey for all shoppers.

The key takeaways from this blog include:

• Shopify external redirects send visitors from broken 404 pages to active URLs on other websites. This prevents user drop-offs and ensures a seamless browsing experience.
• You can create these redirects either through Shopify’s native redirect feature or by using third-party redirect apps for added flexibility and automation.
• AdNabu’s Redirect Manager app makes setting up and managing external redirects easy. It supports both individual and bulk external redirects, saving time and reducing manual effort.
• Common use cases of Shopify external redirects include sending users from unavailable product pages to partner listings, expired offer pages to live campaigns, or old blog links to updated resources on other domains. This helps retain traffic and user engagement.
• Always follow best practices for external redirects. Use them only when required, avoid redirect chains, test all redirects after setup, and always direct users to the most relevant and trustworthy external destination.

Good luck!

FAQs

1. Can I create Shopify external redirects for active pages?

Yes. You can create external redirects for active Shopify pages using third-party redirect apps. These apps override native Shopify limits and redirect traffic from live URLs.

2. Do external redirects affect my Shopify store’s SEO?

Yes. Since the target URL is on another domain, not all SEO value transfers. It’s best to use external redirects only when truly needed, such as for affiliate or partner links.

3. Can I redirect multiple pages at once in Shopify?

Yes. Shopify lets you import a CSV file to create bulk redirects. You can also use apps like AdNabu’s Redirect Manager, which simplifies bulk setup through CSV uploads or wildcard rules.

4. What’s the difference between internal and external redirects in Shopify?

An internal redirect sends users from one page on your Shopify domain to another page on the same store. An external redirect, on the other hand, sends them to a page on a different website or domain.

5. Will 302 redirects work for external links?

You can technically use them, but it’s not recommended. A 301 redirect (permanent) is better because it clearly signals to search engines that the page has moved for good and passes more link equity.

6. Is it possible to undo or delete a redirect in Shopify?

Yes. You can remove a redirect anytime through your Shopify admin or the redirect app you are using. Deleting it will immediately stop the redirect from working.

Check Out These Related Articles:

• Shopify Redirects Not Working: Common Reasons and Fixes
• How To Set Up Shopify 301 Redirects
• How to Fix the Shopify Too Many Redirects Error