Import & Export Redirects
Bulk manage redirects using CSV files for easy migration and backup
Overview
The Import/Export feature allows you to manage redirects in bulk using CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files. This is perfect for migrating redirects between sites, creating backups, or managing large redirect lists in spreadsheet applications like Excel or Google Sheets.
Key Benefits
- Backup all redirects before major changes
- Migrate redirects between sites
- Bulk create hundreds of redirects
- Edit redirects in spreadsheet software
- Share redirect lists with team members
- Version control redirect configurations
CSV File Format
Required CSV Structure
The CSV file must include these columns in the exact order:
| Column | Name | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | source_url | Yes | URL to redirect from | /old-page |
| 2 | target_url | Yes | URL to redirect to | /new-page |
| 3 | type | Yes | HTTP status code | 301 |
| 5 | status | No | Active or inactive | active |
Example CSV Files
Basic Redirects
source_url,target_url,type,status
/old-home,/,301,active
/about-us,/about,301,active
/blog/old-post,/blog/new-post,301,active
/products,/shop,302,active
/contact.html,/contact,301,activeExporting Redirects
Export Process
- Navigate to Redirect ManagerGo to ProRank SEO → Technical SEO → Redirect Manager
- Apply Filters (Optional)Filter redirects if you only want to export specific ones
- Click "Export CSV"Located in the toolbar above the redirect list
- ExportAll redirects are exported as a single CSV file.
- Download FileFile will be named:
redirects-YYYY-MM-DD.csv
Export includes hit statistics and timestamps for analysis in spreadsheet software.
Importing Redirects
Import Process
- Prepare Your CSV FileEnsure it follows the required format shown above
- Click "Import CSV"Located in the Redirect Manager toolbar
- Import BehaviorNew redirects are added. Existing redirects with the same source URL are skipped.
- Upload FileClick "Choose File" and select your CSV
- Verify ImportReview the import results after completion
- Confirm ImportClick "Import Redirects" to complete the process
Validation & Error Handling
Common Import Errors
Missing required columns or wrong order
Solution: Download sample CSV and match format exactly
Source or target URLs are malformed
Solution: Ensure URLs start with / or http://
Type must be 301, 302, 303, 307, or 308
Solution: Check type column for valid values
Status must be "active" or "inactive"
Solution: Check the status column values
Same source URL appears multiple times
Solution: Remove duplicate source URLs from your CSV before importing
Validation Rules
- • Source URLs must be unique (no duplicates)
- • URLs should not create redirect loops
- • Status must be active or inactive
- • Type must be 301, 302, 303, 307, or 308
- • Status must be "active" or "inactive"
- • File size limit: 5MB
- • Existing redirects with the same source URL are skipped
Best Practices
Do's
- ✓ Export backup before major imports
- ✓ Test imports on staging first
- ✓ Use UTF-8 encoding for CSV files
- ✓ Validate URLs before import
- ✓ Keep CSV files organized with clear source/target paths
- ✓ Check for redirect chains after import
Don'ts
- ✗ Don't import without a database backup
- ✗ Don't import untested regex patterns
- ✗ Don't exceed 10,000 redirects at once
- ✗ Don't import redirects you haven't tested
- ✗ Don't import redirects to 404 pages
- ✗ Don't skip validation warnings
Advanced Tips
Spreadsheet Formulas
Use Excel/Google Sheets formulas to generate redirects:
# Remove .html from all URLs
=CONCATENATE(A2,",",SUBSTITUTE(A2,".html",""),",301,0,active,0,Remove HTML")
# Add www to all URLs
=CONCATENATE(A2,",","https://www.",MID(A2,9,LEN(A2)),",301,0,active,0,Add www")
# Create blog redirects
=CONCATENATE("/blog/",A2,",/articles/",A2,",301,0,active,0,Blog migration")Batch Processing
For large redirect lists:
- • Split into multiple CSV files (1000 rows each)
- • Import during low-traffic periods
- • Review imported redirects after import
- • Monitor server resources during import
Troubleshooting
Character Encoding: Always save CSV files as UTF-8 to prevent issues with special characters. In Excel, use "Save As" → "CSV UTF-8".
Large Files: For files over 5MB, consider splitting the CSV into smaller files