---
title: "Adding URL Redirects"
description: "Over time, it's normal for links to change. But sending a customer to a 404 error page isn't the best experience (although ours are pretty cool!). With HelpDocs, you can redirect your customers to a new URL so they find what they're looking for right away."
url: "https://support.helpdocs.io/article/QEx7nXwz5j-adding-url-redirects"
category: "Customizing your HelpDocs"
updated_at: "2026-03-27T16:21:55Z"
---

# Adding URL Redirects

Broken links are frustrating—nobody enjoys hitting a 404 error page when looking for information.

While our [Smart 404 pages](https://support.helpdocs.io/article/KepABriCUh-understanding-smart-404-pages) do a great job of guiding lost visitors, wouldn't it be better if your customers never encountered them at all?

With URL redirects in HelpDocs, you can seamlessly guide your visitors from outdated links to the correct destinations. This keeps your Knowledge Base navigation smooth and ensures customers find exactly what they need without frustration.

For security, redirects won't work on expired trials, delinquent accounts, or pending review trials.

### Setting Up a URL Redirect

[Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1079096577)

1. Head to **Settings** > **General** (or [click here](https://my.helpdocs.io/app/settings?tab=general))
2. Scroll to the bottom and hit **Add Redirect**
   
   1. In **From URL**, enter your broken link
   2. In **To URL**, enter the new link
      
      Make sure to include /article or /category at the start if you're redirecting from an article or category 🐝
3. Hit **Save Changes**

**Custom 404 Page Redirection**  
We think our 404 pages are pretty neat but you can redirect to a custom page of your choice by entering **404** as the **From** URL. We'll even set a 404 error code for you.

**Smart Redirects**  
We only apply redirects if we can't find content for the URL in **From URL**. If you want to redirect from an article or category that exists and is published, you'd need to [unpublish](/article/oJI0ylcwEC-understanding-article-statuses) or [delete](/article/a6ec6hjuln-deleting-an-article) it first.

### Advanced Pattern Matching

We support advanced pattern/glob matching with minimatch.

[ℹ️ Read minimatch docs](https://github.com/isaacs/minimatch)

Any valid minimatch pattern is valid inside the **From** URL. That means you can do stuff like **/my-redirect/\*\*/\*** to redirect anything with **/my-redirect/** at the start, or **!/my-path** to redirect anything other than **/my-path**. The sky's the limit 🌝

### Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting

Even with a straightforward process, redirects can sometimes be tricky. Here's a quick reference for common issues and their solutions:

| Issue                           | Solution                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Redirect not working            | Verify you've included the full path in both URLs (e.g., /article/your-slug)                                                       |
| Redirecting a published article | Unpublish or delete the article first—smart redirects only work when the original content doesn't exist/isn't published            |
| Redirect loop                   | Check that your destination URL isn't redirecting back to the source or to another URL that eventually loops back                  |
| Case sensitivity issues         | URL paths are case-sensitive—make sure you match the exact capitalization                                                          |
| Pattern matching not working    | Test your minimatch pattern syntax in a separate tool before implementing                                                          |
| Redirects not saving            | Ensure you've clicked **Save Changes** after setting up the redirect                                                               |
| Changes not showing             | Try accessing the link in an incognito browser window to avoid cached versions or authentication issues that might mask the update |
| Custom 404 page not working     | Confirm you've entered exactly **404** (without slashes) in the **From URL** field                                                 |

When troubleshooting redirects, try accessing the link in an incognito browser window to avoid cached versions or authentication issues that might mask the problem. If you're using pattern matching, start with simpler patterns and gradually add complexity.