Free · without registration
HTTP Header Checker: Understanding Server Responses Easily
Enter a URL and read the final server response with explanations of important headers. The check takes over the retrieval settings, follows forwardings and arranges cache, indexing and security information.
Read the response header of a URL
HEAD request with GET fallback. Redirects are tracked; the header table shows the final response.
HTTP response and forwardings
Final URL:
- HTTP status
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- Calling methodology
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- Header values
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Header of the final answer
| Headers | Value | Classification |
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Quick check with explanations
The checker preferably starts with HEAD, uses GET if necessary and follows forwardings. The table explains known headers right next to their value. If you want to check the first answer before a forwarding or switch between GET and HEAD, use Get header with call options.
Which HTTP headers are particularly important?
Content type Describes the delivered format. Location Names the goal of a redirection. Over X-Robots tag the server can control the processing by search engines, also for PDF or image files. One noindex The header can therefore be relevant, although it is not visible in the HTML.
Cache control Determines the cache strategy. no-cache does not mean “never store”, but requires validation before reuse. no-store prohibits storage. A meaningful attitude depends, among other things, on whether the answer contains personal data or changes frequently.
Evaluate security headers in context
HSTS, Content Security Policy, X-Content Type Options and Referrer Policy protect different areas. Their mere presence does not prove a secure configuration. Conversely, not every missing header on every page is a mistake. Check values, purpose and alternative protection mechanisms.
Why can the result differ from the browser?
The retrieval takes place without your registration and browser cookies. Servers can also respond differently depending on user agent, language, cache or request method. HEAD does not transmit a full HTML page; if a failed or unusable HEAD retrieval occurs, GET is attempted. For comparisons, the same URL and, if possible, similar request conditions should be used.
Frequent questions
Can I set the retrieval method and redirect tracking?
Here are these settings for the quick check. Get Header offers its own switches: GET or prefers HEAD, with or without forwarding and with selected or all headers.
Which header does the checker show when redirected?
The table shows the headers of the final answer. The history above shows the visited URLs and their HTTP status codes.
Does the header checker also check meta tags in HTML?
No. Meta Robots, Title, Description and Canonicals have their own checkers available. An HTTP header and an HTML specification can contain different signals.
Is the check free?
Yes. The individual check and the export functions are free of charge and can be used without registration.