Redirect links let your agency maintain control over URLs shared in messages and client-facing resources, improving credibility and enabling link management without resending communications.

### Overview

- **What it is:** Portal URLs that automatically redirect visitors to a desired third-party website, managed through your official agency domain
- **Why it matters:** Redirect links improve message credibility, minimize spam filtering, and give you the ability to update or disable links after they have been sent
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators and staff who send messages containing external links
- **Expected outcomes:** External links in messages use your official domain, can be updated or disabled at any time, and provide tracking for each unique link

### Prerequisites

- You must have at least one configured [Web Portal](https://app.ecourtdate.com/portals) (see [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals))
- A role with permissions to manage portals and redirects
- The external URL you want to redirect visitors to

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Manually Create a Redirect Link

1. Go to **Admin** > **Portals**
2. Click the **Redirects** tab
3. Fill in the **Create Redirect** form with the redirect URL and a name
4. Click **Add**

#### Step 2: Customize the Redirect Link

1. Click any redirect link in the results table to open the edit form
2. Configure the following fields:
   - **Redirect URL:** The link you want visitors to be redirected to
   - **Name:** An internal name for the redirect link
   - **Portal:** The portal you want to use for the redirect link
3. Click **Save** to apply your changes

![Edit Redirect Link Form](https://ecdassets.s3.amazonaws.com/images/articles/redirects-edit-redirect-form.png)

#### Step 3: Test the Redirect Link

1. Click **Public Link** to open the redirect URL in a new tab
2. Verify that you are automatically redirected to the correct destination

#### Step 4: Set Up Automatic Redirect Links (Optional)

If you want all external links in messages to be automatically replaced with redirect links:

![Automatically Replace Links General Setting](https://ecdassets.s3.amazonaws.com/images/articles/redirects-auto-replace-links.png)

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings**
2. Search for the **Automatically Replace Links** setting and enable it
3. Click **Save** to apply your change

Once enabled, any external links included in outbound messages will be automatically replaced with a redirect link using your default web portal. Each link in a message is replaced with a unique redirect link for tracking purposes.

### What to Expect

After creating a redirect link, visitors who click the link will be automatically redirected to the destination URL. If you enabled the **Automatically Replace Links** setting, every external link in your outbound messages will be replaced with a branded redirect link. Changes to a redirect URL take effect immediately. Trashing or archiving a redirect link disables visitor access to that link.

### Best Practices

- Use redirect links for any temporary URLs (such as virtual meeting links) so you can update the destination without resending messages
- Enable **Automatically Replace Links** to ensure all outbound message links use your official domain
- Give each redirect link a clear, descriptive internal name so your team can easily identify its purpose
- Regularly review and archive redirect links that are no longer needed
- Test redirect links before including them in messages to confirm they work correctly

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I change the destination URL of a redirect link after sending it in a message?**
A: Yes. Edit the redirect link and update the **Redirect URL** field. Click **Save** and the change takes effect immediately for all future visitors.

**Q: How do I disable a redirect link?**
A: Trash or archive the redirect link. Visitors who click the link will no longer be redirected to the destination.

**Q: Is there a limit to how many redirect links I can create?**
A: No. You can create as many redirect links as your agency needs. Each link in a message is replaced with a unique redirect for tracking purposes.

**Q: Do I need a separate redirect link for each message?**
A: No. You can reuse the same redirect link across multiple messages. However, if **Automatically Replace Links** is enabled, the system creates a unique redirect per link per message automatically.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Redirect link is not working or returns an error
**Symptoms:** Clicking the public link does not redirect to the expected destination, or a 404/error page appears.
**Solution:**

1. Open the redirect link in edit mode and verify the **Redirect URL** is correct and includes `https://`
2. Confirm the redirect link is not trashed or archived
3. Verify the associated **Portal** is active and properly configured
4. Test the destination URL directly in a browser to confirm it is accessible

**Issue:** Automatic link replacement is not working in messages
**Symptoms:** External links in outbound messages are not being replaced with redirect links.
**Solution:**

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings** and confirm the **Automatically Replace Links** setting is enabled
2. Verify that a default web portal is configured for your agency
3. Send a test message with an external link from the **Dashboard** and check if the link is replaced
4. If the issue persists, contact support by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen

### Related Articles

- [How to Create Web Portals](/how-to-create-web-portals)
- [How to Send a One-off Message](/how-to-send-a-one-off-message)
- [How to Send a Mass Message using Bulk Actions](/how-to-send-a-mass-message-using-bulk-actions)
- [How to Use Merge Tags](/how-to-use-merge-tags)