Why your Namecheap redirect doesn’t work over HTTPS

How Namecheap redirects work

Namecheap lets you create a redirect with its own DNS, in either the Domain tab or Advanced DNS as a URL Redirect Record. You can choose a permanent 301, an unmasked 302 or a masked frame. It works with Namecheap’s BasicDNS, PremiumDNS and FreeDNS, according to its knowledgebase article.

So the redirect itself is there. The question is what happens when the visit is secure.

Why HTTPS breaks it

When someone types https://olddomain.com, the browser has to set up a secure connection before it asks for anything. That requires a valid certificate for olddomain.com.

If the server answering for the old domain can’t present that certificate, the connection fails. The browser never gets far enough to receive the redirect.

This hits domains that once had a website with SSL hardest. Browsers, bookmarks, search results and links all remember the https:// version.

Namecheap’s own documentation is careful here. It says redirecting with a secure connection is only possible to a different destination domain, and that HTTPS redirects between two domains need SSL certificates on both. Results depend on your setup, so always test https:// before you rely on it.

The custom nameservers problem

There’s a second common trap. URL Redirect records only work when Namecheap manages your DNS.

If your domain uses custom nameservers, for example Cloudflare or your old host, Namecheap isn’t answering for your DNS, so its redirect records can’t take effect. Namecheap notes that if you can’t edit host records, third-party nameservers may be the cause.

How to fix it

Option 1: use a redirect service that handles HTTPS. Keep the domain at Namecheap, but point it at a service that issues certificates for the source domain. With Redirect Supply:

1. Add the domain in Redirect Supply.

2. In Namecheap’s Advanced DNS, remove the URL Redirect records and any conflicting A or CNAME records for the same host.

3. Add the records Redirect Supply shows you. Our Namecheap DNS setup guide covers each field.

4. Wait for the domain to show Connected, then create your rules.

Certificates are issued and renewed automatically, so both http:// and https:// redirect.

Option 2: keep hosting for the old domain. You can keep a hosting plan with an SSL certificate just to serve redirects. It works, but you’re paying for a website that no longer exists.

Option 3: move DNS to Cloudflare and use its redirect rules, with the domain proxied so Cloudflare provides the certificate. This works well if you’re already comfortable managing Cloudflare.

How to tell which problem you have

Test the old domain in a private window and note what you see:

• http works, https shows a certificate error: nothing serves a valid certificate for the domain. You need a setup that issues one.

• Neither works, or you see your old host’s page: DNS isn’t pointing where you think. Check the nameservers and for leftover A or CNAME records.

• It works for you, not for others: you may be seeing a cached redirect. Compare with our redirect tester.

Each needs a different fix, so it’s worth spending a minute on this before changing records.

Changing DNS without downtime

Create your rules in Redirect Supply before you touch Namecheap. Then remove the old records and add the new ones in one sitting. The domain may be unavailable for a few minutes while DNS updates, but not for hours.

Don’t forget your email

If you use email on the old domain, keep its MX records when you change DNS. Redirects only replace the web records. Removing MX records by accident is the most common side effect of a DNS clean-up.

Test both versions

Use our redirect tester with the Both option. It runs the chain from http:// and https:// and shows where each one ends.

If you’re deciding between the two, we’ve compared Redirect Supply and Namecheap forwarding in more detail.