This guide explains how to configure an automatic web page redirect using an HTML meta refresh tag. This method automatically redirects visitors from your current web page location to a specified destination URL.
HTML Redirect Template
To set up an automatic redirect, create or edit an index.html file in your web directory and insert the following HTML code:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="REFRESH" content="0;URL=http://www.cs.stonybrook.edu">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<title>Page Redirect</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>You will be redirected to another location. If you are not redirected automatically, <a href="http://www.cs.stonybrook.edu">click here</a>.</p>
</body>
</html>
Configuration Parameters
The redirection behavior is controlled by the content attribute within the <meta http-equiv="REFRESH"> element:
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Parameter Component
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Description & Usage
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Delay Time (e.g., 0)
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Specifies the number of seconds to wait before redirecting. Setting this to 0 redirects the user immediately upon page load.
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Target Destination (URL=...)
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Defines the destination web address. Replace http://www.cs.stonybrook.edu with your intended full URL (including http:// or https://).
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Accessibility & Compliance Best Practices
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Include a Fallback Link: Always provide a visible hyperlink in the document body. This allows users to manually navigate if automatic redirection is disabled in their browser.
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Assistive Technology Support: Providing text feedback within the body ensures users utilizing screen readers are informed of the navigation event.