What is the URL Shortener?
The URL Shortener turns a long, ugly link into a short one that is easy to share, type or fit into a character-limited field. Paste your URL, get a short link back, and copy it in one click — no account, no signup form. Long URLs get unwieldy fast once query strings, tracking parameters and deep folder paths pile up; a link shortener trades that mess for a short, memorable string that redirects to the original address when someone opens it.
A short link only works if it resolves the same way for every person who clicks it, on every device, not just the one that created it. That means the mapping between your short code and the original URL has to live somewhere other than your own browser — this is the one tool on this page that is not purely local, and the Security section below explains exactly what that means for your link.
Why use a free url shortener?
One click, no account
Paste a URL and get a short link back immediately. There is no signup form standing between you and a usable link.
Fits anywhere a long URL cannot
Print materials, SMS, verbal instructions and character-limited bio fields all work better with a short string than a URL full of query parameters.
Cleaner than a raw tracking link
Marketing and analytics tools often produce URLs stuffed with UTM parameters. A short link hides that complexity from whoever you're sharing it with.
Copy-ready output
The result is presented ready to copy — no extra formatting or trimming needed before you paste it somewhere else.
How do you use the URL Shortener?
- 1
Paste your long URL
Include the full address, starting with http:// or https://.
- 2
Generate the short link
The tool creates a short code and pairs it with your original URL.
- 3
Copy the short link
One click copies the result to your clipboard, ready to paste into a message, a bio or a printed flyer.
- 4
Share it
Anyone who opens the short link is redirected to your original URL.
How is url shortener calculated?
short code = base62(id)Where:
- id
- A unique reference for the URL you submitted
- base62
- Encoding using the 62 characters A–Z, a–z and 0–9, so the code stays short and URL-safe with no special characters to escape
The simple version
Instead of representing a link with a long random string, most short-link systems assign each URL a reference number and write that number in base 62 rather than base 10 — using letters as well as digits. Base 62 needs far fewer characters to represent the same number than base 10 does, which is why a short code can stay to 6–8 characters even after millions of links have been created.
How accurate is it?
A short link either resolves to the URL you submitted or it does not — there is no approximation involved in redirecting from one address to another.
- Double-check the destination URL before sharing a short link widely. Because the short code hides the real address, a typo in the original URL is not obvious to whoever clicks it.
- A short link depends on the shortening service staying available — unlike a client-side tool where the result lives entirely on your device, a short link only keeps working while the service that issued it is running.
What should you know before using it?
What this tool is, where it runs and what it costs — the facts people usually check before trusting a free tool with their work.
| Detail | URL Shortener |
|---|---|
| Category | GeneratorsOne of 16 tools in this category. |
| Where it runs | Server-side lookup against public dataOnly the address you enter is sent, so the public source can be queried. |
| Price | FreeNo account, no trial, no usage cap, no paid tier. |
| Works offline | No — it needs a live lookup |
| Also known as | link shortener, shorten url, short link generatorOther names people search for this by. |
Which tools relate to the url shortener?
The url shortener is one of 16 generators on this site. These are the ones most often used alongside it — either because they handle the next step in the same job, or because they answer a question this tool raises.
URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode special characters in a URL before shortening it, or decode a short link's expanded form to inspect exactly what it points to.
WhatsApp Link Generator
Build a click-to-chat WhatsApp link with a pre-filled message — a common thing to shorten before sharing.
Text to QR Code
Turn your short link into a scannable QR code for print materials, packaging or a presentation slide.
When should you use a url shortener?
The url shortener queries live public records, so it suits checks where a stale answer would be misleading — during a migration, after a DNS change, or before you commit to a domain. These are the situations people reach for it in most often.
Print and offline materials
Flyers, posters and packaging need a link short enough to type by hand or scan quickly — a full URL with tracking parameters rarely fits.
Social bios and character-limited fields
Profile fields on most platforms cap link length or readability; a short link uses the space more efficiently.
SMS and verbal sharing
A short link is easy to read aloud or retype correctly, unlike a URL with a long random query string.
Cleaning up messy tracking URLs
Wrap a URL full of campaign parameters in something presentable before sending it to someone outside your team.
Frequently asked questions
Is the URL Shortener free?
Do short links expire?
Can I customise the short code?
Is a shortened link safe to click?
Why isn't this tool fully private like your other text tools?
What is the difference between a URL shortener and a QR code?
Is the url shortener safe to use?
Unlike the purely client-side tools on this site, a short link only works if it can redirect anyone who clicks it — on any device, not just the one that created it. That means the mapping has to live on a server rather than in your browser. We do not run our own redirect service, so your link is created by is.gd, or TinyURL if is.gd is unavailable — both long-established free shorteners. Your URL is passed to that service to create the link and is not stored by us. No account is needed and we never ask for personal information. Because anyone holding a short link can follow it, never shorten a URL with a password, session token or personal data in its query string.
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