URL Shortener — Create Short Links Free Online

How to Shorten a URL

1. Open the URL shortener.
2. Paste the long URL into the input field.
3. Click Shorten. A short link is generated instantly.
4. Copy the short link and use it anywhere — social media, email, QR codes, print.
5. The short link redirects visitors to your original long URL.

When to Use a URL Shortener

Types of URL Shorteners

How URL Shorteners Work

A URL shortener works through HTTP redirection. When someone clicks a short link:

1. Their browser sends a request to the shortener's server (e.g., pst.li/abc123)
2. The server looks up the short code (abc123) in a database and finds the corresponding long URL
3. The server responds with an HTTP redirect — typically 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary)
4. The browser follows the redirect to the destination URL

The entire process takes milliseconds. The user sees the original destination URL in their browser after the redirect resolves. 301 permanent redirects are cached by browsers; 302 temporary redirects are not. Dynamic URL shorteners use 302 to ensure each click passes through their server for analytics tracking.

URL Shorteners and SEO

A common concern is whether using shortened URLs affects search engine optimisation. Key points:

• Link equity (PageRank): A 301 permanent redirect passes link equity from the short URL to the destination. For SEO purposes, links to short URLs count similarly to direct links. A 302 (temporary) redirect traditionally does not pass full link equity.
• Your own website: Avoid using third-party URL shorteners for internal links or links to your own pages — link directly. Shortened links add an unnecessary redirect hop and depend on a third-party service remaining online.
• External sharing: Shortened links in social media, print, or email have no direct SEO impact — search engines do not typically crawl links from those contexts.
• Indexed content: If a shortened URL appears in indexed content (a page or blog post), the 301 redirect ensures link equity flows through. Use your own domain's short URLs for brand consistency and independence.

Privacy and Security Considerations

Short URLs obscure the destination — users cannot see where a link goes without clicking it or using a URL expander. This raises two concerns:

• Phishing and malware: Malicious actors use URL shorteners to hide phishing URLs or malware download links. Be cautious with short links from untrusted sources — use a URL expander or hover-preview before clicking. Most modern browsers show the destination URL on hover for regular links, but shortener redirects bypass this.
• Click tracking: Commercial URL shorteners track every click — IP address, browser, location, time, referrer. If sharing a link privately, be aware that the shortener service sees analytics on who clicks it.

The PublicSoftTools URL shortener does not collect click analytics — the short link simply redirects without logging visitor data.

URL Shorteners and QR Codes

Short URLs produce simpler QR codes because the encoded data is smaller. A QR code encoding a 200-character URL requires a larger, denser pattern — harder to scan when printed small. A short URL of 20–30 characters produces a cleaner, more scannable code. Combining a short URL with a QR code is ideal for print materials where you want both a typeable link and a scan option. The QR code generator works alongside the URL shortener — shorten first, then generate the QR.

Custom Alias vs. Random Short Codes

Most URL shorteners generate random short codes (e.g., /x7k2m). Some services offer custom aliases:

• Random codes: Guaranteed unique, generated automatically, no memorability
• Custom aliases: /docs, /signup, /promo — meaningful, memorable, shareable verbally. Require checking for availability; potential for guessing by others if you want private links.

For public marketing links, custom aliases increase click-through rates because they signal relevance before clicking. For private or sensitive links, random codes provide more obscurity (though not true privacy — anyone with the link can access it).

Link Rot: The Risk of Shortened URLs

Link rot is when a URL stops working — either because the destination page was removed, or because the URL shortening service shut down. Major URL shortening service closures have caused millions of broken links:

• Google URL Shortener (goo.gl) — shut down 2019; existing links eventually stopped redirecting
• Bit.ly dropped free accounts' historic links in 2023
• Numerous smaller services have closed without notice

For long-term use in published content (books, academic papers, archived web pages), avoid third-party URL shorteners — use direct URLs or your own domain's redirect system. For short-term campaigns, they are entirely appropriate.

Common Questions

Do short URLs expire?

It depends on the service. Free tiers of commercial services (Bit.ly, TinyURL) often keep links active indefinitely but may impose limits on new link creation. The PublicSoftTools URL shortener keeps links active as long as the service runs. For important long-term links, keep the original long URL on record so you can recreate the short link if the service changes. The safest long-term approach is to host redirects on your own domain.

Can I use a URL shortener for affiliate links?

Most affiliate networks and platforms prohibit hiding affiliate links behind URL shorteners, as it obscures the nature of the link to the visitor. Amazon Associates explicitly forbids cloaking affiliate links. Check the terms of service of your affiliate program before shortening affiliate links — many specifically require the destination URL to be visible. Use direct affiliate URLs and disclose them as required.

How many characters does a shortened URL save?

Typical URL shorteners produce codes of 6–10 characters. A short URL like pst.li/abc123 is about 18 characters total. A typical long URL (e.g., a blog post with UTM tracking parameters) can be 100–250 characters. The saving is 80–230 characters — significant for Twitter/X, which has a 280-character limit, or for any character-constrained context.