URL Unshortener
Follow a shortened link and see its final destination.
Looks up live data What you enter is sent to our server to fetch live results from public sources. Results are cached briefly. A Cloudflare Turnstile bot check runs when you press the button (it loads a script from challenges.cloudflare.com and may show a short challenge).
A Cloudflare Turnstile bot check runs when you press the button (it loads a script from challenges.cloudflare.com and may show a short challenge).
Report a problem with this tool
About this tool
Enter a shortened link and our server requests it, follows the redirects and reports the original URL, the final URL, the final status code and whether the address changed. Only the destination is shown, not each hop in the chain. Because the final page is actually requested by our server, not your device, you are not exposed to it, though the tool does not rate the destination's safety. Redirects done with JavaScript, or short links behind a confirmation page, may not resolve. Internal addresses and unusual ports are refused. Results are not cached.
How to use it
- Paste the short link.
- Press Unshorten.
- Read the final URL.
- Check that it is a site you trust before visiting.
How short links work
A link shortener stores a short code and the long address it stands for. When someone opens the short link, the service answers with an HTTP redirect (usually status 301 or 302) and a Location header that points to the long address. The browser then loads that address.
Unshortening means making the same request and reading where the redirects end, without opening the page in your own browser. Some short links point to another short link or a tracking address, so the real destination can sit several redirects away.
Reading the result
- Final URL
- The address the redirects stopped at. This is the page you would land on.
- Status 200
- The final page answered normally.
- Status 404 or 410
- The destination is missing or removed. The short link may still work, but the page behind it is gone.
- Status 403 or 429
- The destination refused or limited our server. This is often bot protection, not a sign that the link is bad.
- Too many redirects
- The chain is longer than the tool follows (the first request plus 3 redirects). Use Redirect Checker to see the hops one by one.
- Final URL equals the original
- The link did not send an HTTP redirect. It may use JavaScript or a preview page instead.
Before you click the final URL
- Read the domain name from right to left and check it is the site you expect, not a lookalike with swapped letters or extra words.
- Be careful with links that end in a file to download, such as .exe, .apk or .zip.
- Long query strings after a ? often hold tracking codes such as utm_source. You can usually remove them and the page still opens.
- If the link came from someone you do not know, the tool only shows where it goes. It does not check the site for malware or phishing.
Common problems
- Final URL equals the original
- The link did not redirect, or it redirects through JavaScript or a meta refresh, which is not followed.
- Request fails
- Some services block automated requests, or the link is expired or private.
- I need every hop
- This tool shows only the final destination; a redirect checker shows the chain.
Frequently asked questions
Does the person who made the short link see that I checked it?
The shortening service sees a request from our server, not from your device or IP address. It may still count that request as a click, since it cannot tell the difference.
How many redirects does the unshortener follow?
Up to 3 redirects after the first request, with a 12 second time limit in total. Every hop is checked so internal addresses and non-standard ports are never fetched.
Can I unshorten a link without http:// in front?
Yes. If you paste something like bit.ly/abc, the tool adds https:// before requesting it.