How to Shorten a URL

Shorten any long URL in under 5 seconds — no signup. This guide shows the 3 steps, plus pro tips for custom aliases, QR codes and tracking.

ShortLink is a free URL shortener with custom aliases, instant QR codes and click analytics. Unlike Bitly's free tier (10 links/month), ShortLink is unlimited.

3 steps to shorten a URL

1. Paste your long URL — must start with http:// or https://. Works for blog posts, product pages, YouTube videos, affiliate links, docs — any public URL. We block private IPs and javascript: URIs for safety.
2. Add a custom alias (optional) — 3–30 characters, letters/numbers/-/_, e.g. /my-brand. Leave blank for an auto-generated code. Aliases must be unique; we return an error if taken.
3. Click Shorten — copy your short link, download the QR code and view analytics at /stats/[code].

Why use a custom alias instead of a random code?

Branded aliases like /summer-sale are memorable, trustworthy and get up to 39% more clicks than random codes. They also reinforce your brand every time someone shares the link. See our deep dive on branded short links.

Tracking: what we log (and what we don't)

We log timestamp, anonymized IP hash (SHA-256 with salt), country via x-vercel-ip-country, device (mobile/desktop) and referrer. Bots are filtered via bot|crawler|spider detection. No fingerprinting, no ad cookies. Details in privacy policy.

SEO: 301 vs 308 redirects

We use 308 Permanent Redirect — the modern equivalent of 301 that preserves the request method and passes link equity. Short links do not harm rankings; they improve CTR and sharing. Learn more in are short links bad for SEO?

FAQ

Do I need to sign up?

No. Shorten as guest, unlimited. Sign in only to manage links in the dashboard.

Do links expire?

No — never, unless you set an expiry. Expired links return 410 Gone.

Can I shorten bulk URLs?

Via the API — see bulk shortener & API docs. The homepage is for one-at-a-time.

How do I get a QR code?

Every short link gets one instantly — see QR code generator.