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Create short & sleek links with these 10 free tools
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Have you ever tried sharing a website link in a text, tweet, or message and wound up with a long, ugly URL? Fortunately, many services make it easy to shorten any URL into an abbreviated URL that you can place into emails, messages, websites, and social media posts. This wikiHow article teaches you the best free options for shortening a URL.
Shortening a URL
- URL shortening services like Bitly, TinyCC, and TinyURL can instantly shorten any URL to something more memorable and easy to share.
- Most URL shorteners allow you to create an account so you can update your destination links and track clicks.
- Several URL shorteners have paid options that allow you to link your domain name to create custom-branded links.
Steps
Section 1 of 11:
Using Bitly
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Create an account at https://bitly.com . Bitly is one of the most popular URL-shortening services. It has an option to create a free account. With a free account, you can create up to 5 shortened URLs per month with basic link history and reporting statistics, including the number of people who click the link. [1] X Research source
- To sign up for a free account, click Get Started for Free , then click Get started below "Free" or the paid option that suits your needs. Follow the prompts to create an account.
- the first time you sign in to Bitly, it will ask you to take a short survey asking you what you use Bitly for, what industry you work in, and what your role is. Use the drop-down menus to answer the questions.
- If you want to create more shortened URLs, link redirects, branded links, and more, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
- Bitly URLs never expire, even with the free plan. [2] X Research source
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Click Create a short URL . It's the first option in the menu at the top of the page. This option lets you create a short URL that starts with "Bit.ly" as the domain.
- Alternatively, you can use Bitly to create a QR code .
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Enter the URL you want to shorten. Open the URL in another tab and copy it. Paste it in the Bitly page in the field labeled "Destination."
- If you're tracking visits to a website using UTM codes , you can click the "Add UTM to track web traffic in analysis tools" to add your UTMs.
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Personalize your URL. Some options are only available to those who have a paid account. You can use the following options to customize the URL:
- Title: You can enter a custom title in the "Title" field.
- Track your URL (Paid only): If you have a paid account and want to track your URL, you can click the toggle switch to add a UTM to the URL to track its performance.
- Branded Domain (Paid only): If you have a paid account, use the drop-down menu to select a branded URL for your shortened URL.
- Custom Back Half: If you want, enter a custom back half to the URL in the box labeled "Custom Black Half." Free accounts can only create five custom back-halfs per month.
- QR Code: Click the toggle switch next to "QR Code" to create a QR code to accompany your shortened URL. Free accounts can create 2 QR codes per month.
- Add to Bitly Page: If you created your own page on Bitly, you can add your shortened URL to your page by clicking the toggle switch next to this option.
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Click Create . It's the blue button in the lower-right corner. This creates a URL and adds it to your list of shortened links.
- Click Copy on the link to copy it to your clipboard. You can then paste the link anywhere.
- You can log back into Bitly at any time to see how many people have clicked the link.
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Section 2 of 11:
Using TinyURL
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Go to https://tinyurl.com in a web browser. TinyURL is a simple free URL creator that doesn't require a sign-up for basic URL shortening. Your links will never expire, even with the free plan.
- Visitors to the shortened URL link will need to click past an ad before they arrive at the destination site, as the free tier is ad-supported.
- If you don't mind signing up for a free account, you can keep track of the links you've created and use the tiny.one or rotf.lol domains instead of just tinyurl.com .
- If you want to track clicks to your links, edit URLs later, and create more personalized links, you can sign up for a premium plan.
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Enter the URL you want to make shorter. Open the destination link you want to shorten in another tab in your web browser. Then copy the link and paste it into the field that says "Enter long link here."
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Customize your short link. If you'd like, you can type an alias into the "alias" (5 characters or more) to customize your link. For example, you can add your name to the "alias" field to create the short link tinyurl.com/(yourname) .
- If you have a paid account, you can click the option to select a different domain.
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Click the green Shorten URL button. This instantly creates a short link that will take users to the longer URL. You can just click Copy to copy the link to your clipboard and paste it anywhere you'd like.
- To copy the link, click Copy . Then, you can paste it into a message instantly.
- To create a QR code for the URL, click QR .
- Click My URLs to view a list of the URLs you have created.
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Section 3 of 11:
Using Rebrandly
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Sign up for a free account at https://rebrandly.com . If you want to create custom short links using your domain name, you'll love Rebrandly. The free version of the tool lets you create up to 500 branded links using your own domain name. You'll get basic statistics, too—up to 5000 clicks tracked per month, and more with a paid upgrade. [3] X Research source
- To sign up for a free account, click Get started for free . Then click Get started below the free option or whichever paid option suits your needs. Follow the prompts to create an account.
- When you create a new account, it will ask you to select if you are using the service for business or personal use and to enter your name and occupation.
- Once you create an account, follow the on-screen instructions to purchase and link your domain name (if you have one). If you do not wish to purchase a domain, click Skip for now .
- Rebrandly links will not expire as long as the destination address remains available. [4] X Research source
- Rebrandly also has a simple Google Chrome extension that makes it quick and easy to create short links on the fly.
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Click New link on your Rebrandly dashboard. It's the white button in the upper-right corner. .
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Enter the URL you want to make shorter. Type or paste the URL into the field. Once your URL is added, additional options will appear.
- If you don't see this option, click the Links tab at the top of the page
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Customize your short link. You can customize the links in the following ways:
- Branded Domain: If you have a paid account, you can register a branded domain. If you have a branded domain, you can use the drop-down menu below this option to select a branded domain. Otherwise, you will need to use the "rebrand.ly" domain.
- Signature Slug: This is the second part of the shortened URL. You can enter your own custom signature slug here or leave it as the default.
- UTM: If you have Google Analytics and want to track your shortened URL, you can click UTM at the end of the destination link. Then, fill out the five fields with your UTM parameters. You can fill out all five fields or leave any blank. Click Done when you are finished.
- Password protect this link: If you want to add a password to the link, click Password protect this link . Then, enter the password you want to use for the link twice to confirm it. This will require users to enter the password to view the link.
- Copy to Clipboard: Click Copy to Clipboard whenever you want to copy the shortened URL.
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Click Create link . It's the white button at the bottom of the window. This creates a shortcut to the URL you've entered and adds it to your list of links.
- You can copy the link and paste it into any message you want to share.
- Return to the Links page at any time to see how many people have clicked your link.
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Section 4 of 11:
Using TinyCC
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Go to https://tiny.cc to create a free shortened URL. You can create a quick shortened link with TinyCC without creating an account. However, without an account, your links will eventually expire. To avoid your short links expiring, you can register for a free account. [5] X Research source
- A free TinyCC account lets you create and edit up to 500 shortened URLs, but you can upgrade to a premium plan for more URLs and features like expanded statistics and custom domain branding.
- To sign up for an account, click Sign Up in the upper-right corner. Enter a username, password, and your email address. Then enter the text in the image and click Start shortening URLs . Then check your email for the confirmation emails.
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Create a short link without an account. If you opt for the no-account version of TinyCC, you can paste the long URL into the field at the top of the screen and choose an optional alias that will go after the "tiny.cc" part of the link. Click Shorten to create your link, then copy the link to your clipboard so you can share it all around the web.
- If you want to track how many people click the link, check the box next to "Log stats for this link" before clicking Shorten .
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Log in to create a link. If you want to be able to manage your links later:
- Create an account and sign in to access your dashboard.
- Click Shorten URLs at the top of the page to create a new link.
- Type or paste a long URL into the field.
- Enter a custom keyword to add to the end of the link (optional).
- Click Shorten it!
- Click Copy to copy the link to your clipboard and share it with the word.
- Return to your dashboard at any time to see how many people clicked the link or change the destination URL.
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Section 6 of 11:
Cuttly
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Create a free account at https://www.cutt.ly . Whether you have your own domain name or want to create quick links at Cutt.ly, a free account gets you an unlimited number of shortened URL links with up to 30 days of analytics per link. [8] X Research source If you want, you can pay to upgrade for additional features.
- Cuttly links never expire. [9] X Research source
- You can create a short link without registering, but you won't be able to edit the link later.
- To create an account, click Sign Up at the top of the page. Then, enter your email address and password twice. Then click Create an account . Once you create an account, you'll arrive at your dashboard, where you can click Add a domain to link one of your existing domain names, or start creating short links using the cutt.ly domain.
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Paste a long URL into the field. You'll see the field at the bottom of your dashboard.
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Click the Shorten button. This instantly creates a shortened version of the link that will take users directly to the longer URL.
- Click the Copy icon (the first icon) below the link to save it to your clipboard and share it anywhere.
- As people click the link, the number next to "clicks" on the link's entry in your dashboard will increase. You can return to this page at any time to check your stats.
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Section 7 of 11:
Using Is.gd
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Go to is.gd in your web browser. Is.gd is a simple free URL shortening service that allows you to access helpful statistics for all your shortened URLs. The domain is nice and short so that you can create some of the shortest possible links using this service. Like other URL shorteners, the links you create with Is.gd will never expire.
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Paste the URL you want to convert. You can right-click or long-press the field at the top of the page and select Paste .
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Customize the short link. Click the Further options/custom URL link below the field to access more options, including the option to create a custom alias (the part of the link after the /), choose a random alias that's all-lowercase or even pronounceable, and whether you want to log stats for the link.
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Click Shorten! to create your short link. Your new short URL will appear in the already highlighted field, making it super easy to copy and paste into a new message, post, or tweet.
- To check your statistics, just add a single hyphen to the end of your shortened URL.
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Section 8 of 11:
Using Short URL
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Go to https://www.shorturl.at/ in any web browser. This super simple URL-shortening service doesn't require you to create an account. You'll be able to create short URLs instantly and track the number of clicks your link receives in real time.
- Although the free service allows you to simply shorten links, create an account, and pay to unlock more features, like custom short links.
- If you create an account, you'll unlock a 5-day free trial. With a paid account, you can access a dashboard that monitors your shortened URLS and their performance. You can also do many other things with your shortened URLs, like get QR codes for them.
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Enter the link you want to shorten and click Shorten URL . This instantly creates a shortened version of the URL that you can share in any app or message.
- Click Copy URL to copy the shortened URL and paste it into a message.
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Click Track the total of clicks to see your stats. Bookmark this page if you want to refer back to your statistics.
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Section 9 of 11:
Sniply.io
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Sign up for Sniply to convert your short links into sales. Sniply is a URL-shortening service geared toward marketing and sales conversion. Not only can you shorten long links, but you can also add a call-to-action overlay to each link to drive conversions. To get started, go to https://sniply.io/ in your browser, click Get Started for Free , and then click Sign up under the plan you want to use.
- Sniply.io no longer offers a free account option. The basic plan starts at $9 per month and includes 250 shortened links.
- If you want to use a custom domain, you'll need a Sniply Pro plan, which allows for 20,000 clicks and 5000 links per month.
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Open your dashboard to customize your brand profile. Once you create an account, you'll be taken right to your dashboard. You can also access your dashboard by visiting snip.ly/dashboard .
- Click Brand Profiles in the left column. You'll see your default brand in the right panel. This info will appear in the call to action on each of your shortened links.
- Click Upload a Photo to upload the image you want to appear on each link, such as your business logo or headshot.
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Paste your long link. To shorten a link, paste it into the "Enter a URL" field at the top of the page.
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Click Create Snip . This button takes you to the Brand selection page.
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Select your brand. With a pro account, you can create multiple brands. For now, just select the brand profile you customized in the left panel.
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Choose how to display your brand information and call to action. The options vary depending on your account type. For free accounts, you can display a button or text link.
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Type your call to action message and other details. Once you choose a display option, you can customize it in the Call to Action panel. For example, if you choose to display a button, you can enter a custom message and custom button text.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat are the benefits of shortening a URL?Anar Kazimov is a Digital Marketing Expert based in Vancouver, Canada. He is the Owner and Marketing Director of Pixel Prodigies, a company created to help business owners achieve more sales by revamping their digital portfolio. He has helped the NIH, IBM, Canadian film studios, Rolex dealerships, and many other firms in their marketing campaigns. He previously had a career in the IT industry and worked at Freelancer.com. He received a BS in Computer Science from the University of Victoria.URL shortening brings about various benefits, mostly in marketing and branding. First, it helps in making links much more attractive and easy to share, mainly in relation to particular social media where character limitations could arise, such as X. They are also much easier to remember and could be customized to include your brand for better recognition and marketing purposes, and certain promotions. Also, the majority of URL shorteners come with analytics that allow you to get an idea of how your links are performing: through hits, geographic information, etc. This gives you an idea of the fine-tuning of marketing strategies and measures of campaign success.
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QuestionIt says it's unable to shorten my URL. Any ideas?AasimTop AnswererAre you using goo.gl? URL shortening on that service was retired a few months ago. You now have to use bit.ly or tinyurl.com.
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Tips
- When using one of these services, remember that you can create an account, track clicks, and update your destination links. That way, you can monitor your URL's activity and engagement.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Another great URL shortener is T.LY. It's a great alternative that allows you to quickly turn a long url into a short link.
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Warnings
- Some people may hesitate to click a link using a URL-shortening service because hackers often use them to cover links to phishing and malware websites. You should always include a message along with the URL explaining where the link goes to. Do not use shortened URLs for websites that require a login.Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about digital marketing, check out our in-depth interview with Anar Kazimov .
References
- ↑ https://bitly.com/pages/pricing
- ↑ https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002288272--Will-the-links-I-create-on-Bitly-ever-expire-
- ↑ https://rebrandly.com/pricing
- ↑ https://support.rebrandly.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003082568-How-Long-Does-a-Rebrandly-Link-Last-
- ↑ https://tiny.cc
- ↑ https://help.twitter.com/en/using-x/url-shortener
- ↑ https://help.twitter.com/en/safety-and-security/phishing-spam-and-malware-links
- ↑ https://cutt.ly/pro-pricing
- ↑ https://cutt.ly/resources/support/
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 381,264 times.
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