URL Shortener
Shorten long URLs into clean, shareable links with built-in QR codes and click analytics. Perfect for social media posts, email newsletters, print materials, and marketing campaigns.
Why Use URL Shortener?
Long URLs with tracking parameters, UTM tags, and session IDs break in SMS, get truncated in tweets, and look untrustworthy in print. A short URL hides that noise behind a compact link you can speak aloud, print on a flyer, or paste into a character-limited post. The built-in QR code lets you jump from a slide deck or business card straight to a specific web page — no typing required — and the click counter gives you a lightweight read on whether anyone is actually opening the link.
How to Use URL Shortener
- Paste your long URL into the input field.
- Optionally set an expiry date for the short link.
- Click 'Shorten URL' to generate your short link.
- Copy the short URL or scan the QR code to share it.
Worked Examples
Social media post
https://example.com/2026/04/the-very-long-blog-post-slug-about-developer-productivity?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=launch
https://www.devpik.com/u/Ab12Cd — fits easily in a tweet, leaves room for hashtags, and still tracks clicks.
Use this when every character matters.
QR code on printed materials
https://www.yourstore.com/landing-page/spring-2026-promo?ref=in-store-card
A short URL plus a downloadable QR code you can drop onto flyers, posters, or business cards. Customers scan to land on the promo page.
Time-boxed campaign link
Promo page URL with expiry: 7 days
Short link works for the week, then returns a friendly 'expired' page. Useful for limited-time offers where you don't want the link leaking in perpetuity.
About URL Shortener
The URL Shortener transforms long, unwieldy URLs into clean, short links that are easy to share. Each shortened URL comes with an auto-generated QR code for easy mobile sharing. Links can be set to expire after a chosen duration. Perfect for sharing links on social media, in emails, presentations, or anywhere character count matters. The QR code is regenerated client-side from the short URL, so it stays in sync if you rotate the destination. Click tracking on the dashboard shows how many people followed the link and roughly when — useful for measuring whether a social post or newsletter actually drove clicks. Short URLs also avoid breaking when copy-pasted across platforms that auto-truncate or wrap long links, like SMS, slide decks, and print materials.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
Short URL redirects to a 404 on the destination site
The short URL only stores the target address you pasted — if that underlying page has moved or been deleted, visitors will see the destination's 404, not ours. Re-create the short URL pointing at the new canonical address.
QR code won't scan
Low-resolution displays or poor lighting can defeat QR decoders. Download the QR as a PNG from the result panel and ensure you're printing it at least 2cm × 2cm with strong contrast against the background. Avoid embedding the QR over a busy photo.
Click count isn't updating
Click tracking updates on each unique resolve, but heavy caching (corporate proxies, browser prefetching) can fire multiple counts or delay visible updates by a few seconds. Refresh the stats page after opening the link in a private window to verify.
I need to edit the destination after creating the short URL
Short URLs are immutable to protect anyone who has already shared or bookmarked them. Create a new short URL pointing at the updated destination and migrate your references.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do shortened URLs last?
By default, shortened URLs are permanent. You can optionally set an expiry of 1 hour, 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days.
Can I track clicks on my shortened URLs?
Click counts are tracked automatically. The click count is visible when you view the short URL details. This gives you a lightweight sense of engagement without installing analytics on the destination page.
Is there a limit to how many URLs I can shorten?
There are no limits on URL shortening. The service is completely free to use for personal and commercial links.
Can I customize the short URL slug?
Short codes are auto-generated for uniqueness and to keep the service spam-resistant. Custom vanity slugs (like /u/my-campaign) aren't currently supported — if that's a blocker for your use case, let us know via the contact page.
Does the shortener preserve UTM parameters and query strings?
Yes — the full destination URL, including UTM tags, query parameters, and fragments, is preserved on redirect. Your existing campaign tracking will continue to fire as normal.
Are shortened URLs safe to use on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and email?
Short URLs from reputable domains generally pass most anti-spam filters. However, some corporate email gateways rewrite all short URLs and a few platforms down-rank them — if delivery or reach is critical, A/B test with both the short and the full URL.
How does the QR code get generated?
QR codes are generated on-the-fly from the short URL using a client-side encoder. You can download the QR as a PNG and resize or embed it anywhere. The QR resolves to the short link, which then redirects to your destination — so you can update the destination analytics without regenerating the QR.
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