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Unshorten URL

Unshorten URL

Inspect a suspicious or shortened link before deciding whether to open it.

Unshorten URL helps you inspect a shortened or suspicious link before deciding whether to click it. Links in email, text messages, QR codes, ads, and social posts can hide the real destination or send you through redirects before landing on the final page.

Opening an unknown link can expose you to phishing pages, credential theft, unwanted downloads, malware, or other social engineering risks. This tool follows public redirects from our server and shows the final URL, final domain, HTTPS status, page metadata, screenshot, and redirect path so you can review the destination first.

Unshorten URL

Enter the required values and run the tool to view results.

Preview the final destination of a short or suspicious link before opening it in your browser.

Shortened or suspicious URL Only public http and https URLs are supported. Private, local, and reserved network targets are blocked.

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How to use Unshorten URL

Paste the suspicious or shortened URL and run the tool. Review the final destination, final domain, domain change status, HTTPS status, page title, meta description, destination screenshot, and compact redirect path. If the final domain is unrelated to the message you received, misspelled, unfamiliar, not using HTTPS, or asking for sensitive information, treat the link with caution.

Why suspicious links can be risky

Phishing messages often try to make people click a link by creating urgency, impersonating a trusted company, or claiming there is a problem with an account or payment. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission notes that phishing emails and text messages may try to steal passwords, account numbers, or other personal information, and that some links or attachments may install harmful malware.

Google Safe Browsing similarly classifies unsafe sites as pages that may trick users into sharing passwords or personal information, install malware or unwanted software, or use social engineering. Because shortened URLs and redirect links can obscure the final destination, previewing the destination before opening it is a reasonable safety step.

What this tool can and cannot tell you

This tool can reveal where a link redirects, whether the final host differs from the original host, whether the final URL uses HTTPS, and what the page appears to contain based on public metadata and a screenshot. It does not provide a malware verdict, phishing verdict, reputation score, or guarantee that a page is safe. For high-risk links, combine this preview with browser warnings, endpoint security software, and a dedicated URL reputation service such as Google Safe Browsing.

Reference guidance

For more information, see the FTC guide to recognizing and avoiding phishing scams and Google Safe Browsing guidance on phishing, malware, unwanted software, and social engineering sites.

Before you click

Do not enter passwords, payment details, or personal information unless you are confident the final domain is legitimate. When in doubt, avoid the link and visit the organization directly by typing the known website address into your browser or using a trusted bookmark.