Live & Sharing
Link Shortener
Paste a long link to get a short version with a click counter.
What this is
A link shortener turns a long address into a short one that forwards visitors to the original. For a creator it does two things: a short address fits in speech during a video and can be retyped without error, and its click counter tells you how many people actually followed it — a number invisible if you simply paste a long address into a description.
How it works
Only http and https addresses are accepted. A shortener that forwards other schemes turns every link made with it into a security hole on whatever page follows it, so that refusal is a requirement rather than fussiness. Addresses pointing inside a private network are refused too.
The counter records every time the link is followed, including by software that scans links. The figure is therefore an upper bound rather than a count of people: messaging apps and security tools often open a link first to check it, and each of those checks counts.
A short link forwards without carrying information about the page a visitor came from, and there is no interstitial page or ad in between. Links are kept for a year — long enough for a video that keeps being watched, short enough that forgotten links do not accumulate forever.
How to use it
- Paste your long link It must start with http:// or https://.
- Copy the short version Short enough to say aloud in a video.
- Check the click count Enter the code any time to see how it is doing.
Common questions
- How long does a short link last?
- A link is kept for one year from creation, then stops working. If you are putting it in a video that will be watched for years, use an address you control yourself instead.
- Is the click count the number of people?
- No — it is an upper bound, because every follow counts, including by messaging apps and security tools that inspect a link before opening it. Treat the figure as a comparison between links rather than an exact headcount.
- Why was my link refused?
- Only http and https addresses are accepted, and addresses pointing inside a private network are refused. These limits exist so the service cannot be used to forward people somewhere harmful.
- Is there an interstitial or an ad?
- No — the link forwards straight to its destination with no page in between. Interstitials are the main reason people hesitate over a short link, so there are none here.
Notes
- Links stop working after one year.
- The click count includes automated link scanners, so it is an upper bound.