Free tool
Unshorten a URL
Short links hide where they go. Paste a bit.ly, t.co, tinyurl, goo.su or any other shortened link below and we will follow every redirect on our server and show you the final address – without you having to open it.
Public http/https only. Private networks blocked. Never enter passwords in the sandbox. How it works
Why expand a short link first
URL shorteners are useful for sharing, but they also remove the one thing that helps you judge a link: its domain. Scammers rely on that. A short link in a text message can lead to a fake parcel-tracking site, a lookalike bank page or a download you did not want, and you cannot tell from bit.ly/3xYz which one it is.
Expanding the link shows you the full chain: the short link, any intermediate tracking or redirect services, and the final page address. If the destination is a domain you recognise, good. If it is a random domain, a misspelled brand or a long string of characters, do not open it.
How our unshortener works
“Just show where a short link goes” mode is selected in the form below. We request the link from our server – never from your device – and follow HTTP redirects one hop at a time, up to a safe limit. Private and internal network addresses are blocked, so the tool cannot be used to reach systems it should not. You see each hop and the final URL.
Unshortening is quick because it does not render the page. If the final address looks unfamiliar, run a full Safety check on it: that adds Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal (70+ security vendors), domain age, lookalike-domain tests, the HTTPS certificate, fake-login detection and a screenshot from an isolated browser. Some links only redirect with JavaScript after the page loads; the full check catches those because it uses a real headless browser.
Common shorteners and what to watch for
We follow links from all the usual services – bit.ly, t.co (X/Twitter), tinyurl.com, ow.ly, is.gd, buff.ly, rebrand.ly, cutt.ly and many more – as well as marketing redirects in newsletters. Be extra careful when a short link arrives with urgency (“your account will be closed”), comes from a number you do not know, or claims to be from a company that normally sends you to its own domain. Learn more in our guide to short links.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to unshorten a link here?
Yes. The short link is requested by our server, not your browser, so nothing from the destination loads on your device.
Does unshortening tell me whether the link is safe?
Not by itself – it shows where the link goes. For a safety verdict, choose Safety check, which adds Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal and our phishing heuristics.
Which URL shorteners are supported?
Any shortener that uses standard HTTP redirects, including bit.ly, t.co, tinyurl, ow.ly, is.gd, cutt.ly and custom branded short domains.
Why does the final URL sometimes look like a tracking link?
Some links pass through advertising or email-tracking services before reaching the real page. We show each hop so you can see the whole chain.