What does a URL cleaner do?
A link copied from a search result, a social network or an email is often not the real link. Google wraps it in google.com/url?q=…, Facebook in l.facebook.com/l.php?u=…, Outlook in a SafeLinks address, and on top of that it usually carries tracking parameters. The URL cleaner deals with all of that in one pass.
First it unwraps known redirect wrappers to get the real destination: google.com/url?q=, l.facebook.com/l.php?u=, l.instagram.com, Outlook SafeLinks, youtube.com/redirect, LinkedIn redirects, out.reddit.com, VK away.php and the Steam link filter. Then it removes tracking parameters (utm_*, fbclid, gclid, msclkid and the rest of the list used by the UTM remover), deletes empty parameters like ?a=&b=, lowercases the scheme and host and removes a default port such as :443 or :80. YouTube’s and Spotify’s “si” parameter and YouTube’s “feature” parameter are removed only on those sites, where they are trackers.
You can go further with optional settings: sort parameters alphabetically, remove the #fragment, remove the trailing slash, force https or remove www. Each of these is off unless you choose it, because on some sites they change which page loads.
The tool lists every change it made, so nothing happens silently. It runs in your browser and the link is not sent to any server. With ToolStudio Pro you can paste many links, one per line, and clean them all at once.
How to clean a URL
- Paste the link into the box.
- Choose any optional settings: sort parameters, remove fragment, remove trailing slash, force https or remove www.
- Run the cleaner and read the list of changes.
- Copy the clean URL.
When to use it
- Getting the real address out of a link copied from Google search results.
- Unwrapping Outlook SafeLinks before sharing a link from an email.
- Cleaning links shared from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Reddit.
- Normalizing URLs before comparing them or adding them to a spreadsheet.
- Preparing a canonical-looking URL for documentation or a report.
- Cleaning a whole list of links for a content or SEO audit (bulk with Pro).
Redirect wrappers it unwraps
- Google: google.com/url?q=…
- Facebook and Instagram: l.facebook.com/l.php?u=… and l.instagram.com
- Microsoft Outlook SafeLinks
- YouTube: youtube.com/redirect
- LinkedIn redirect links, out.reddit.com, VK away.php and the Steam link filter
URL cleaner or UTM remover?
The UTM remover only takes out UTM parameters and trackers and leaves everything else byte for byte. The URL cleaner does that too, but also unwraps redirect links, removes empty parameters and normalizes the address. Use the UTM remover when you want the smallest possible change; use the cleaner when the link is messy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between this and removing UTM parameters?
Removing UTM parameters changes nothing else in the link. The URL cleaner also unwraps Google, Facebook, Outlook and other redirect links, removes empty parameters, lowercases the host and removes default ports, plus a few optional normalizations.
Can it decode Outlook SafeLinks?
Yes. It extracts the original address from an Outlook SafeLinks URL, then cleans it like any other link.
Does it visit the link to find where it goes?
No. It reads the destination that is written inside the wrapper link. To follow real HTTP redirects, such as a bit.ly short link, use the URL expander or the redirect checker.
Why weren’t the trailing slash or www removed?
Those changes are optional and off by default, because on some sites example.com/page and example.com/page/, or www and non-www, are different addresses. Turn them on if you want them.
Is my link sent to a server?
No. The cleaning happens entirely in your browser.
Can I clean several URLs at once?
Yes, with ToolStudio Pro: paste one link per line and they are all cleaned together. The free try is for one URL, which you can re-run with different options.
How much does Pro cost?
ToolStudio Pro costs €1.99 a month, includes every tool with unlimited use and no ads, and you can cancel anytime.