Remove the tracking tags from a link before you share or open it, and see which website it really leads to. The link is only read, never visited.
Paste a link above. Results appear as you type.
https://. The website is the part just before it.example.com. Everything to the left is a subdomain the owner chose, so paypal.com.account-verify.co belongs to account-verify.co.@ is ignored by your browser. https://[email protected] goes to the number, not Google.Tags added to the end of a link, such as utm_source or fbclid, that tell a website and its advertisers where you came from. Some are unique to you, so they can link your visit to a specific email, ad or account.
Almost never. Tracking tags are not needed to load the page. If a cleaned link does not work, untick the parameter you want to keep, or use the original.
No. It only reads the text of the link in your browser, so checking a suspicious link cannot trigger anything. That also means it cannot expand shortened links such as bit.ly; it offers the shortener's own preview page instead, which you can open if you choose.
It flags common tricks: lookalike letters, brand names placed in front of another domain, hidden redirects and raw IP addresses. A link with no warnings can still be harmful, so treat unexpected links with care and go to important sites by typing their address yourself.