Remove tracking from links
Paste a link, or a whole message full of them, and get it back without utm_source, fbclid, gclid and the rest. Parameters a link needs, like a search or a video's start time, are kept exactly as they were.
- Instant
- No signup
- Nothing uploaded
How to remove tracking from a link
- Copy the link, or the text containing links, with
⌘C. - Paste it into the box with
⌘V. - The cleaned version appears straight away, with the trackers that were removed listed under it.
- Click Copy clean links and share them.
Which tracking parameters it removes
| Parameter | Added by |
|---|---|
utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and every other utm_ | Newsletters, marketing emails and campaigns |
fbclid | Links opened from Facebook |
gclid, dclid, gbraid, wbraid | Google Ads |
msclkid | Microsoft Ads |
igshid, igsh | Instagram shares |
si | YouTube, Spotify and Instagram share links (kept on other sites, where it can mean something) |
twclid, ttclid, li_fat_id, yclid | X, TikTok, LinkedIn and Yandex ads |
mc_eid, mc_cid, _hsenc, _hsmi, mkt_tok | Mailchimp, HubSpot and Marketo emails |
_ga, _gl, ref_src, ref_url, vero_id, oly_anon_id, oly_enc_id | Analytics and other email tools |
Only known trackers go. Parameters such as ref or source are left alone, because some sites need them to show the right page.
Why remove tracking from links
- Privacy. Trackers tell the site, and sometimes the person you share with, where the link came from and which email or ad you clicked.
- Shorter links. A clean link fits in a message without a wall of
&utm_…. - Fairer sharing. Your friends' clicks aren't counted as part of a campaign aimed at you.
Our guide to removing tracking from links on a Mac covers doing it by hand in Safari and Chrome, and automatically.
Questions
What is utm_source in a link?
A tag added by marketing emails and campaigns that tells the website where your click came from. It doesn't change the page you see, so removing it is safe.
What is fbclid, and is it safe to remove?
Facebook adds fbclid to links you open from it, so sites can tie your visit to Facebook's ad tracking. Removing it never changes the page.
Will cleaning a link break it?
No. Only known tracking parameters are removed. Everything else in the link, such as a search query, a product ID or a video's t= start time, stays byte for byte, in the same order.
Can I clean many links at once?
Yes. Paste a whole email, document or list. Every web link in it is cleaned and the rest of the text is kept as it was.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. The cleaning runs in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent, stored or logged.
Can links be cleaned automatically when I copy them?
Yes, with Maclip. It strips trackers from links on your clipboard as you copy them, so ⌘V already pastes the clean link. See remove link tracking.
Keep reading
- GuideHow to remove tracking from links you copy on a MacWhat utm_source, fbclid and gclid in a link are, how to share links without them on a Mac, and how to strip them automatically every time you copy.
- PrivacyLinks are cleaned of tracking when you copy themMaclip strips utm_source, fbclid, gclid and other trackers from links you copy, so what you paste is clean.
- GuideIs a clipboard manager safe?A clipboard manager records everything you copy, including passwords and codes. What that means, which protections to look for, and how Maclip handles it.
- GuideHow to clear the clipboard on a MacClear what's on your Mac's clipboard in a second, from Terminal or without it, and how to clear clipboard history in a clipboard manager.