Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! You can shorten URLs and generate QR codes without creating an account. Creating a free account unlocks link history, real-time analytics, custom aliases, password protection, expiry dates, and your personal dashboard — all permanently free with no subscription required.

Guest users can shorten up to 20 URLs per hour. Registered users have a higher limit of 100 per hour. API users also have 100 calls per hour. These rate limits exist to prevent abuse and ensure fair access for all users. If you need higher limits for a specific use case, contact us.

Any valid HTTP or HTTPS URL is accepted. We automatically block URLs leading to known malware, phishing sites, spam, illegal content, and self-referential links (URLs pointing back to our own domain). Submissions are checked against abuse databases in real time.

Universal ShortLink combines a full-featured link manager, QR code generator, and privacy-focused analytics in one free platform. Unlike many shorteners, we don't sell your click data, we provide granular per-link analytics without requiring a paid plan, and we support advanced features like password protection, expiry dates, and click limits — all free.

No — short links are permanent by default and will keep redirecting indefinitely. You can optionally set a specific expiry date when creating the link if you want it to stop redirecting after a certain date. Expired links show an "expired" page rather than a broken redirect.

In the shortener form, enter your desired keyword in the "Custom alias" field (e.g., "summer-sale" or "product-launch"). Aliases must be 3–20 characters and use only letters, numbers, and hyphens. If your alias is already taken, you'll be prompted to choose another. You need a free account to use custom aliases.

Yes! Enter a password in the "Password" field when creating your link. Anyone who clicks the link will land on a password entry page before being redirected. Passwords are stored using bcrypt hashing — never in plain text. This is great for sharing confidential documents, gated content, or internal resources securely.

Yes — registered users can set a maximum click count when creating or editing a link. Once the limit is reached, the link shows an "unavailable" page to new visitors. This is useful for limited-quantity offers, exclusive access links, or time-limited giveaways.

Yes — from your dashboard you can edit the title, destination URL, expiry date, and max click limit of any link. You can also delete links permanently or temporarily disable them (pausing redirects without deleting). Note: the short code itself (the URL slug) cannot be changed after creation.

Yes! Every short link automatically gets a QR code. Click the QR icon next to any link in your dashboard to view and download it as a PNG. QR codes point to the short URL, meaning if you update the destination URL, the QR code still works without reprinting.

For each link, your analytics dashboard shows: total click count, unique click count, daily clicks over time chart, device type breakdown (mobile/desktop/tablet), browser breakdown (Chrome/Safari/Firefox etc.), operating system, geographic location by country and city, top referral sources, and click timing patterns. Data is filterable by 7, 30, or 90-day ranges.

No. We never store raw IP addresses. IP addresses are immediately converted to an irreversible hash for rate limiting purposes, then discarded. We capture only: approximate location (country/city derived from IP), device type, browser, OS, and referrer URL — all aggregated, never tied to individual identities. We do not share this data with third parties.

Yes. Registered users can export link click data as a CSV file from the analytics dashboard. Exports include click timestamps, countries, device types, browsers, operating systems, and referrer sources. This is useful for importing into Excel, Google Sheets, or your own data analysis tools.

Click data is recorded in real time. Dashboard charts refresh when you reload the page. There is no significant delay between when a click happens and when it appears in your analytics — typically under 1 second of database write latency.

Click "Get Started" at the top of any page. Enter your name, email, and a password — registration takes under 30 seconds. You'll be logged in immediately and taken to your dashboard where you can start creating and managing links.

Click "Forgot password?" on the login page and enter your email address. We'll send you a password reset link valid for 1 hour. Check your spam or junk folder if you don't see the email within a few minutes. The reset link can only be used once.

Go to your dashboard settings and click "Delete Account." This permanently deletes your account, all your short links, and all associated analytics data. This action cannot be undone. All previously created short links will stop working immediately after deletion.

Yes — you can shorten URLs and generate QR codes without signing in. However, you won't be able to track analytics, access link history, edit or delete links, use custom aliases, or set password protection without an account. Creating one is free and takes 30 seconds.