Add a + to the end of any URLVanish link. urlvanish.com/abc12345 opens it; urlvanish.com/abc12345+ shows you where it goes instead. Or paste the link into the box below. Either way, checking does not count as a click and will not use up a single-use link.
Check a link now
The + shortcut
You do not need this page. Every URLVanish link previews itself if you add one character:
urlvanish.com/abc12345
Opens the link and sends you straight to the destination. This is the normal behaviour — no interstitial, no countdown, no ad page.
urlvanish.com/abc12345+
Shows you the destination, the click count and any password or expiry, without opening anything. Costs the link nothing.
It is the same convention bit.ly and TinyURL use, so the habit transfers. Pass it on to anyone you send a link to — it works for them whether or not they have an account.
Why short links deserve a check
A normal web address tells you a lot before you click: the brand, whether it is a login page, whether it is a PDF. A short link tells you none of that. That is genuinely useful when you want a tidy link, and it is exactly why short links show up in phishing messages.
Shortening does not make a destination safe or unsafe — it only hides it. A short link to a malicious page is dangerous; a short link to your bank is not. The risk is the uncertainty, and checking removes it.
What to look for once you can see the destination
- A domain that nearly matches a real one.
paypa1.com,micros0ft-login.com, or a real brand name buried in a subdomain such asapple.com.verify-account.xyz— the real domain is always the part immediately before the first single slash. - A login page you did not ask for. If a link you were not expecting lands on a sign-in form, treat it as hostile and navigate to the service yourself.
- A file download. A destination ending in
.exe,.apk,.scror.zipthat you were not expecting. - Plain
http://. Not automatically malicious, but nothing you send it is private. - A destination that is itself another shortener. Chained redirects are a way of hiding the real endpoint from checks like this one.
Links from other shorteners
This checker resolves URLVanish links only. We deliberately do not fetch other people’s links on your behalf: that would mean our server making arbitrary outbound requests for anyone who asks, which is a well-known way to get a service abused.
Most shorteners offer the same trick natively:
| Shortener | How to preview |
|---|---|
| URLVanish | Add + — urlvanish.com/abc12345+ |
| Bitly | Add + — bit.ly/xxxx+ |
| TinyURL | Add preview. before the domain |
| Anything else | Right-click, copy the link, and inspect it before opening |
Frequently asked questions
Does checking a link count as a click?
No. A preview does not increment the counter and does not consume a single-use link. You can check a one-time link and still open it afterwards.
Why can I not see the destination of some links?
Password-protected links deliberately withhold it — showing the destination in a preview would make the password pointless. Suspended and expired links also withhold it.
Does URLVanish show an interstitial before redirecting?
No. Normal links redirect immediately with no ad page, no countdown and no warning screen. The preview is opt-in, which is why it needs the +.
Is a shortened URL safe?
It is exactly as safe as the page it leads to. Shortening changes what you can see, not what is there. That is why being able to look first matters.
Can I check a link someone else created?
Yes. The preview works on any URLVanish link regardless of who made it, and needs no account.