Guide · Trust and privacy
A short link says it has expired: what happened and what to do
An expired link is not broken; it reached the end of a lifetime set when it was made. This guide explains why it happens and what the creator and the visitor can do.
What the page means
The page appears when a link has passed its end date. Free links last a week and premium links a year; this one’s time is up.
Nothing is wrong with the link or the destination. The service gives every link an end date because nothing here lasts for ever.
If you are the visitor
- Ask whoever sent the link for the current address; they may have made a newer one.
- Do not try to guess a replacement by changing characters in the code. Codes are random, and a guess is more likely to reach someone else’s link than the one you wanted.
- If the sender cannot be reached, search for the destination by name rather than through another shortener.
An expired link cannot be revived, and its code is never issued again, so an old link can never start leading somewhere its creator did not choose.
If you are the creator
Shorten the destination again. For a link that must last, use a premium link, which lasts a year and can be renewed before it ends. Write the end date in a calendar.
An expired link leaves only a marker that keeps its code from being reused. That is in keeping with GDPR Article 5(1)(e), which asks that data permitting identification be kept no longer than necessary for the purposes of processing.
Questions
Why does a short link expire?
Every link has an end date: a week for free links, a year for premium ones.
Can an expired short link be restored?
No. It cannot be revived and its code is not issued again. Make a new link.
Can I guess a new code for an expired link?
No. Codes are random; a guess is more likely to reach someone else’s link.
Sources
The documents this guide's statements rest on. Each link opens in a new page.