Is this link safe? Free link safety checker
Paste a link and see whether it looks safe, with the reasons: lookalike letters, IP addresses, hidden @ tricks, short links and scam words. It never opens the link.
This check does not visit the link. It reads the address on this device and never opens it, fetches it or sends it anywhere.
How this check works
The address is read on your device with fixed rules: lookalike and international letters (punycode), bare IP addresses, the @ trick that hides the real site, plain http, short links that hide the destination, long chains of names in front of the site, scam words in the name, risky endings, and links that run code (javascript: and data:). It is a quick heuristic check, not a guarantee. It cannot see the page itself or know a site is new.
More checks
- Got the link as a QR code? Use the QR code safety checker on a photo of it.
- An aqr.li link that misbehaves can be reported here.
- How short links are kept safe, and when to trust one: read the AriaQR blog.
Paste the link you were sent, or copied from a message or a code.
The address is checked on your device against the tricks scam links use. It is never opened.
Read the verdict and the reasons, and decide before you tap.
Questions
Does the checker open or visit the link?+
No. It reads the address as text on your device. Nothing is fetched, opened or sent to a server, so checking a bad link here cannot harm your phone or computer.
What does it look for?+
Lookalike and international letters that copy a brand name, bare IP addresses, the @ trick that hides the real site, plain http, short links that hide where you land, long chains of names in front of the site, scam words such as login or verify in the name, risky endings, and links that run code.
If it says the link looks fine, is it safe?+
It means the address shows none of the known tricks. It cannot see the page itself, so a new scam site with a clean name can pass. Never type a password or card number on a page you reached from a link you did not expect.
Why does a short link get a "be careful"?+
A short link hides the address you end up on, so nothing about it can be checked. Use the shortener's preview page if it has one, then check the full address here.
What should I do with an aqr.li link that leads to a scam?+
Report it on the AriaQR report page. Every aqr.li destination is checked against Google Safe Browsing when it is made and regularly after, and reported links are reviewed.
Can I check a QR code instead of a link?+
Yes. The QR code safety checker reads a photo or screenshot of the code on your device and gives the same kind of verdict.
More free tools
The next step
Make the code the artwork.
These tools make and check classic codes. AriaQR turns your photo, logo or illustration into the code itself, verified on real decoders before you download, with a link you can edit and track.
