Google’s New Service: Google URL Shortener was originally created to shorten long URLs and make them easier to share. However, it will be fully discontinued on August 25, 2025. Google had announced the shutdown of this service back in 2018, but the old shortened links continued to work until now.
From August 25, 2025, all goo.gl links will stop working and show a 404 error page. Starting August 23, 2024, users will see a warning message when they click on these links, alerting them about the upcoming shutdown.
What Is Google URL Shortener?
Google URL Shortener was a tool that converted long website URLs into short links like goo.gl/xyz123, making them easier to share on social media, in emails, or on websites. The shutdown is due to a continuous decline in traffic on these links, with 99% of goo.gl links showing no activity as of June 2024.
Google Introduces New Service
Tech giant Google has replaced this service with Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL), which act as “smart URLs” that can redirect users to specific locations inside iOS, Android, or web apps. The closure will impact developers and website owners still using old goo.gl links, who must switch to another URL shortener immediately. Google provided a one-year notice last year to allow for the migration of links before the service is permanently disabled.
Update Your Links Before August 2025
In summary, Google URL Shortener is ending due to decreased usage and the availability of more advanced alternatives like Firebase Dynamic Links. Starting August 25, 2025, existing goo.gl links will no longer work, and users will need to update their links to other URL shortening services to avoid broken redirects.
