0 valid URLs. Paste many to get one tag per page.
How to use
01
Inspect a live page (optional)
Paste a URL and click Inspect canonical. The tool reads the page's canonical tags and Link header, follows the canonical target to check its status, and lists each finding as pass, warning or problem.
02
Add URLs and pick clean-up options
Enter one URL per line under Canonical URLs. Tick Force https://, Lowercase the path, Remove tracking parameters or Remove all query parameters, and choose a Trailing slash rule.
03
Choose the output and copy
Pick HTML link tag, HTTP Link header for PDFs and files, or Clean URL list. Press Copy, or CSV to download every URL with its tag and header, then add each one to its page or server config.
Why Canonical Tag Generator
- Checker flags canonicals that redirect, return errors, conflict or chain.
- Bulk mode: one canonical tag per line for every URL you paste.
- Cleans URLs the same way every time: https, lowercase, trailing slash and tracking parameters.
- HTML, HTTP Link header or clean URL list output, plus a CSV download.
Canonical tag vs 301 redirect vs noindex
All three deal with duplicate or unwanted URLs, but they do different jobs. Pick the one that matches what should happen to visitors, not just to search engines.
Do not combine a canonical that points to another URL with noindex on the same page. The two send mixed signals, and Google may drop the target along with the duplicate.
| Method | What visitors see | What search engines do | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| rel=canonical | The duplicate page still loads | Usually index the canonical URL and merge signals into it; it is a hint | Variants must stay reachable, like filter, sort or tracking URLs |
| 301 redirect | They are sent to the new URL | Replace the old URL with the new one | The old page has no reason to exist, such as after a move or merge |
| noindex | The page still loads | Drop the page from results; signals are not passed to another URL | The page should not appear in search, like internal search results |
Common questions
What does the Inspect canonical button actually check?
It reads every rel=canonical tag in the page's HTML and the HTTP Link header. It flags more than one canonical, relative URLs, http on an https page, tracking parameters, an og:url that differs, and noindex on the same page. Then it requests the canonical target and warns if it redirects, returns an error, is set to noindex or declares a different canonical of its own.
Should a canonical URL be absolute or relative?
Absolute. Relative canonicals can be read, but they inherit whatever protocol and host the page was served on, which brings back the http versus https mix-up you were trying to remove. The tool always outputs full URLs.
Can a canonical tag point to a different domain?
Yes. Cross-domain canonicals are valid and Google usually honors them when the content matches. Syndication is the classic case: the republished copy points back to the original so the source keeps the ranking signals.
Is rel canonical a directive Google has to obey?
No, it is a strong hint, not a command. Google can pick a different URL when signals conflict, for example when the canonical target redirects or the pages differ too much. Internal links and sitemap entries that point at the same URL make the hint much harder to ignore.
How many canonical tags can one page carry?
One. If Google finds several rel=canonical elements pointing at different URLs, it may ignore all of them. Check that your theme and SEO plugin are not both adding one before you paste the generated tag.
Does a page without duplicates still need a canonical tag?
It is good practice. A self-referencing canonical protects you from parameters that other systems add later, such as tracking tags or session IDs. Whatever version of the URL gets shared, the tag keeps pointing at the clean one.
How do I add a canonical tag to a PDF?
A PDF has no head, so use an HTTP Link header instead. Choose HTTP Link header under Output and you get a line such as Link: <https://example.com/guide.pdf>; rel="canonical", which your server sends with the file. On Apache that is a Header set line in .htaccess; on Nginx an add_header line.
Which parameters does the canonical tag generator remove as tracking?
Any parameter that starts with utm_, plus gclid, fbclid, msclkid, dclid, yclid, mc_cid, mc_eid, _ga and ref. Other parameters, such as page or color, stay unless you tick Remove all query parameters. Anything after a # is always removed.
Should canonical URLs end with a trailing slash?
Either works, as long as you pick one and use it everywhere: in canonicals, internal links, the sitemap and redirects. Mixing them splits signals between two URLs. The Trailing slash option applies your choice to every URL in the list and leaves file URLs such as .pdf alone when adding slashes.
Why does the canonical checker warn about a canonical chain?
A chain is when page A names page B as canonical, but page B names page C. Google may follow the hint or may ignore it, and the result is hard to predict. Point every duplicate straight at the final URL, the one whose canonical points to itself, and keep internal links and the sitemap on that same URL.