Google to phase out URL shortener service in 2025
What's the story
Google has officially announced that its URL Shortener service will cease operations after August 25, 2025. The discontinuation of the service will significantly affect developers who have been using links created with this tool, specifically those in the form https://goo.gl/*. After the shutdown date, these URLs will no longer return a response, becoming unusable. It is important to note that the tech giant already stopped accepting new URLs for shortening in 2018.
Transition phase
Interstitial page: A temporary solution for transition
From August 23, 2024, users clicking on goo.gl links will be directed to an interstitial page for a portion of existing links. This page will inform users that the link will no longer be supported after August 25, 2025. Over time, an increasing number of links will display this interstitial page until the shutdown date. This temporary solution is designed to assist developers in tracking and adjusting any affected links due to this change.
Developer concerns
Potential disruptions and solutions for developers
The introduction of the interstitial page may disrupt the current flow of goo.gl links. For instance, if developers are using other 302 redirects, this page could prevent the redirect flow from completing correctly. Additionally, social metadata embedded in destination pages may no longer appear where the initial link is displayed. To mitigate these disruptions, developers can suppress the interstitial page by adding the query parameter "si=1" to existing goo.gl links.