SafeShare Help
Help when something is unclear.
Short answers about links, tracking parameters and the limits of cleaning.
SafeShare shows what was removed, what remains and why.
Quick help
If something does not work as expected, it is often caused by a small, easy-to-solve issue.
Link is not recognized
- Paste the full URL, ideally with
https://. - Remove spaces before or after the link.
- If you copied it from a message, try to keep only the actual link.
Nothing was removed
- Check whether the link contains parameters at all, meaning a
?part. - Keep in mind that not every parameter is tracking.
- If the link contains functionally necessary values, the result may intentionally stay very similar.
The page does not open properly
- Reload the page.
- If needed, try another browser.
- If necessary, briefly check extensions or content blockers.
What SafeShare does — and what it does not
What SafeShare does
- remove typical tracking additions from links
- clean links according to the chosen logic as Clean link or Clean link + partner
- clean links locally in the browser — without upload
What SafeShare does not promise
- no invisibility on the internet
- no guarantee that every cleaned link will become shorter
- no removal of functionally necessary values at any cost
SafeShare is a tool for cleaner sharing and more deliberate link control — not a magic stealth mode.
Link help
Understand link extras
All help articles are sorted by topic. Open the area that matches your question.
Understand links6 guides
What are the parts of a URL?
Protocol, domain, path, query string and fragment explained with an example.
Why are some links so long?
What makes copied links longer and what you should check before removing anything.
What is a URL parameter?
Name-value pairs after the question mark — and why you should not delete parameters blindly.
What is a redirect?
Why links forward to other addresses and where local checking has limits.
What does cleaning a link mean?
Remove unnecessary extras, keep the destination and deliberately keep functional parts.
Clean, shorten or measure links?
The differences between cleaning, short links, management and campaign measurement.
Recognise tracking parameters41 guides
What is a tracking parameter?
Which extra information can be attached to URLs and why it is often unnecessary when sharing.
Remove UTM parameters
Why UTM parameters are used and when you can remove them before sharing a link.
What is a click ID?
How click IDs connect a click to a campaign and when they are not needed in a shared link.
What is fbclid?
Why Facebook or Meta links can contain a fbclid addition.
What is gclid?
What Google click IDs mean and why they are usually not needed when sharing.
What is tracking noise?
How unnecessary URL extras can contribute to digital traces.
Small data traces
Why small additions can have big consequences and data minimisation starts with links.
What is msclkid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is ttclid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is igshid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is yclid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is dclid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What are wbraid and gbraid?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is si in a YouTube link?
Understand this link addition before sharing.
What is mc_cid?
Understand this campaign or mail-related link addition.
What is utm_content?
Understand this campaign or mail-related link addition.
What is utm_term?
Understand this campaign or mail-related link addition.
Why do newsletter links look cryptic?
Understand this campaign or mail-related link addition.
What does campaign tracking mean?
Understand this campaign or mail-related link addition.
What does the question mark mean in a URL?
Understand this URL component.
What does the ampersand mean in a URL?
Understand this URL component.
What does the hash mean in a URL?
Understand this URL component.
What is a query string?
Understand this URL component.
What is URL encoding?
Understand this URL component.
What does %20 mean in a URL?
Understand this URL component.
What is a subdomain?
Understand this URL component.
What is a URL path?
Understand this URL component.
What does ref mean in a link?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
What is the Amazon tag parameter?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
Why does my copied link look different?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
Why do shops add codes to links?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
Why do shortened links stop working?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
Why does Google redirect through an intermediate link?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
What is an affiliate link?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
What is a short link?
Understand this redirect, short-link or shopping context.
How can a link reveal where you came from?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
Why does SafeShare keep some parameters?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
What does locally in the browser mean?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
What is a link cleaner?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
When should you not clean a link?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
Does a link cleaner make you anonymous?
Put this trust-related link question into context.
Clean and share links4 guides
Email link cleaning
Check newsletter and email links for unnecessary tracking and campaign extras.
Messenger link cleaning
Forward links in chats more cleanly and consciously.
Social link cleaning
Recognise click IDs, share extras and campaign parameters in social links.
Privacy when sharing links
Understand which extra information can travel with links when you share them.
Platforms and special cases2 guides
Images: understand and clean1 guide
Use SafeShare6 guides
Link cleaning rules
Which values SafeShare recognises, removes or deliberately keeps.
URL cleaner comparison
What to look for in link cleaners: local, transparent and careful.
Changelog & test stand
Documented changes, test stands and understandable test cases.
What is a link audit?
What a clear link review makes visible.
What SafeShare can and cannot do
Put features and limits into context.
What a SafeShare audit report shows
Understand detected components and decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What does SafeShare remove?
SafeShare removes typical tracking parameters such as utm_*, gclid, and fbclid. Depending on the chosen logic, partner or affiliate values and coupon codes may also be removed or deliberately kept.
Why do some parameters sometimes stay in the link?
Not every parameter is tracking. Some values are functionally necessary, for example for language, product ID, search, filters, or page state. Others may deliberately stay in the link depending on the chosen logic, such as partner values.
Are my links stored or uploaded?
No. Cleaning runs directly locally in the browser. Entered links are not stored by SafeShare and are not uploaded to third parties.
Does SafeShare work on mobile too?
Yes. SafeShare works directly in the browser on smartphone, tablet, and desktop.
Does SafeShare make me invisible on the internet?
No. There is no such thing as being invisible on the web. SafeShare reduces one specific part of the data trail: tracking additions in shared URLs.
Why is a result sometimes almost identical to the original?
Because some links either contain very little tracking or because the existing values are functionally necessary. SafeShare is meant to make links cleaner, but not to simplify them so aggressively that they break.
Understand more
Review links consciously before sending a newsletter
If you do not just want to clean links quickly, but understand and document them before sending, SafeShare Link Review is the right next step.
Your newsletter tool checks whether the link works.
SafeShare Link Review shows you what is inside the link.
SafeShare Link Review shows you what is inside the link.
Contact
Your question is not listed here or something behaves unexpectedly? Then write directly.