Guide1 min readUpdated June 29, 2026
How to remove tracking parameters from URLs
Short answer
Many shared links carry tracking parameters such as utm_source, fbclid, or gclid. They are not needed to reach the page, so removing them gives a shorter, cleaner link that shares less about where you came from.
What those extra parameters are
The clutter after the ? in a shared link is usually tracking. It tells analytics and ad platforms how you arrived, but it is not required to open the page. The page loads the same with or without it.
utm_source,utm_medium,utm_campaign— campaign analytics tagsfbclid— a Facebook click identifiergclid— a Google Ads click identifierref,mc_cid, and similar — various referral and email trackers
Why strip themA cleaned link is shorter, looks trustworthy, and shares less about your browsing path when you forward it to someone else.
Try it: URL CleanerRemove tracking parameters from a link locally and copy the clean URL.Open tool
Keep the parameters that matter
Not every query parameter is tracking. Some, like a product id or a search term, are needed for the page to work. Remove the known trackers and keep the functional ones. See The anatomy of a URL.