Privacy Policy
This policy explains what information LinkCheckNow ("we") handles when you use linkchecknow.com, and the services involved. In short: we don't store the links you check, you don't need an account, and some tools run entirely in your browser.
Links you check
When you use the Link Expander, the link checker on the home page, the Redirect Checker, or the link-checking step of the QR Code Link Checker, the link you submit is sent to our server so it can follow the redirects. Our server then requests that link and each address it redirects to, and reads the beginning of the final page to find its title. Those websites see a visit from our server, not from your device, and they don't receive your IP address.
We don't save the links you check or the results, and we don't build any history of your checks. To prevent abuse we keep a short-lived count of requests per IP address in memory for about one minute; it is not written to storage.
To show how old a website is, our server sends the final website's domain name (for example example.com, not the full link) to the public registration data service rdap.org and the domain's registry.
Please don't check links that contain private information such as password-reset links, one-time login links or links with personal details. Following them could use them up or expose them to the website.
Tools that run in your browser
The URL Cleaner works entirely in your browser. The links you paste are not sent to us unless you press "Check where it goes" on a cleaned link.
The QR Code Link Checker reads images and camera video on your device. Images and video are never uploaded or saved. Camera access starts only when you press "Use camera" and stops when you press "Stop camera" or leave the page. If your browser can't read QR codes by itself, the page loads an open-source QR reading library (jsQR) from the jsDelivr content network. Only the library is downloaded; your image stays on your device. If the code contains a web link, that link is sent to our server to be checked, as described above.
Website hosting and security
LinkCheckNow is hosted on Cloudflare. To deliver and protect the site, Cloudflare processes technical information such as IP addresses, browser details and the pages requested, as described in Cloudflare's privacy policy.
Analytics
We use Cloudflare Web Analytics and Google Analytics to understand how many people visit, which tools and guides they use, and how they found the site. This helps us decide what to improve.
Cloudflare Web Analytics does not use cookies and does not track you across other websites. It records basic visit information such as the page viewed, referring website, country and browser type.
Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technology to collect information such as the pages you view, how long you stay, your approximate location, your device and browser type, and the website that referred you. We also record simple events such as "a link was checked" or "a QR code was read", without the link or code contents. Google processes this information under its own policies; see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. You can opt out of Google Analytics on all websites with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Advertising and cookies
LinkCheckNow may show ads served by Google AdSense to cover its running costs. Advertising code never receives the links you check or the images you scan.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to this site and other sites on the internet. You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, or learn more at aboutads.info. To learn how Google uses information from sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
Where the law requires it, including in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, a consent message will ask for your choice before personalised ads or advertising cookies are used. You can change that choice at any time through the privacy link shown in the consent message.
Fonts
Our fonts are loaded from Google Fonts. Your browser requests them from Google's servers, which receive standard technical information such as your IP address and browser type.
Emailing us
If you email contact@linkchecknow.com, we receive your email address and anything you include. We use it only to reply and to fix problems, and we delete messages we no longer need. We don't sell or share it, and we don't send marketing email.
Children
LinkCheckNow is a general-audience website and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Your choices
You can use every tool without an account, block or delete cookies in your browser settings, opt out of personalised ads and Google Analytics using the links above, and choose not to grant camera access. Using a content blocker may stop analytics and ads; the tools still work.
Changes and contact
We'll update this page if our practices change, and change the date at the top. Questions about privacy? Email contact@linkchecknow.com.