Link Shortener

  • Updated on Apr 9, 2025
  • Published on Apr 1, 2025

Overview

With Branch Link Shortener, you can create shortened Web and App Quick Links (with custom QR codes) that work everywhere.

Interface for creating a quick link with options for URL and link details.

Before You Begin

You must set up a custom domain in the Branch Dashboard before you can use Link Shortener features. If you want to create App Quick Links, you must integrate the Branch SDK into your app(s).

Note

For now, you can only configure one custom domain. However, we will add support for multiple custom domains in the future.

Set Up a Custom Domain

Before you can use Link Shortener features, you must set up a custom domain (example link.yourbrand.com) in the Branch Dashboard. Read our Advanced Settings & Changing Link Domain article to learn how.

After you set up your custom domain, you’re ready to create branded Web Quick Links.

Note

You do not need to set up Android App Links (AAL) to use Link Shortener.

Set Up Deep Linking (Optional)

To create App Quick Links using Link Shortener, you must integrate the Branch SDK into your app(s).

Tip

If you don’t want to create App Quick Links to deep link to your app, you can skip this setup.

Read the following articles to learn more:

Create a Web Quick Link

Note

To create a single Web Quick Link using this method, you must have a custom domain set up in the Branch Dashboard.

Step 1: Start Creating Link

Complete the following steps to start creating a link:

  1. In the Branch Dashboard, select the Create button in the top-right corner of the page.

  2. Select Link.

  3. Select Quick Link. The Create Quick Link page will open.

Step 2: Define Your Web Quick Link

Complete the following steps to define your link:

  1. Enter your link title in the Link Title text field. We recommend standardizing your link names to make them easily searchable.

  2. Select Web.

  3. Enter the long URL that you want to shorten in the Destination text field. This is where your Quick Link will redirect to.

    Note

    You must enter a URL that does not have Android App Linking (AAL) set up. If you must use this domain, you can set up a webview in your app to show this page.

  4. (Optional) Enter a custom link alias (slug/back-half) in the Link Alias text field. You won’t be able to change this once you select Create Link.

Step 3: Add Analytics Tags (Optional)

Add analytics tags to your link to sort and compare performance with your other links.

You can add analytics tags in two ways in the Analytics Tags section:

  • Use the drop-downs to select analytics tags that you’ve used in the last 30 days.

  • Enter new analytics tags in the text fields and select Create [ANALYTICS TAG] to create a new tag.

Available Tags

You can add the following analytics tags to your link:

  • Feature: Should describe the action or product where this link is placed. For UTM, this is typically utm_medium.

  • Channel: Should describe the platform or source from which you are expecting users to click this link. For UTM, this is typically utm_source.

  • Campaign: This can very, but it should describe the theme of the link. For UTM, this is typically utm_campaign.

  • Tags: Tags are a free-form list of meaningful labels that can be used as filters in the Quick Links table. Use them to keep your analytics organized.

Note

For a tag from a previous Quick Link to appear in the drop-down list, the previously created Quick Link must be published with at least one click on it.

Step 4: Add Link Data (Optional)

Add any custom link settings, custom analytics tags, or custom redirect logic. You can view custom data options and advanced analytics tag options in our Create Deep Links article.

Advanced Link Configuration for Web Links

Key

Usage

$fallback_url_xx

Change the redirect endpoint for all platforms based on a lower-case Alpha-2 country code. For example, $fallback_url_de="..." would redirect Germany deep link clicks. You should also set $fallback_url to act as the global redirect in addition to the country-specific ones. WARNING: platform specific redirects (like $ios_url or $desktop_url) are set, they will override the country-specific redirect. Thus, the recommendation is to only use $fallback_url_xx for the country specific redirects and $fallback_url to catch all other users.

$exp_date

Expiry date for the content and any associated link data. Represented as UTC epoch milli second. The maximum date this can be set is 31 days in the future.

$desktop_url

Redirect URL for desktop devices - mobile users will default to the app store.

$ios_url

Change the redirect endpoint for iOS App Store page for your app (set in Link Settings).

$ios_url_xx

Change the redirect endpoint for iOS based on a lower-case Alpha-2 country code. For example, $ios_url_de="..." would redirect Germany deep link clicks. You should also set $ios_url to act as the global redirect in addition to the country-specific ones.

$android_url

Change the redirect endpoint for Android Play Store page for your app (set in Link Settings).

$android_url_xx

Change the redirect endpoint for Android based on a lower-case Alpha-2 country code. For example, $android_url_de="..." would redirect Germany deep link clicks. You should also set $android_url to act as the global redirect in addition to the country-specific ones.

$ipad_url

Change the redirect endpoint for iPads $ios_url value

$samsung_url

Redirect to Samsung Galaxy Store on Samsung devices. Only link level control. Format should be http://www.samsungapps.com/appquery/appDetail.as?appId=YOUR.PACKAGE.NAME

$windows_phone_url

Change the redirect endpoint for Windows OS Windows Phone default URL (set in Link Settings).

$blackberry_url

Change the redirect endpoint for Blackberry OS BlackBerry default URL (set in Link Settings).

$fire_url

Change the redirect endpoint for Amazon Fire OS Fire default URL (set in Link Settings).

$ios_wechat_url

Change the redirect endpoint for WeChat on iOS devices $ios_url value.

$android_wechat_url

Change the redirect endpoint for WeChat on Android devices $android_url value.

Step 5: Customize QR Code (Optional)

Interface for customizing a QR code with various design options and settings.

Customize the QR code for this link by selecting the pencil icon above the QR Preview section. Learn more in our Customize QR Codes article.

Select Done to save your customizations.

Step 6: Customize Link Preview (Optional)

Customize the link preview for this link by selecting the pencil icon above the Link Preview section. You can customize the title, description, and background image. This is what your link will look like on social media platforms, messaging apps, and anywhere that supports link previews.

Select Done to save your customizations.

Step 7: Finish Creating Your Link

Select Create Link to finish creating your link.

Create an App Quick Link

Note

To create a single App Quick Link using this method, you must have a custom domain set up in the Branch Dashboard.

Step 1: Start Creating Link

Complete the following steps to start creating a link:

  1. In the Branch Dashboard, select the Create button in the top-right corner of the page.

  2. Select Link.

  3. Select Quick Link. The Create Quick Link page will open.

Step 2: Define Your App Quick Link

Complete the following steps to define your link:

  1. Enter your link title in the Link Title text field. We recommend standardizing your link names to make them easily searchable.

  2. Select App.

  3. Enter the long URL that you want to shorten in the Destination text field. This is where your Quick Link will redirect to.

  4. (Optional) Enter a custom link alias (slug/back-half) in the Link Alias text field. You won’t be able to change this once you select Create Link.

Step 3: Add Analytics Tags (Optional)

Add analytics tags to your link to sort and compare performance with your other links.

You can add analytics tags in two ways in the Analytics Tags section:

  • Use the drop-downs to select analytics tags that you’ve used in the last 30 days.

  • Enter new analytics tags in the text fields and select Create [ANALYTICS TAG] to create a new tag.

Available Tags

You can add the following analytics tags to your link:

  • Feature: Should describe the action or product where this link is placed. For UTM, this is typically utm_medium.

  • Channel: Should describe the platform or source from which you are expecting users to click this link. For UTM, this is typically utm_source.

  • Campaign: This can very, but it should describe the theme of the link. For UTM, this is typically utm_campaign.

  • Tags: Tags are a free-form list of meaningful labels that can be used as filters in the Quick Links table. Use them to keep your analytics organized.

Note

For a tag from a previous Quick Link to appear in the drop-down list, the previously created Quick Link must be published with at least one click on it.

Step 4: Add Redirects (Optional)

To add custom redirects, select the drop-down menu for the platform you want to change and choose a new path.

Add information about what should happen if you app is not installed when the user clicks on the link. We can take the users to the app store, open a web page, or open a Deepview.

Links you create will automatically inherit redirects on iOS, Android, and Desktop based on default settings applied to your account.

You can override those defaults and direct users to specific locations if the app is not installed by adding them in the Redirects section.

Available Redirects

You can add the following redirects to your link:

  • Default Redirect: Set at the account level in your Link Settings. This is typically set to the relevant mobile stores.

  • Web URL: Send users to a specific web page if they don’t have your app to avoid an unexpected flow to the app store.

  • Deepview: Send users to a specific Deepview you created in the Branch Dashboard. Copy the Deepview key and paste it into this text box. This is useful if you want to present the user with a preview of the content before taking them directly to the app store, but should not be set for the Desktop option.

Step 5: Add Link Data (Optional)

Add any custom link settings, custom analytics tags, or custom redirect logic. You can view custom data options and advanced analytics tag options in our Create Deep Links article.

Step 6: Customize QR Code (Optional)

Interface for customizing a QR code with various design options and settings.

Customize the QR code for this link by selecting the pencil icon above the QR Preview section. Learn more in our Customize QR Codes article.

Select Done to save your customizations.

Step 7: Customize Link Preview (Optional)

Customize the link preview for this link by selecting the pencil icon above the Link Preview section. You can customize the title, description, and background image. This is what your link will look like on social media platforms, messaging apps, and anywhere that supports link previews.

Select Done to save your customizations.

Step 8: Finish Creating Your Link

Select Create Link to finish creating your link.

View and Manage Quick Links

You can use LinkHub to manage and view your Quick Links. You can learn more in our LinkHub article. With Link Shortener, you’ll see separate Web Quick Links and App Quick Links tabs.

You can also view Web Quick Links on the Summary page in the Branch Dashboard on the All Data and Quick Links tabs.

FAQ

Can I convert App Quick Links to Web Quick Links and the other way around?

Yes. However, the URL will be modified “/e” will be added to links that are converted from app to web destinations. The other way around, the link will lose the “/e” when changed from web to app. This means that the corresponding QR code will also change to encode the updated URL.