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How Do I Make Short URLs on Twitter?

With t.co, Twitter automatically shortens URLs to 23 characters

By Susan Gunelius Susan Gunelius Writer Western Governors University Fairfield University Former Lifewire writer Susan Gunelius is a marketing communications specialist who writes about branding through blogs. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 4, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest Twitter Snapchat Instagram YouTube Online Dating Twitter automatically shortens URLs posted to Twitter, so there's no need to use outside link shorteners like Bitly, unless you're looking for precise data related to the shortened URL.

Twitter and T co

Twitter limits tweets to fewer than 280 characters. In the past, users relied on link-shortening websites to shorten URLs before posting to Twitter. These ensured that URLs did not take up much space within a tweet. Before long, Twitter introduced its own link shortener—t.co—to minimize character counts. Shekhar_Sahu / Flikr When you paste a URL into the tweet field in Twitter, it is altered by the t.co service to 23 characters, no matter the length of the original URL. Even if the URL is fewer than 23 characters, it will still count as 23 characters. You cannot opt-out of the t.co link shortening service, because Twitter uses it to gather information about how many times a link is clicked. Twitter also protects users with its t.co service by checking converted links against a list of possibly dangerous websites. When a site appears on the list, users see a warning before they can proceed.

Using a URL Shortener Like Bitly With Twitter

Bitly and a few other URL-shortening websites differ from other link-shortening websites, in that they provide analytics related to the shortened links. When you use the Bitly website, for example, you enter a URL and click the Shorten button to receive a shortened link that is fewer than 23 characters. You can use that link on Twitter, but the t.co service still counts it as 23 characters. There is no advantage on Twitter to using links shortened by other services. They all register as the same length. The only reason to go to a link-shortener first is to take advantage of the information it keeps on the shortened URL. That information about the number of clicks the shortened link receives, the geographic locations of users who click the link, and any referring websites are still available at Bitly and other similar websites, but you need to set up an account to access it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How Screenshots Became the Default Way to Share and Save Everything The Top 6 URL Shorteners to Shorten Long Links How to Insert a Link in an Email With Mac OS X Mail How to Test a Suspicious Link Without Clicking It How to Use URL Shorteners With Permanent Redirects How to Link to a Specific Part in a YouTube Video How to Schedule Tweets on Twitter Using TweetDeck Best URL Shortener Websites for Twitter or Other Uses How to Save Twitter Videos on iOS, Android, and Windows How to Find Twitter Hashtags to Amplify Your Tweets How to Fix the 400 Bad Request Error How to Fix a 404 Page Not Found Error What Is a 401 Unauthorized Error and How Do You Fix It? How to Add a Hyperlink in a Google Doc How to Copy a Link in iOS Mail How to Prevent Strangers From Following You on Twitter Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies