Google backtracks: Some links with URL shortener goo.gl remain functional
Actually goo.gl was supposed to be shut down completely at the end of August. But now comes the U-turn. According to Google, some short links continue working.
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Google had planned to shut down its own URL shortener for good at the end of August 2025, meaning that Internet addresses abbreviated with goo.gl will no longer work. However, around three weeks before the end of this service, the data company is backtracking. Google has suddenly declared that there will be exceptions. Some of these goo.gl short links will continue to lead to the target address as usual after August 25, 2025.
Google had already warned in 2024 that its own URL shortener would be switched off and that previously created short URLs in the format "https://goo.gl/*" would no longer work. However, the data company had given users a period of one year to change the corresponding shortened Internet addresses before Google's URL shortener goo.gl will only show 404 errors from the end of August.
Change of plan for short links still in use
However, this no longer affects all short links created with goo.gl, as Google explains in a brief update on goo.gl links. Accordingly, only those short links that showed no activity at the end of 2024 and currently produce a warning message that "this link will no longer work in the near future" will be deactivated. These short links will be switched off as planned from August 25, 2025.
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However, all other Internet addresses abbreviated with goo.gl should continue to redirect correctly to the original address. Users should therefore check their own short URLs, if they have not already done so, and change them accordingly if they find the intermediate warning page. If you are looking for alternatives to goo.gl, you might find what you are looking for in our tips and tricks: How to shorten URLs.
Apparently great user feedback
Google originally justified the shutdown of goo.gl with the fact that there were enough other providers for such services – some "new popular URL shortening services". In addition, the way people find content on the Internet has changed. But now Google recognizes that the goo.gl short links are "embedded in countless documents, videos, posts, etc." The U-turn is probably due to pressure from users, as the company refers to "the input received".
This means that many of the short links created with goo.gl will remain valid. However, Google has not yet said how long this will remain the case and how high the proportion of short URLs will be that are finally switched off.
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