How to Shorten or Redirect a URL with anon.to

Updated

Paste your URL into the input field on anon.to, then choose Shorten to create a reusable short link or Direct Redirect to jump to the destination immediately without creating a stored link. Both options hide your referrer and run over HTTPS. The main decision is whether you need a link you can share later (Shorten) or just a one-time anonymous jump (Direct Redirect).

Shorten vs. Direct Redirect

The site offers two distinct modes, and picking the right one depends on whether you need a persistent link.

Shorten Direct Redirect
Creates a short link Yes No
Stores anything Implied by "short link created" Nothing stored
Use case Sharing a link with others One-time anonymous jump
Referrer hidden Yes Yes
Tracking None None

Choose Shorten when you want a link you can copy, save, or send to someone. Choose Direct Redirect when you only need to reach a destination anonymously right now and don't need a link to exist afterward.

How to Shorten a URL

  1. Open anon.to.
  2. Paste your full URL (including https://) into the input field.
  3. Select Shorten.
  4. Wait for the shortening process to complete.
  5. Copy the generated short link.

Expected result: You get a short link you can share. The destination site won't see where visitors came from, and anon.to states it doesn't track clicks or visitors.

Common snag: If the URL is malformed or missing its protocol, shortening may fail. Make sure you paste a complete, working URL.

How to Use Direct Redirect

  1. Open anon.to.
  2. Paste your full URL into the input field.
  3. Select Direct Redirect.
  4. The page generates a redirect URL in the form https://anon.to/?...
  5. Copy it or select Go to jump immediately.

Expected result: You're redirected to the destination anonymously. No short link is created and nothing is stored, per the site's description.

Common snag: Because nothing is stored, you can't retrieve this redirect later — copy the generated URL before navigating away if you need it again.

What "Anonymous" Means Here

anon.to's privacy claims rest on three specific mechanisms:

  • Referrer hiding — destination sites never see the page you came from, so they can't trace the link back to its source.
  • No tracking — the site states it doesn't track clicks, visitors, or personal data.
  • HTTPS — all redirects happen over encrypted connections.

These apply to both Shorten and Direct Redirect. Note that anonymity here concerns the referrer and click data; it doesn't make the destination URL itself secret from anyone who has the link.

Quick Decision Guide

  • Need a shareable link? → Shorten
  • Just need to get there anonymously once? → Direct Redirect
  • Want nothing stored at all? → Direct Redirect
  • Sharing with others who'll click later? → Shorten