ClearURLs

ClearURLs

Remove tracking elements from URLs.

  • ClearURLs
  • ClearURLs
What is ClearURLs?
ClearURLs is a Chrome extension designed to enhance your online privacy by automatically removing tracking codes embedded in the URLs. These codes are unnecessary for a webpage to load correctly; instead, they track your online behaviour. ClearURLs works in the background, stripping away these trackers. It also helps prevent tracking injections and rewrite of search results by search engines like Google and Yandex. In addition, it blocks some common ad domains and offers multiple tools to allow for bulk cleanup of URLs.
Stats
Users: 100,000+
Rating: 3.67 (192)
Version: 1.26.0 (Last updated: 2022-11-19)
Creation date: 2020-06-07
Risk impact: High risk impact
Risk likelihood: Low risk likelihood
Manifest version: 2
Permissions:
  • <all_urls>
  • webRequest
  • webRequestBlocking
  • storage
  • unlimitedStorage
  • contextMenus
  • webNavigation
  • tabs
  • downloads
Size: 848.90K
URLs: Website
Stats date:

Other platforms

ClearURLs
ClearURLs (v1.26.1)
4.43 (823) 243,546+
ClearURLs
ClearURLs (v1.26.0)
4.30 (37) 37,500+
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Summary
Analyze keywords

This extension will automatically remove tracking elements from URLs to help protect your privacy when browse through the Internet.

Many websites use tracking elements in the URL (e.g. https://example.com?utm_source=newsletter1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sale) to mark your online activity. All that tracking code is not necessary for a website to be displayed or work correctly and can therefore be removed—that is exactly what ClearURLs does.

Another common example are Amazon URLs. If you search for a product on Amazon you will see a very long URL, such as: https://www.amazon.com/dp/exampleProduct/ref=sxin_0_pb?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=tea&pd_rd_i=exampleProduct&pd_rd_r=8d39e4cd-1e4f-43db-b6e7-72e969a84aa5&pd_rd_w=1pcKM&pd_rd_wg=hYrNl&pf_rd_p=50bbfd25-5ef7-41a2-68d6-74d854b30e30&pf_rd_r=0GMWD0YYKA7XFGX55ADP&qid=1517757263&rnid=2914120011

Indeed most of the above URL is tracking code. Once ClearURLs has cleaned the address, it will look like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/exampleProduct

All functions in a nutshell

  • Removes tracking from URLs automatically in the background
  • Blocks some common ad domains (optional)
  • Has a built-in tool to clean up multiple URLs at once
  • Supports redirection to the destination, without tracking services as middleman
  • Adds an entry to the context menu so that links can be copied quickly and cleanly
See more
User reviews
User reviews summary
These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Chrome Web Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Clears up URLs on sites
  • Improves browsing experience
  • Works well most of the time
Cons
  • Breaks Google OAuth / authorization
  • No way to whitelist or toggle off for certain sites
  • Causes issues with logins and login confirmations
  • No customizability
Most mentioned
  • Breaks Google OAuth / authorization
  • No way to whitelist or toggle off for certain sites
  • Doesn't work for certain websites
  • Causes issues with logins and login confirmations
  • Improves browsing experience
Recent reviews
I love the idea, but hate the lack of customisability. This breaks so many websites and unlike many other extension their is no way to turn it off for certain urls / sites. I definitely clears the url but a way to toggle it on and per site would save this extension and give me a reason to use it again.
by Daniel Hart Daniel Hart, 2024-07-08

This extension breaks the redirects of ad results on the Google search result page. When you click on an ad result, the page does not load. This is very frustrating when you actually want to get to that page. It took me some time to realise that this extension is responsible for that behaviour
by Chris Heinzelmann Chris Heinzelmann, 2023-08-29

by Christopher Mehlin Christopher Mehlin, 2024-06-26
View all user reviews
Safety
Risk impact

ClearURLs is risky to use as it requires a number of sensitive permissions that can potentially harm your browser and steal your data. Exercise caution when installing this extension. Review carefully before installing. We recommend that you only install ClearURLs if you trust the publisher.

Risk likelihood

ClearURLs has earned a fairly good reputation and likely can be trusted.

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