Canonical URL Checker – Check the Canonical Tag on Any Page
Inspect rel=canonical tags, compare the canonical target with the page URL, and get clear guidance for audits or publishing.
No uploads. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Fetch a page or paste its HTML to see the rel="canonical" value, compare it to the checked URL, and get a quick interpretation.
Note: Some sites block browser fetches. If that happens, switch to HTML mode and paste the source.
Canonical tags are hints, not guarantees. If a site blocks browser fetches, switch to HTML mode and paste the source.
Enter a URL or paste HTML, then click Check Canonical to see the detected rel="canonical" value and guidance.
What is this tool
This Canonical URL Checker detects rel="canonical" tags on a page or in pasted HTML. It compares the canonical target with the URL you expect to rank and highlights missing, mismatched, or invalid canonicals.
How to use
- Select Check URL to fetch a live page or Paste HTML to inspect raw source.
- Enter the page URL or paste the HTML source code.
- Click Check Canonical to extract and compare the rel="canonical" value.
- Review the status, interpretation, and any issues called out.
- Copy results, clear, or load the example as needed.
Features
- URL fetch mode with graceful CORS/blocked-site fallback messaging.
- HTML paste mode to inspect pages that block cross-origin fetches.
- Canonical detection with match/mismatch/missing/invalid states.
- Relative canonical resolution against the checked URL when available.
- Copyable results with status and extracted canonical tag snippet.
- Example loader and reset controls for quick testing.
Use cases
- Check blog posts to confirm they self-canonicalize before publishing.
- Audit landing pages or campaign variants that point to a primary URL.
- Review pagination or filtered URLs to ensure canonicals consolidate signals.
- Validate canonical tags during technical SEO audits or migrations.
- Inspect templates to catch missing or invalid canonical href values.
Popular ways to use this tool
- Check whether a page points to itself canonically.
- Review canonical tags on blog posts before publishing.
- Inspect duplicate or similar landing pages.
- Compare filtered URLs with their preferred canonical page.
- Validate canonical tags during technical SEO audits.
FAQ
What is a canonical URL?
A canonical URL is the preferred version of a page that search engines should treat as primary when duplicates or variants exist.
What does a canonical tag do?
The rel="canonical" tag signals which URL you want indexed and consolidated for ranking signals.
Can I paste HTML instead of fetching a live page?
Yes. Switch to HTML mode, paste the source, and check without fetching the live URL.
Does a canonical tag guarantee Google will use it?
No. Canonical tags are strong hints, but search engines can choose a different URL if signals disagree.
What if a page has no canonical tag?
Search engines may pick their own canonical. Adding a clear rel="canonical" helps reduce ambiguity.