Canonicalization Checker
Free, no signup. Check the canonical Google can see, the HTTP Link header, and whether the chosen target is actually a clean, live URL.
Checks run from our server; we fetch the URL you enter and don't keep the results. The URL and its canonical target are fetched to build this report. The full URL is not stored; after a successful check, only its domain may be remembered in this browser. Anonymous run-level outcome counters may be used for aggregate research; URLs, domains, IPs, and identifiers are never included, and no statistic is released below 100 runs.
Example result
Illustrative example — fixed signals, not a live URL claim
Page checked: https://example.com/product?color=blue
This example assumes the canonical target returns a direct 200. If it redirected or failed, the same engine would add a high-risk finding instead of hiding that evidence.
How to use it
- Enter the exact URL variant you want to audit, including parameters when they are part of the question.
- Choose Audit canonical. The report shows every HTML and HTTP Link-header canonical observed.
- Read the override-risk explanations and fixes, then confirm that the target resolves directly to a live page.
- Use Search Console URL Inspection to compare the user-declared and Google-selected canonical for a verified property.
+ saves the current site or page. Use ☆ beside any saved site, page, or list to favorite it. Recent check history appears below.
Create a named list
Target filled from your local choices.
Site passport Local context for this saved site
Local data
Saved targets, named lists, and recent check summaries remain only in this browser.
Observed canonical signals
Google override-risk predictor
This is a deterministic signal check, not a claim about Google’s indexed canonical.
Why these verdicts and how to verify them
Portable baseline
Download this result as JSON, then import it after a later run of the exact same URL. The baseline stays in your files and is not uploaded.
Rate this tool
What the results mean
The report checks the observable signals involved in CanonicalizationHow search engines pick one canonical URL among duplicates and consolidate signals onto it. and estimates when conflicts may lead Google to select another URL.
- High marks a direct conflict such as disagreeing canonicals, noindex plus canonical, an unreachable target, or a target that redirects.
- Medium marks a meaningful consistency risk, including cross-domain targets or hreflang that omits the canonical URL.
- Low means the observed signals are internally consistent or describe a normal parameter cleanup. It is not a promise that Google agrees.
How it works
One bounded server request collects the final URL, response headers, and HTML body. A deterministic parser reads canonical and hreflang links from the head plus canonical Link headers, resolves relative URLs, records duplicates and noindex, and then checks each unique canonical target through the status endpoint. The predictor maps those observed signals to explicit risk reasons and fixes.
Features
- HTML and HTTP Link-header canonical discovery.
- Relative, missing, multiple, and conflicting canonical checks.
- Noindex, hreflang, cross-host, protocol, and parameter consistency signals.
- Bounded canonical-target status and redirect verification.
- Plain-language likelihood labels without claiming Google's selection.
Limitations
The checker reads the server response and does not render JavaScript. It cannot compare page content across duplicate URLs, inspect all internal links or sitemap signals, access Search Console, or observe Google's selected canonical. A low-risk result only describes the evidence fetched in this run.
Frequently asked questions
Can this tell me Google’s selected canonical?
No. Google’s selected canonical is only observable through Search Console URL Inspection for a verified property. This tool predicts override risk from observable HTTP and HTML signals.
Does it fetch rendered JavaScript canonicals?
No. It reads the server response. A canonical injected only after JavaScript runs is discouraged and should be verified in URL Inspection.
Should every indexable page have a self-referencing canonical?
A self-referencing canonical is generally useful because it makes the preferred URL explicit and helps keep parameters or alternate URL forms from becoming ambiguous. It is still a hint, not a directive.
Can a canonical point to a redirect?
It can, but it creates a conflicting and inefficient signal path. Point the canonical directly to the final live 200 URL and align internal links, redirects, and sitemap entries with it.
Why might Google ignore a canonical tag?
Google may choose another URL when content, redirects, internal links, sitemaps, hreflang, protocol or host signals disagree, or when the declared target is unavailable. This checker tests several observable conflicts but cannot see Google’s full index-level evidence.
Feature requests for Canonical Checker
Upvote what you want most. New ideas can be submitted from the floating Feedback menu; requests appear here once approved, and the most-wanted rise to the top.
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À propos de l’outil
Auditez les signaux canonical HTML et HTTP, vérifiez la cible canonical et obtenez une explication fondée sur les preuves des signaux susceptibles d’amener Google à choisir une autre URL.
Fonctionnalités
- Détection des canonical dans le HTML et les en-têtes Link HTTP
- Contrôle des canonical relatives, absentes, multiples ou contradictoires
- Vérification limitée du statut et des redirections de la cible
- Étiquettes de risque compréhensibles sans prétendre connaître le choix de Google
Fonctionnement
Une requête serveur limitée récupère l’URL finale, les en-têtes et le HTML. Un analyseur déterministe lit les liens canonical et hreflang de la section head ainsi que l’en-tête Link canonical, résout les URL relatives et relève les doublons et noindex. Chaque cible canonical unique est ensuite vérifiée par un point de terminaison de statut.
Limites
- Le vérificateur lit la réponse serveur et ne rend pas le JavaScript. Il ne compare pas le contenu de pages dupliquées, tous les liens internes ou signaux de sitemap, Search Console ni la canonical choisie par Google. Un résultat à faible risque décrit uniquement les preuves récupérées pendant cette exécution.
Questions fréquentes
Pourquoi Google peut-il ignorer une balise canonical ?
Google peut choisir une autre URL lorsque le contenu, les redirections, les liens internes, le sitemap, hreflang, le protocole ou l’hôte ne concordent pas, ou lorsque la cible déclarée est indisponible.
Récupère-t-il les canonical injectées par JavaScript ?
Non. Il lit la réponse serveur. Une canonical injectée seulement après l’exécution de JavaScript est déconseillée et doit être vérifiée dans l’inspection de l’URL.
Cet outil peut-il me donner la canonical choisie par Google ?
Non. Seule l’inspection de l’URL Search Console d’une propriété vérifiée peut l’indiquer. Cet outil prédit le risque de remplacement à partir des signaux HTTP et HTML observables.
Chaque page indexable doit-elle avoir une canonical auto-référente ?
Une canonical auto-référente clarifie l’URL préférée et réduit l’ambiguïté des paramètres ou variantes. Elle reste toutefois un indice et non une directive.
Une canonical peut-elle pointer vers une redirection ?
C’est possible, mais cela crée une chaîne de signaux moins efficace. Pointez directement vers une URL finale 200 et alignez les liens internes, redirections et sitemap.