Question 1

What is Clean Links?

Accepted Answer

Clean Links is a free utility for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that strips tracking parameters from URLs and reveals the true target behind QR codes and shortened links - so you open only things that you want to, without hidden trackers or redirects.

Question 2

How does Clean Links protect my privacy?

Accepted Answer

On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, Clean Links strips known trackers on-device and only makes isolated network requests when a shortlink or redirect has to be resolved. The web cleaner currently uses the Clean Links API so you do not have to download the full rule engine in every browser. In both cases, we do not log the links you clean, attach them to an account, or use tracking cookies to follow your activity.

Question 3

Can Clean Links block phishing ("quishing") attempts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When you check a QR code, Clean Links shows you the full, unmasked URL. You get to decide on whether to open it or not. This is unlike the iOS camera app and other paid QR code reader apps, which simply open the link the QR code is pointing to, without your consent. One more thing: while following redirects, Clean Links uses lower level (NSURLRequest) APIs that have a very small attack surface, compared to that of a full blown web browser. Thus, Clean Links is immune to most zero-day exploits that target web browsers. Secondly, the app runs within its own sandbox, which adds another layer of security.

Question 4

How do I check a QR code?

Accepted Answer

Launch Clean Links from your Home Screen, Shortcut, or Action button on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and point your camera at the code. You'll see the real destination URL before choosing to open it. Clean Links follows any redirects and strips tracking parameters from the final destination-preventing phishing links hidden behind short-link or redirection services.

Question 5

Can I expand and preview shortened URLs?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Paste or share any bit.ly, TinyURL, t.co, or other short link into Clean Links. It unshortens all redirect chains and shows you the final URL before you tap.

Question 6

Can I generate a privacy-safe QR code from a cleaned link?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After cleaning a URL, tap "Generate QR" to create a new code you can share completely free of tracking parameters. This is especially handy when you want to share the cleaned link with friends: one tap and they can check your QR code to open the exact same, tracker-free URL. Also useful when you're trying to share content with your Android using friends, without being surveilled by cough cough: What's that app called again? This helps you and your friends avoid getting plastered with ads related to the content that you just shared, for the next week or two.

Question 7

Does Clean Links work inside Safari, Mail, and other apps?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Clean Links' system-wide Share Sheet extension on iPhone, iPad, and Mac can be used within Safari, Mail, X (Twitter), Youtube, LinkedIn, or any other app that uses native Share Sheets.

Question 8

How does the Clean Links Safari extension work?

Accepted Answer

The Clean Links Safari extension has two cleaning modes. Automatic navigation cleanup uses Safari extension rules to strip supported tracking parameters before pages open. The manual page cleaner runs when you tap or click the "Clean Links" button in the extension; it scans the current page, removes supported tracking parameters such as utm_source, fbclid, gclid, and thousands more from links on the page, and shows how many links were cleaned. Everything runs locally. Send to Mac is also built in, so you can send the cleaned page URL to any of your Macs from the extension.

Question 9

Does the Safari extension work on both iPhone and Mac?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Safari extension is included in Clean Links for both iOS and macOS. Both versions can strip supported tracking parameters during Safari navigation before pages open. On Mac, the manual cleaner appears as a toolbar button in Safari. On iPhone and iPad, you access it from Safari's extensions menu. Both versions also clean all links on the current page with a single action and include Send to Mac for sharing cleaned links across your devices.

Question 10

Can I automate link cleaning with Shortcuts or Siri?

Accepted Answer

Clean Links provides App Intents that work with both Apple Shortcuts and Siri. You can build a shortcut that cleans links from your clipboard or anything else. For example, use this "Clean Links" shortcut to grab the link in your clipboard, clean it, and paste the cleaned URL back on to the clipboard.

Question 11

Why does Clean Links ask to paste from other apps on iPhone and iPad?

Accepted Answer

iPhone and iPad show this prompt when you copy a link in one app and then paste it into Clean Links. It is Apple's clipboard permission, not a sign that Clean Links is sending the link through a third-party API or to Numen's servers. If you want Clean Links to stop asking each time, open Settings, find Clean Links, then change "Paste from Other Apps" to "Allow." If you already tapped "Don't Allow" and do not see the prompt again, you can still change the setting there. For screenshots of the prompt and Settings path, see the full guide to allowing paste for Clean Links on iPhone and iPad.

Question 12

Which devices and iOS versions does Clean Links support?

Accepted Answer

Clean Links supports iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices that can run iOS 18.0 or later (iPhone/iPad) or macOS Sequoia or later.

Question 13

Does Clean Links store my history or checked QR codes?

Accepted Answer

No. By design, Clean Links does not log or store links you clean or check.

Question 14

Can I disable all network requests in Clean Links?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In Clean Links settings (and via Shortcuts), you can disable all network requests for maximum privacy. Automatic Safari navigation cleanup still uses local rules to remove known tracking parameters before pages open. When network requests are disabled, Clean Links still strips known tracking parameters (utm_source, fbclid, gclid, etc.) from URLs but will not follow redirect chains to resolve short links like bit.ly or t.co.

Question 15

How is Clean Links different from other URL cleaners like Firefox, Brave, or Link Cleaner?

Accepted Answer

Most URL cleaners trim only the parameters you can already see in the URL you pasted. They do not follow redirect chains, so trackers hidden behind shortlinks (bit.ly, t.co, lnkd.in) or social wrappers (l.facebook.com, l.instagram.com) slip through. Firefox even keeps an allowlist that lets some major-platform trackers survive. Clean Links goes further: the Apple apps clean on-device, the web cleaner uses the Clean Links API without logs or accounts, and both unwrap redirects, strip trackers at each hop, and show the final destination before you open it. Clean Links also includes a QR scanner, Share Sheet actions, Shortcuts, Siri support, Safari cleanup before pages open, manual Safari page cleaning, and Mac clipboard monitoring. See the full comparison with Link Cleaner for more details.

FAQ

Getting Started

What is Clean Links?

Why do I need this app and why can't I just clean links manually?

Which devices and iOS versions does Clean Links support?

Why did we create Clean Links?

How do I send links from my iPhone to my Mac?

Can I send links to multiple Macs?

Can I use Send to Mac with Shortcuts?

Privacy & Security

How does Clean Links protect my privacy?

Can Clean Links block phishing ("quishing") attempts?

Does Clean Links store my history or checked QR codes?

How does the web link cleaner differ from the iPhone, iPad, and Mac app?

Can I disable all network requests in Clean Links?

Features & Integrations

How do I clean a link I've copied?

Why does Clean Links ask to paste from other apps on iPhone and iPad?

How do I check a QR code?

Can I expand and preview shortened URLs?

Can I generate a privacy-safe QR code from a cleaned link?

Does Clean Links work inside Safari, Mail, and other apps?

How does the Clean Links Safari extension work?

Does the Safari extension work on both iPhone and Mac?

Can I automate link cleaning with Shortcuts or Siri?

Comparisons

How is Clean Links different from other URL cleaners like Firefox, Brave, or Link Cleaner?

How is Send to Mac better than AirDrop?

How is Send to Mac better than iCloud Tabs?

How is Send to Mac better than Safari Tab Groups?

How is Send to Mac better than Safari Reading List?

How is Send to Mac better than Handoff?

How is Send to Mac better than Universal Clipboard?

How is Send to Mac better than iMessage?

How is Send to Mac better than email?

How is Send to Mac better than Pushbullet?

How is Send to Mac better than Firefox Send Tabs?

How is Send to Mac better than Firefox tab sync?

How is Send to Mac better than HyperDuck?