Often we need to copy a link for a particular web page to send to another. Getting the link is pretty easy. We just copy the information in the address bar to the clipboard. Ctrl+L highlights the address, then Ctrl+C copies it to the clipboard. Then we can paste it into an email, send a text, send a Facebook message, etc.
Let’s say this is the Zoom email invitation link you sent out:
Join Zoom Meeting: us02web[dot]]zoom[dot]us/j/85963897091?pwd=cmM2dS9DSTNuUENINGh0TlNBUmszZzqq
It is fine except the URL (the link) is very long. If the recipient is working from a printout of the email, it would be a lengthy process to type it in.
When I have a long URL like that, I use TinyURL to shorten it.
Open www.tinyurl.com
In the box, Enter a Long URL, paste the long URL.
Then click Make Tiny URL!
To use the new URL, click Copy to clipboard to place it on the clipboard. Then you can paste it anywhere you like.
Let’s replace the original URL in the invitation:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://tinyurl.com/y25dosze
When anyone clicks on the shorter URL, they will be redirected to the original, longer one.
If you like using TinyURL, there is an even quicker way to create a shorter URL.
In the left panel of the TinyURL screen, click Make Toolbar Button.
If the bookmark bar is not visible, type Ctrl+Shift+B to show it. Then simply drag the link provided to the bar.
[Ed note: The above shortcut works in Edge and Chrome.]
Now when you are on the site you want to create a short link to, click the link on the bookmark bar and the URL will be copied into TinyURL and a short link will be created all with that one click. I use this feature daily.
Hope this helps…
Dick
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The security risk with a shortened URL is you cannot tell where you are going when you click the link, you have to trust the sender. As a result, some organizations teach their employees not to trust shortened URLs, or simply block them at their network gateway.
TinyURL offers a preview feature. This means the user can make an educated choice of whether to go to the link or not, because the full-length URL is displayed. You might want to do a segment on that.
Thanks for the comment. You are right. It is not a good idea to click on any link, never mind a shortened one by any means, unless you know the sender. I will consider the preview suggestion.
Thanks for the caution. There are many different URL shortcutters out there.
I just noticed that in the new Edge browser, the default Bing home page has a few quick links for various websites.
As example, the QVC link is as follows: “https://aka.ms/QVC” << removing the /QVC part lands you on the microsoftonline.com log-in page, thru a redirect of sorts.
What I am trying to say is to be cautious with hot links even if they are NOT tinyurl or bit.ly type links.
I prefer https://is.gd/
the links are several characters shorter.
I use this site to find out where shortened links go: https://redirectdetective.com/
Thanks… good tip
@Scott, thank you for your interesting ‘redirect’ link.
If any link that I click on takes longer time than about 4 seconds of my time or requires 2 or more additional clicks to get access to what I seek; I just move on.
I use a multi-button trackball, where 2 of the buttons are re-mapped for the Ctrl+F4 (close active page/tab) and for the Alt+F4 (close active window/application) commands. That said; the old ‘Mountain/Muhammed” conundrum becomes a non-issue for my web-foraging!
When I add to the bookmar bar and click on this it just shows the images on this page. It acts like it is not an actual link to another site?
Hi JT,
Which URL are you talking about?
I just followed the instructions in this article and it worked as advertised,
Richard