How to Make a Link Shorter: Quick Methods That Work Every Time

Knowing how to make a link shorter is one of those skills that saves time daily once you master it. Long URLs are cumbersome in messages, break in email, and take up precious character space on social media. The good news is there are multiple ways to shorten a link, each suited to different scenarios. This guide covers five methods manual web tools, browser extensions, API integration, bookmarklets, and mobile sharing ensuring you always have a fast way to create a short link no matter where you are.

Method 1: Manual Shortening with a Web Tool

The most straightforward way to learn how to make a link shorter is using a web-based shortening tool. Open relurl.com in your browser, paste the long URL into the text field, and click Shorten. The short link appears instantly with a Copy button next to it.

This method requires no installation, no account, and works on any device with a browser. It is ideal for occasional use when you are at your computer and need a quick short link. The tradeoff is the manual steps opening a new tab, navigating to the site, pasting, copying which adds friction if you shorten links frequently.

Method 2: Browser Extensions for One-Click Shortening

Browser extensions reduce the process to a single click. Install the RELURL browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Once installed, an icon appears in your browser toolbar. When you visit a page you want to share, click the icon. The extension generates a short link and copies it to your clipboard automatically.

Browser extensions are the fastest way to make a link shorter during regular browsing. You never leave the page you are on. The extension can also apply your default UTM parameters, branded domain, and custom slug rules automatically, ensuring every short link follows your conventions without extra effort.

Method 3: API Integration for Developers and Power Users

If you shorten links as part of a larger workflow, the RELURL API offers programmatic shortening. A single POST request creates a short link and returns the result in JSON. This is how to make a link shorter in bulk, from within your own applications, or as part of automated processes.

Using curl, a basic API call looks like this: curl -X POST https://api.relurl.com/v1/links -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"destination": "https://example.com/long-page"}'. The response includes the short URL, link ID, and creation timestamp. Integrate this into scripts, CI/CD pipelines, or server-side logic.

For power users, the API approach enables scenarios like automatically shortening every URL in a blog posts export, or generating short links for every product in an e-commerce catalog. Once the script is written, it runs unattended.

Method 4: Bookmarklets for Zero-Install Shortening

A bookmarklet is a browser bookmark that runs JavaScript instead of opening a webpage. RELURL provides a bookmarklet that shortens the current pages URL with one click. Drag the bookmarklet from the RELURL tools page into your browser bookmarks bar. When you want to shorten the page you are viewing, click the bookmarklet.

Bookmarklets work across all browsers including mobile browsers that support bookmark sync. They require no installation permissions and no extension store approval. The bookmarklet approach is ideal for users who cannot install extensions due to corporate browser policies but still want one-click shortening.

Method 5: Mobile Sharing and Shortcuts

On mobile devices, knowing how to make a link shorter requires adapting to the smaller interface. The RELURL mobile website is fully responsive and works identically to the desktop version. You can also use the iOS and Android share sheets to send URLs directly to RELURL for shortening.

On iOS, add the RELURL shortcut to your share sheet. When browsing in Safari, tap the Share button, scroll down to the RELURL action, and tap it. The link shortens and you can copy the result. On Android, the process is similar using the Share menu. These integrations make mobile shortening nearly as fast as the desktop browser extension experience.

Comparison: Which Method Should You Use?

• Web tool: Best for occasional use on any device. No setup required but takes multiple steps.
• Browser extension: Best for frequent desktop shortening. One-click speed with full feature support.
• API: Best for developers and bulk operations. Requires programming knowledge but enables automation.
• Bookmarklet: Best for restricted environments. Works where extensions cannot be installed.
• Mobile share sheet: Best for on-the-go shortening. Native mobile integration with minimal friction.

Pro Tips for Faster Shortening

Set up a default branded domain in your RELURL settings. Every link you create, regardless of method, automatically uses your branded domain. Save creating custom slugs for links you plan to share publicly. For internal or transient links, let RELURL generate random slugs.

Pre-configure UTM parameter templates in your account. When shortening via any method, your standard UTM tags append automatically. This ensures every link you shorten is trackable without remembering to add parameters each time.