Common checks

If a link cannot be created, review the destination format, protocol, length, spam status, service-host restriction, duplicate active link, custom slug, expiration date, start date, and click limit. If a link does not redirect, check whether it has started, expired, reached its limit, requires a password or email code, is restricted to a referrer, shows a preview or warning page, belongs to a frozen account, or has a routing rule that sends the visitor somewhere else.

Troubleshooting starts by identifying where the problem happens: creation, opening, editing, analytics, QR export, routing, or account access. Creation failures usually relate to URL format, protocol, length, service-host restriction, duplicates, custom slug availability, dates, click limits, spam checks, or disabled features. Opening failures usually relate to start time, expiration, click limit, password, email code, referrer, preview, warning, frozen account, deleted history, or routing rules.

For analytics questions, compare total clicks with unique visitors, QR scans, bot filtering, referrers, and time windows. For QR problems, test the exported file and a real printed proof. For UTM issues, review the final URL and check for duplicated parameters. For branded domains, confirm verification and that the selected domain is enabled.

Example: a link works from the creator browser but not from a partner site. The owner should check allowed referrers, preview or warning settings, and whether the partner page is sending the expected referrer. If the same link also has routing rules, the owner should confirm which rule matched.

Best practice: change one setting at a time while debugging. Keep a copy of the current destination, review history notes, test in a private browser window, and use the status messages shown by clk.ms before assuming the destination itself is broken.

How to apply this section

Each topic explains a feature, the user decision behind it, and how to use it without making the link harder to manage. Read the checklist before changing a link that is already shared.

Before you publish or update

Start from the visitor experience: who opens the link, from where, on which device, and what should happen next.
Check that the destination is correct, opens quickly, and shows the expected page for the intended audience.
Choose only the controls that match the goal, such as expiration, password, referrer, QR design, UTM, routing, or analytics sharing.
Save a short note for important changes so future review, rollback, or teamwork stays clear.
Open the short link in a private browser session and, when relevant, test mobile, desktop, QR scan, and protected access paths.
Review analytics after sharing to confirm real visitors, source quality, device mix, and campaign performance.

Practical example

Example: create a test link for an internal page, add a clear slug, set a short expiration, enable preview if the destination is sensitive, scan the QR code from a phone, then check whether the visit appears in the link statistics.

Next step

After this topic is clear, combine it with one adjacent feature. For example, pair UTM with campaigns, QR with print layouts, targeting with fallback, or webhooks with conversion tracking.