Clean Links is a handy app that shows you exactly where a link will take you before you click it. It strips out trackers, expands shortened URLs, and helps you avoid scams while saving you time and frustration.
The best part? There’s no sign-up or account required. Clean Links is completely free and works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can use it to clean up tracking parameters, scan and resolve links, generate QR codes, and even tidy up links directly from other apps using Share Sheets or automation tools.
Functionality
To test it out, I started by generating a QR code with a shortened link to Help Net Security’s website. Normally, when you scan a QR code with the iOS Camera app, you have to tap on the link that pops up. Clean Links skips that extra step and shows you exactly where the link goes right away. This makes things safer because you can check if a link is legit before you open it.
I then created a tracking link and scanned it. The application displayed both the original URL and the cleaned version. Once the tracking elements were removed, I was able to generate a new QR code directly from the cleaned link by selecting the Generate QR Code option. This code could then be shared without embedded tracking.
In addition, the application integrates with the system-wide Share Sheet on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This allows users to verify and clean links within any app that supports the standard sharing menu, without leaving the app in use.
Final thoughts
If you care about privacy and security, Clean Links is a simple, practical way to stay safe. It’s easy to use, even if you’re not especially tech-savvy, and power users will appreciate how fast and reliable it is. Plus, there’s no account to set up and it’s completely free, which makes it even more appealing.
It’s especially handy if you scan a lot of QR codes, whether it’s for restaurant menus, museum guides, transit tickets, event passes, or boarding documents, and want to be sure you know exactly where a link is taking you before you open it.