Canonical checker: see which URL Google should treat as the real page

Enter the page address above. The checker reads every canonical tag in the HTML, tests that the canonical URL answers 200 without redirecting, and compares it with og:url and the http and www variants. By hand, view the page source and search for rel="canonical"; Search Console's URL Inspection shows the canonical Google actually chose.

Google ignores them when they disagree and chooses a canonical by itself. Two tags usually come from a theme and an SEO plugin both adding one, or from a tag in the HTML plus one injected by JavaScript. The checker lists every canonical tag it finds; keep one, usually by switching off the canonical output of the theme or the second plugin.

Because rel=canonical is a hint, and other signals disagree with it. The usual causes are internal links, the sitemap or redirects pointing at another version, a canonical URL that redirects or answers an error, or near-identical pages Google groups together. The checker shows whether redirects, www, the trailing slash and og:url agree with your canonical, which settles most cases.

Yes. Addresses with tracking or sorting parameters, such as ?utm_source=newsletter or ?sort=price, usually show the same content as the clean URL, so their canonical should point to it. Most CMSs do this automatically when the template sets the canonical. The checker tests the URL you enter, so paste a parameter version to see where its canonical points.

Not strictly. A canonical asks Google to index the other URL instead and to combine their signals, and Google usually follows it, so the duplicate drops out of results. But it is a hint: when the pages differ or other signals disagree, Google may index both. To keep a page out of search for certain, use noindex, and never combine noindex with a canonical to another URL.

Yes, on the original version of the content: a self-referencing canonical with the clean URL, meaning https, your preferred host and no tracking parameters. Only duplicates, such as filtered or parameter URLs and syndicated copies, should point elsewhere. A self-referencing canonical also protects the page when other sites link to it with parameters added.

Yes. Google may follow the redirect, but a canonical that points to a redirect sends mixed signals and is more likely to be ignored. Point the canonical at the final URL that answers 200, and keep exactly one canonical tag per page. This checker requests the canonical URL and flags it when it redirects or fails.

Yes, with no sign-up. getReport is funded by donations, not plans, and the complete report with all seven modules is one click away, also free. It stays at its shareable link for 12 months, is not listed publicly and carries a noindex tag, and nothing about your visitors is collected.