Documentation
Overview
URLNow product areas, core workflows, and workspace behavior.
URLNow platform documentation
URLNow provides short links, tracked QR codes, profile pages, link analytics, organization workspaces, branded domains, protected links, and approved developer-key integrations.
Use the web app for manual link management. Use Orgs in the top navigation to learn about team workspaces or open your organization area. Use the Developer API for approved server-side short-link creation.
Main areas
| Area | Where to go | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Public app | Open app | Home page, product pages, pricing, contact, sign in, registration, and public link creation. |
| Features | View features | Short links, custom aliases, tracked QR codes, profiles, analytics, branded domains, and organization workspaces. |
| Orgs | Learn about orgs | Organization workspaces for team links, branded domains, member roles, and shared analytics. |
| QR codes | Open QR code page | Learn how URLNow creates tracked QR codes from short links. |
| Dashboard | Open dashboard | Create links or QR codes, review recent activity, switch domains, and manage your active workspace. |
| Short links | Create short link | Create a short link with an optional custom ending, expiration, password, and branded domain. |
| Analytics | View analytics | Review visits, QR scans, sources, devices, campaigns, domains, and exportable activity tables. |
| Personal profile | Manage profile | Create an optional public link-in-bio page with a username, bio, photo, and platform links. |
| Developer console | Open developer console | Request API access, manage developer keys, rotate keys, and create short links from approved integrations. |
| Organizations | Manage organizations | Create shared workspaces, switch context, invite members, publish an organization profile, and use branded domains. |
| Developer API | Read API docs | Create short links with an approved developer API key. |
How short links work
A short link uses an ending, also called an alias. URLNow can generate this ending for you, or you can choose a custom ending when you need a readable campaign link. For example:
https://urlnow.me/summer-sale
When someone opens the short link, URLNow sends them to the original destination and records the visit for analytics.
Tracked QR codes work the same way: URLNow creates a short link first, then encodes that short link into the QR code so scans appear in analytics.
Some endings are reserved for important platform pages, such as /app, /api, /features, /organizations, and /qr-code-generator, so they cannot be used as custom endings.
Personal and team workspaces
When you create a link, URLNow saves it in your active workspace.
| Workspace | Who can see the link activity |
|---|---|
| Personal workspace | You. |
| Organization workspace, owner or admin | Organization owners and admins can see organization links and activity. |
| Organization workspace, member | Members can work with their own organization links. |
You can switch workspaces from the organization area.
The dashboard remembers your sidebar preference in the browser on desktop, so a collapsed sidebar stays collapsed when you return.
Link safety
URLNow checks destination URLs before creating short links. Links may be rejected when the destination is private, local, incorrectly formatted, or blocked by URL safety checks.