Canonical Tag Checker
A canonical tag checker looks at a page's HTML and tells you what its canonical tag says. Paste the HTML and the page's URL, and this free tool finds the canonical tags, shows whether they point to the page itself or elsewhere, and flags common problems such as two different canonicals, relative URLs, tags in the body or canonicals combined with hreflang.
Include the
section or the whole page.Canonical Tag Analysis
Notes
What is a canonical tag checker and when should you use it?
A canonical tag names the URL you prefer when the same content is reachable at several addresses. One wrong tag can point search engines at the wrong page. This tool reads the HTML you paste; it can't see redirects or what Google finally chooses. Write correct tags with the Canonical Tag Generator, and list the page's other tags with the Meta Tags Extractor.
How do you use it?
- Paste the page URL.
- Paste the page's HTML.
- Press Check.
- Fix the notes, starting with conflicting tags.
Working on a comprehensive technical audit? Browse all free SEO tools to discover the next step in your workflow, or contact our technical support team if you require a specialized custom utility.
Result interpretation & practical applications
When evaluating the output of the canonical tag checker, review the parsed metrics against your specific site architecture. Outputs are formatted for direct implementation into your HTML source, web server configuration, or Google Search Console audit files.
Always inspect generated values for contextual nuance. Automated tools highlight structural patterns, but manual verification confirms that technical directives align with your overarching SEO strategy.
Technical rules and limitations
- rel="canonical" is one way to indicate your preferred URL.
- Canonical annotations combined with attributes such as hreflang or media aren't used for canonicalization.
- The tool reads only the HTML you paste.
Google's guide on how to specify a canonical URL.
Common mistakes and troubleshooting
- Two canonical tags with different URLs.
- A canonical pointing to a page that redirects.
- Adding hreflang to the canonical link element.
No tool can promise how a search engine will crawl, index, or rank your pages. This tool generates and validates code against documented technical specifications; you determine where to deploy it, and you should always test changes on staging environments first. Google publishes extensive guidelines in Search Central on evaluating third-party SEO tools and advice. Learn more about our technical testing standards on our about us page, or explore full site audits on our pricing page.
Related free tools & workflows
Browse all Advanced On-Page SEO Tools →Technical SEO Audit Workflows
Indexability & Crawling
Redirects & HTTP Headers
Authoritative Technical Documentation & Standards
This tool executes logic aligned with official technical documentation and search engine webmaster standards:
- Google Search Central canonicalization guide
Google Search Central: Consolidate Duplicate URLs with Canonical Tags
Primary engineering source and technical documentation.
- IETF RFC 6596 Canonical Link standard
IETF RFC 6596: The Canonical Link Relation
Primary engineering source and technical documentation.
Canonical Tag Checker questions
Does it check what Google chose? ↓
No. Use URL Inspection in Search Console for that.
Is a relative canonical an error? ↓
The tool resolves it and notes it; a full URL is clearer.
Should a page point to itself? ↓
If it's the preferred version, yes.
Is this tool free? ↓
Yes. It is completely free to use and requires no registration or subscription.
Does this tool visit my website or store my files? ↓
No. It executes entirely in your local browser runtime. Your inputs and results are never stored or logged on our servers.
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