Troubleshooting

Link Issues

My short link isn't working

Check the following:

1. Link status - Make sure the link is "Active" in your dashboard
2. Expiration - Check if the link has an expiration date that has passed
3. Click limit - Verify the link hasn't reached its maximum click limit
4. Destination URL - Ensure the original URL is still valid and accessible

My link redirects to the wrong page

Double-check the destination URL in your link settings. Make sure:

• The URL includes the protocol (https://)
• There are no extra spaces or characters
• The destination site hasn't changed their URL structure

Link shows "Expired" but shouldn't

Check your timezone settings. Expiration times use UTC by default. Go to Settings → Preferences to update your timezone.

Custom alias says it's already taken

Aliases must be unique across all ShortyLink users. Try:

• Adding numbers or hyphens
• Using a branded domain (your aliases are unique to your domain)
• Using a different variation

Analytics Issues

Click counts aren't updating

Analytics may take up to 5 minutes to update. If after 10 minutes clicks aren't showing:

• Clear your browser cache and refresh the dashboard
• Check if you're filtering by a date range that excludes recent clicks
• Verify the click wasn't from a bot (bots are filtered by default)

Geographic data shows "Unknown"

This happens when we can't determine the visitor's location due to:

• VPN or proxy usage
• Privacy browser settings
• Corporate networks with anonymized IPs

Dashboard shows different numbers than API

Ensure you're using the same date range and filters. The dashboard uses your local timezone while the API uses UTC by default.

Custom Domain Issues

Domain verification failed

Verification can take up to 48 hours for DNS propagation. Check:

1. DNS records are configured exactly as shown
2. No conflicting records exist
3. TTL values have expired (try after 24 hours)

Use a tool like dig or dnschecker.org to verify propagation.

SSL certificate not working

SSL certificates are automatically provisioned after DNS verification. If it's not working:

• Wait 15-30 minutes after DNS verification
• Ensure no CAA records block certificate issuance
• Check that HTTPS is accessible on your domain

Domain shows "Pending" for too long

If verification is pending more than 72 hours:

1. Remove and re-add the domain
2. Verify DNS records with your registrar
3. Contact support with your domain name

API Issues

Getting 401 Unauthorized errors

Your API key may be invalid or expired:

• Verify you're using the correct API key
• Check if the key was revoked
• Ensure the Authorization header format is correct:Bearer sk_live_xxx

Getting 403 Forbidden errors

Your API key lacks required permissions:

• Check your key's scopes in Settings → API Keys
• Generate a new key with the necessary permissions

Getting 429 Rate Limited errors

You've exceeded the rate limit. See the Rate Limits documentation for best practices on handling this.

Account Issues

Can't log in to my account

1. Try resetting your password via "Forgot Password"
2. Check if you signed up with a social account (Google/GitHub)
3. Clear browser cookies and try again
4. Try a different browser or incognito mode

Not receiving verification emails

• Check your spam/junk folder
• Add noreply@shortylink.com to your contacts
• Try a different email address
• Contact support if issues persist

Links missing after logging in

This can happen if you created links anonymously and logged into a different account. Anonymous links are tied to browser storage, not accounts. Unfortunately, they cannot be recovered if you clear your browser data before claiming them.