Social Media > Twitter 46 46 people found this article helpful How Do I Make Short URLs on X (formerly Twitter)? With t.co, automatically shorten URLs to 23 characters By Susan Gunelius Susan Gunelius Writer Western Governors University Fairfield University Former Lifewire writer Susan Gunelius is a marketing communications specialist who writes about branding through blogs. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 18, 2024 Twitter Facebook Pinterest Twitter Snapchat Instagram YouTube Online Dating Trending Videos Close this video player X (formerly Twitter) automatically shortens URLs posted to X, so there's no need to use outside link shorteners like Bitly, unless you're looking for precise data related to the shortened URL. X and T.co X limits tweets to fewer than 280 characters. In the past, users relied on link-shortening websites to shorten URLs before posting to X (formerly Twitter). These tools ensured that URLs did not take up much space within a tweet. Before long, X introduced its own link shortener—t.co—to minimize character counts. Shekhar_Sahu / Flikr When you paste a URL into the tweet field in X, it is altered by the t.co service to 23 characters, no matter the length of the original URL. Even if the URL is fewer than 23 characters, it will still count as 23 characters. You cannot opt-out of the t.co link shortening service, because X uses it to gather information about how many times a link is clicked. X also protects users with its t.co service by checking converted links against a list of possibly dangerous websites. When a site appears on the list, users see a warning before they can proceed. Using a URL Shortener (Like Bitly) With X Bitly and a few other URL-shortening websites differ from other link-shortening websites, in that they provide analytics related to the shortened links. When you use the Bitly website, for example, you enter a URL and click the Shorten button to receive a shortened link that is fewer than 23 characters. You can use that link on X, but the t.co service still counts it as 23 characters. There is no advantage on X to using links shortened by other services. They all register as the same length. The only reason to go to a link-shortener first is to take advantage of the information it keeps on the shortened URL. That information about the number of clicks the shortened link receives, the geographic locations of users who click the link, and any referring websites are still available at Bitly and other similar websites, but you need to set up an account to access it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit