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UTM Parameters Explained: Decode Tracking Links Free

See what utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and other tracking tags in a link mean, read them decoded, and share a clean link without them. Free.

Published · 5 min read

UTM parameters are the utm_source=...&utm_medium=... tags added to the end of a link so the website can tell which newsletter, ad or post sent you. To read them, paste the whole link into the free URL decoder in Decode mode: every parameter is listed in a table with its value decoded. To share the link without tracking, keep only the part before the ?, after checking that nothing else in it is needed for the page to load.

Here's a typical link from a festive-sale email:

https://shop.example.com/sale/diwali-offers?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=diwali_2026&utm_content=hero%20banner&fbclid=IwAR0abc123&ref=home

Everything after the ? is the query string: pairs of name=value separated by &. The page you actually wanted is just https://shop.example.com/sale/diwali-offers.

  1. Open the free URL decoder.
  2. Choose Decode.
  3. Paste the full link, including https://, into Encoded text or URL.
  4. Look at the Query parameters table below the result. For the link above it shows:
Name Value (decoded)
utm_source newsletter
utm_medium email
utm_campaign diwali_2026
utm_content hero banner
fbclid IwAR0abc123
ref home

Notice hero%20banner became hero banner: %20 is an encoded space (more in what %20 means in a URL). The Result box shows the whole link decoded, so long, messy links become readable.

The table only appears for a complete link starting with http:// or https://. If you paste just ?utm_source=..., add any address in front, such as https://x.com/, to see it.

What each of the UTM parameters means

Google Analytics recommends always setting the first three (as per Google Analytics Help, 2026):

Parameter Answers Example
utm_source Who sent the visit? newsletter, google, instagram
utm_medium What kind of channel? email, cpc, social, qr
utm_campaign Which campaign or promotion? diwali_2026, spring_sale
utm_content Which link or creative? hero banner, footer_link
utm_term Which paid keyword? running shoes
utm_id Campaign ID for imported cost data cmp_0425

You may also meet utm_source_platform, utm_creative_format and utm_marketing_tactic, which Google Analytics accepts as well. UTM tags don't identify you; they describe the link. Everyone who clicks the same newsletter link sends the same values.

Other tracking parameters you'll see

Not everything after the ? is UTM. Common extras:

  • Click IDs added by ad and social platforms, such as fbclid (Facebook), gclid and gbraid (Google Ads), msclkid (Microsoft Ads), ttclid (TikTok). These are unique per click, so they can tie a visit back to a specific ad interaction.
  • Email platform IDs, like mc_eid or _hsenc, which can link a click to a subscriber.
  • Referral and affiliate codes, such as ref=, tag= or aff_id=. Removing these can stop a creator or affiliate getting credit, so think before you strip them.
  • Share IDs some apps add, such as si= or igsh=.

The exact names vary by platform and change over time. If you're unsure what a parameter does, the safe test is below.

Strip tracking before you share

There's no "remove tracking" button; you do it by hand, which takes seconds:

  1. Decode the link and read the Query parameters table.
  2. Decide what to keep. Tracking tags (utm_*, click IDs) can go. Parameters that choose content must stay: a product ID (?id=4471), a search (?q=red+shoes), a page number, or a video's v= on some sites.
  3. Copy the link up to the ?, then add back only the parameters you need, joined with &. Our example becomes https://shop.example.com/sale/diwali-offers.
  4. Open the cleaned link before sending it. If the page still loads the right content, you're done. If not, you removed a parameter the page needed.

Why bother? Shorter links look trustworthy in a chat; click IDs and subscriber IDs can tie a shared link back to you or your email address; and the person you send it to doesn't get counted as part of your campaign.

If you run campaigns, the same tool helps you build links:

  • Keep values lowercase and consistent. Email, email and e-mail show up as three different mediums in most analytics tools.
  • Use underscores or hyphens rather than spaces. If you must use a space, encode the value: in Encode mode, choose A value or parameter, and hero banner becomes hero%20banner. Tick Spaces as + (form style) if you prefer hero+banner; both are read as a space in a query string.
  • Never put UTM tags on links within your own site. They can overwrite the visitor's original source in many analytics setups.
  • For printed QR codes, use utm_medium=qr so offline scans are counted separately, then make the code with the free QR code generator. A short, clean page address helps too; the slug generator turns a title into one.

Paste any long link into the free URL decoder, choose Decode, and read every parameter in plain text. It all runs in your browser, so the links you check aren't sent anywhere.

What are UTM parameters?
Tags added to a link's query string, such as utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign, that tell the destination site's analytics where a visit came from.
Is it safe to remove UTM parameters from a link?
Yes. They're only for analytics and the page loads the same without them. Just keep any parameter the page needs for its content, such as a product ID or search term, and test the cleaned link.
Do UTM parameters track me personally?
Not by themselves. They describe the link, so everyone clicking it sends the same values. Click IDs like fbclid or gclid are different: they're unique per click.
Why does my link have %20 or + in it?
Both are encoded spaces in a query string. Decode the link to read it: the Query parameters table shows a + as a space, and the Result box does too once you tick Treat + as a space.
What does fbclid mean in a URL?
It's a click identifier Facebook adds to outbound links so advertisers can match visits to ad clicks. It isn't needed for the page to work and can be removed.

Developer tools

Try URL Encode / Decode

Free, no sign-up, works in your browser. Encode text for a URL or decode %20-style percent-encoding back to readable text, as you type.

Open URL Encode / Decode

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