Have you ever noticed those long and cluttered URLs with tracking elements while browsing websites? These tracking elements are used by websites to monitor your online activity, but they are not necessary for the proper functioning of a website. In fact, they can compromise your privacy by providing unnecessary information about your browsing habits. That's where ClearURLs, a powerful Chrome extension, comes in.
ClearURLs is a user-friendly Chrome extension designed to automatically remove tracking elements from URLs, ensuring your online privacy is protected. With a total rating of 3.8, this extension has gained popularity among users who value their privacy while browsing the Internet.
How ClearURLs Works
Once installed, ClearURLs works silently in the background, eliminating tracking elements from URLs as you navigate through websites. It effectively removes unnecessary tracking code, such as utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign parameters, that are commonly used by websites to mark your online activities.
For example, if you come across an Amazon URL with a long string of tracking parameters:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/exampleProduct/ref=sxin_0_pb?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=tea&pd_rd_i=exampleProduct&pd_rd_r=8d39e4cd-1e4f-43db-b6e7-72e969a84aa5&pd_rd_w=1pcKM&pd_rd_wg=hYrNl&pf_rd_p=50bbfd25-5ef7-41a2-68d6-74d854b30e30&pf_rd_r=0GMWD0YYKA7XFGX55ADP&qid=1517757263&rnid=2914120011
ClearURLs will simplify the URL to its essential form:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/exampleProduct
Advanced Features for Enhanced Privacy
ClearURLs goes beyond just removing tracking elements and offers additional features to enhance your online privacy:
- Blocks common ad domains: ClearURLs can block ad domains, providing an extra layer of protection against intrusive advertisements.
- Context menu integration: The extension adds an entry to your browser's context menu, allowing you to quickly and cleanly copy links without any tracking code.
- Prevents tracking injection: ClearURLs prevents tracking injection over the history API, ensuring that your browsing history remains private.
- Blocks hyperlink auditing: Hyperlink auditing, also known as ping tracking, is blocked by ClearURLs, preventing websites from collecting unnecessary data about your clicks.
- Prevents search result manipulation: ClearURLs stops Google and Yandex from rewriting search results to include tracking elements, giving you unbiased search results.
- Badgeds for blocked elements: The extension provides badges to indicate the currently blocked tracking elements, allowing you to see the impact of ClearURLs in action.
- Optional logging and settings import/export: ClearURLs offers optional logging for advanced users and allows you to export/import your settings for easy configuration.
User Reviews
ClearURLs has received mixed reviews from users, highlighting both its benefits and limitations. Some users have reported issues with certain websites, such as Google Accounts and Firebase's "App Distribution" page, where the extension may cause disruptions. However, many users appreciate its ability to remove tracking elements and enhance their online privacy.
It's worth noting that ClearURLs requires the "manage downloads" permission, which some users have raised concerns about. The developers may consider providing more transparency regarding this requirement to address user concerns.
Conclusion
ClearURLs is a valuable Chrome extension that helps protect your privacy by removing tracking elements from URLs. While it may have some limitations and compatibility issues with certain websites, it offers a range of advanced features to enhance your online privacy. With its user-friendly interface and a total rating of 3.8, ClearURLs is a popular choice for those who value their privacy while browsing websites.
30 Reviews For This Extension
Breaks google play books. Books won't open with this extension.
nice
Works as stated, some people in the other reviews mention it breaks certain elements on google sheets, which it unfortunately does. This also unfortunately does seem to be a project that was abandoned sometime in 2022 as it was last updated then. Though it does have a notice that it was being rewritten on its main website. Overall, does what it says it does, good so long as you dont need the search function in google sheets. Just keep in mind, this is an extension that is manifest 2, so once chrome drops support you wont be able to use this anymore
Breaks all floating elements in Google Sheets (e.g. search, insert link, insert pivot table, sidebars) with no option to whitelist sites. Issue was reported many times on GitLab since 2021, with no fix as of yet.
Breaks Ctrl+F on Google Docs/Sheets.
Does not work. Doesn't shorten URLs or clear tracking jargon
Works definitely. Would love to see a lighter version of the extension with minimum and simple/cleaner UI with same functionality and result.
A must have extension to keep you and your friends unknown from the desperate marketing of many.
Oct 2024 - Not usable. Cannot be enabled or installed. RIP. Requesting dev to bring Clear URL Lite for Chromium users. UPDATE 23 SEPT - Google has removed this addon from installing or reenabling if installed because it doesn't follow best practices by google (as if google follows ethical practices (read: EU court cases against Google and other cases against Google globally for monopolistic practices and destroying and overtaking businesses). This not only affects chrome browser but every other browser except firefox based browsers that runs on chromium engine. Good luck chrome and RIP dev. ================================================================================= Update - Requesting Dev to update it ASAP since it doesn't work anymore in chromium browsers and chrome will disable and remove it post MV3 thing happens. Works but only half-heartedly. Creates big issues when logging in with several sites and esp., with google sites and where google login is present. Plus a lot of sites detect this as adblocker so either I have disable this or leave that site. I don't know why dev hasn't provided any whitelist or blacklist option. Waiting for better update in 2023.
As others have mentioned, this is a great idea for an extension but breaks some web sites. For example, adding an item to your eBay watch list causes eBay to get into a sign-in loop.
FINALLY i have been looking for something like this
I love the idea, but hate the lack of customisability. This breaks so many websites and unlike many other extension their is no way to turn it off for certain urls / sites. I definitely clears the url but a way to toggle it on and per site would save this extension and give me a reason to use it again.
Good in theory but breaks many websites. Took me a while to figure out this was the culprit. Exapmples: Sorting products on Amazon doesn't work. Settings pages for the WordPress plugin WPvivid Backups render White Screens of Death. Had to disable it, which is a bit of a shame tbh. It would help tremendously to have an allowlist feature.
It works most of the time but on some websites it doesn’t remove the useless stuff after the "?". There’s also no way to whitelist sites, so it ends up breaking some that reply that stuff to work. To use those sites I need to turn the filters off completely, but then I often forget to turn them back on, kinda defeating the point.
This extension broke Google Play Book on my machine. I can't open any book, it stuck at loading and the loading circle was spinning endlessly.
Works well but also breaks sorting results by price on Amazon (falls back to initial view immediately after changing it)
works as intended, unfortunately there is no "url segment whitelist per site" so i cannot tell it "do not do it for this site, or if you do do not consider this bit malicious because otherwise this specific site breaks completely" i have to constantly turn it back on or off depending on which tab i am on.
When it works, it works beautifully. When it doesnt work, it does jackshit.
As others have said, this introduces some problems regarding logins and login confirmations. But other than that, it's brilliant
good
I'm having problems when giving permissions in google to third party apps, and when using some PWA.
Works well and does what it says, but I wish it worked for bing search results too.
It works everything well except school, gov and google websites cause OAuth2 authorization issues. It would be nice to add whitelist URL.
I really like the idea and it does seem to be cleaning the URLs. but like others have mentioned. it currently breaks google logins in sites like glassdoor. I will be more than happy to use it otherwise.
Trash, nothing works. It doesn't clear tracking URLs
"The server cannot process the request because it is malformed. It should not be retried." error is caused by this plugin breaking the OAuth 2 login for google accounts (logging into third party websites using google login).
While subtle, it certainly improved my browsing experience. It could have broader support for URLs, but it's improving with updates. 10/10.
I love this addon as it's clears up the urls on sites, however as others state (and it took me ages to identify this addon as the culprit) - this addon breaks google OAuth. now i know i can keep disabling this addon every time it causes issues, although that's annoying. up to now it's broken auth on many services and apps as I had no idea this was the culprit. As it looks like people have been reporting this issue for a year, it seems the addon has been abandoned? I've logged an issue on the github and posted to their twitter, hopefully someone finds a fix
I very much wanted to like this but it breaks OAuth2 authorization for Google accounts. Can't have that. Maybe next release will fix this so because of the developer's obvious good intentions I'll give it 2 stars instead of one.
Enabling this extension can cause OAuth2 authorization issues with Google accounts due to tracking data clearance. This may result in failed authorization with a 401 error. Exercise caution. P.s. Examples of OAuth2 usage include using a Google account for authorization to access Google Drive or using a Facebook account for authorization to access third-party developer applications.