Free · No login · HTML tag & HTTP header
Canonical Checker Which URL is this page asking Google to index?
Enter a URL to see the canonical it declares, in the HTML and in the HTTP header, and whether it points to itself, to a redirect or to another page. Conflicts and common mistakes are flagged.
Results
What a canonical does
A canonical tells Google which version to rank
When the same content is reachable at several URLs (with and without tracking parameters, http and https, filtered product lists), a canonical tag names the one you want indexed. Google treats it as a strong hint, not a rule, and ignores canonicals that conflict with other signals.
- Self-referencing is normal: most pages should point to themselves.
- Use one canonical: two different canonicals can make Google ignore both.
- Point at the final URL: a canonical that redirects, or uses http:// on an https:// site, sends mixed signals.
- Don't mix with noindex: asking Google to index another URL while telling it not to index this one is contradictory.
FAQ
Canonical checker FAQ
What is a canonical tag?
A link element in a page's head, like <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page/">, that tells search engines which URL is the main version of the content.
Can a canonical be set in the HTTP header?
Yes, with a Link header. It's common for PDFs and other non-HTML files. This checker reads both and warns if they disagree.
Does a canonical pass ranking signals?
When Google accepts it, it groups the duplicate URLs together and credits the canonical one. It's a hint, though: Google can choose a different canonical.
Is the canonical checker free?
Yes. No login or DataForSEO account is needed.
Two pages ranking for one keyword?
That's often a canonical problem. Find out with a live check.