Hreflang Checker Check hreflang across all language versions

The checker fetches every linked language version. You see missing return links, wrong codes and canonical conflicts.

Fetched as searchVIUbot. The checker reads hreflang annotations in the HTML head and the HTTP header.

We store the request with your IP address to run the tool. More in the privacy policy.
What gets checked

The checker tests every language version in both directions

hreflang only works if all versions point to each other. That's why the checker also fetches every linked language version.

  • Codes: language per ISO 639-1, region per ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2, plus x-default.
  • Return links: does every language version also name the page being checked?
  • Self-reference: is the page itself in its own hreflang list?
  • Targets: does every version respond with 200, without a redirect and without noindex?
  • Canonical: if a version's canonical points to a different URL, it conflicts with hreflang.

Up to 50 language versions per page are checked. The checker doesn't read hreflang in the XML sitemap.

Typical errors

One wrong code is enough to make the annotation useless

Wrong codes, missing counterparts and redirects are especially common with hreflang.

Source: Google Search Central, Localized versions of your pages.

  • en-UKThe region code for the United Kingdom is GB. Google ignores en-UK.
  • No return linkIf page B doesn't link back to A, Google may ignore the annotation.
  • RedirectEvery entry should point directly to the target URL. A URL that redirects is useless as an alternate.

Frequently asked questions

How many language versions does the checker test?
Up to 50 language versions per page. Each one is fetched individually and checked for return link, status, canonical and noindex.
Do I need x-default?
x-default is optional. It defines which version users see when there is no version in their language. The checker shows a note if it's missing.
Does the checker also read hreflang from the sitemap?
No. It reads hreflang from the HTML head and the HTTP header. The Sitemap Checker shows you how many URLs in your sitemap have hreflang annotations, but it doesn't check them.
Which user agent does the checker use to fetch the pages?
searchVIUbot, the searchVIU crawler. If a website blocks unknown bots, the result may differ from what Google sees.
What do you store from my request?
We store the addresses you entered, the result and your IP address to run the tool. We don't store page content. We also use the checked domain to see which companies are interested in the topic.
Demo

What does your website look like in searchVIU?

After a short call about crawler access and Search Console, Michael shows you searchVIU with your website and a demo project. The demo takes around 30 minutes.

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