How to use it
- Paste the address into Web address. For a path such as /cart, type its base address into Base address (for a relative path).
- Read Check. Green means the browser reads the address; red names the reason it does not.
- Read the Parts table, and the Query parameters table when the address has any.
What each part is
The WHATWG URL Standard names the parts of an address, and the browser's URL class reads the address by those rules. The protocol is the scheme with its colon, such as https:. The host is the hostname with the port after a colon, when there is a port. The pathname is the path, and the search holds the question mark and the parameters, and the hash holds the number sign and the fragment.
- The port is empty when it is the default port of the scheme, so https://example.com:443 shows no port.
- The origin is the scheme, host and port together for a web address. For an address such as mailto:, which has no host, the browser's value is shown as it is.
- The href is the whole address, written the way the URL standard writes it.
Query parameters
Each parameter is a name and a value joined by an equals sign, and the parameters are joined by ampersands. The standard reads a + as a space in a parameter, and decodes a percent escape such as %20 or %C3%BC as UTF-8. An escape of a plus, %2B, stays a plus. A name with no equals sign has an empty value.
What the tool does not do
- It does not open the address or check that it exists. It only reads the text.
- It shows the address after the standard's parsing, so the href can differ a little from what you typed.
- It reads a relative path only when you give a base address.
Worked example: a shop address with three parameters
The address https://example.com/shop/items?id=42&q=red+shoes&tag=new%20arrivals#reviews has the path /shop/items, a search of three parameters and the hash #reviews. The query parameters are read with the plus of red+shoes as a space, and the escape %20 as a space as well.
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| id | 42 |
| q | red shoes |
| tag | new arrivals |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the port empty for my https address?
The URL standard leaves out the port when it is the default port of the scheme, which is 443 for https. An address with no port and one with the default port both show an empty port, and the note under the table says so.
Why does my address without https:// fail?
The browser needs the scheme to read an address on its own, so example.com has no protocol and cannot be read. Add https:// in front, or give a base address if the text is a path such as /cart.
Why is a plus sign in a query shown as a space?
In a query string a plus stands for a space, as in an HTML form. The standard reads it that way, so red+shoes gives red shoes. To keep a real plus, write it as %2B, which is shown as a plus.
Does the tool send the address anywhere?
No. The browser reads the text on this page and nothing is requested from the address. Nothing you paste is stored or sent to our server, but do not paste a password or a private link into a page you do not trust.
Does the tool check that the link works?
No. It reads the text of the address and does not send a request, so an address that reads correctly can still lead to a page that is missing. Open the link in a browser to check it.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.