# Share Link Shortener
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965
**Category:** Theme component
**Tags:** official, share-link-shortener
**Created:** [January 16, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965 "2023-01-16T22:38:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/1 "2023-01-16T22:38:47Z")
| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| :discourse2: | **Summary** | **Share Link Shortener** adds a checkbox in the share link modal that replaces the share link with a shorter version containing only the IDs of the topic and post. |
| 👓 | **Preview** | [Preview on Discourse Theme Creator](https://discourse.theme-creator.io/theme/Discourse/share-link-shortener) |
| 🛠 | **Repository** | [https://github.com/discourse/discourse-share-link-shortener/](https://github.com/discourse/discourse-share-link-shortener/) |
| 📖 | **New to Discourse Themes?** | [Beginner’s guide to using Discourse Themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/beginners-guide-to-using-discourse-themes/91966) |
Install this theme component
> [@](#):
>
> :discourse2: As this is an #official theme component maintained by the Discourse team, #Support, #Contribute > Bug, #Contribute > UX, and #Contribute > Feature requests can be made in the respective categories here on Meta, and tagged with the appropriate theme component tag. Click on a link below to get one started. 👍
>
> [❓ **Support**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=6&tags=share-link-shortener "Ask for support on configuring and using Share Link Shortener") [🐛 **Bug**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=1&tags=share-link-shortener "A bug report means something is broken, preventing normal/typical use of the theme component") [👀 **UX**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=9&tags=share-link-shortener "Discussion about the user interface of Share Link Shortener, and how features are presented (including language and UI elements)") [💡 **Feature**](https://meta.discourse.org/new-topic?category_id=2&tags=share-link-shortener "Discussion about how existing Share Link Shortener features can be improved or enhanced, and how proposed new features could work")
### Features
This theme component is especially useful when sharing Discourse links on platforms that limit the maximum number of characters in a message, like Twitter or Mastodon.
### Screenshots & video
In action:
### Settings
| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| remember preference | Remember if the user prefers shorter links using their browser’s local storage. |
| Translation | Defualt |
| --- | --- |
| short\_link\_label | Short link |
### Development History
ℹ This feature was requested here: [Post Sharing - ability to convert the URL to the short version](https://meta.discourse.org/t/post-sharing-ability-to-convert-the-url-to-the-short-version/251763)
> :discourse2: **Hosted by us?** Theme components are available to use on our Standard, Business, and Enterprise plans.
> Last edited by @JammyDodger 2024-06-15T11:37:35Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
---
### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2023, 10:59pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/2 "2023-01-16T22:59:23Z")
That is pretty sweet! Thanks for making this!
---
### Author:  [@UnitedFreedom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/UnitedFreedom)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/3 "2023-01-16T23:01:56Z")
Thank you so much for making this very useful theme component \<3
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/4 "2023-02-06T17:17:41Z")
I noticed a slight issue. The checkbox creation prevents the link text input content from being selected by default, and unfortunately, I don’t know how to fix it…
That’s a minor issue though. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@md-misko](https://meta.discourse.org/u/md-misko)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/5 "2023-02-06T18:06:47Z")
Shouldn’t the shortened link also include slug placeholder like this:
`https://meta.discourse.org/t/-/251965/4`
I’m pretty sure there used to be issues when linking to the forum from external sites using the shortened link without the slug?
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/6 "2023-02-06T18:30:52Z")
I’m not aware of these issues.
I remember seeing the formatting without any slug in a piece of official code yesterday or the day before… I don’t remember where but I thought “how, they use the syntax without the `/-/` here” which seemed to be a clue that such URLs seem to be fine. 🤔
If you happen to find a link about potential problems, that would be great 👍
---
### Author:  [@md-misko](https://meta.discourse.org/u/md-misko)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/7 "2023-02-06T18:44:49Z")
> [@Can't navigate back when using urls without post number](https://meta.discourse.org/t/-/197060/4):
>
> Yes please, keep the slug and the id: For example [https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-navigate-back-when-using-urls-without-post-number/197060](https://meta.discourse.org/t/cant-navigate-back-when-using-urls-without-post-number/197060) That way the link will remain stable. Also this will work but it is not as pretty imo and will cause a redirect. [https://meta.discourse.org/t/-/197060](https://meta.discourse.org/t/-/197060)
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/8 "2023-02-06T19:10:36Z")
Thanks!
Either I’m not understanding the issue, or it’s not happening anymore. 🙂
Clicking `https://meta.discourse.org/t/1` opens the right topic seamlessly and allows you to go back to the previous URL.
No issue either with external links: [https://unicyclist.com/t/265354/2608](https://unicyclist.com/t/265354/2608)
---
### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/9 "2023-02-07T15:52:25Z")
That link ia almost 2 years old now. I imagine that may have been fixed up since then.
If you look at the op statement it was more about a post number.
The top link has /1 where as the other just ends in / so no post number in the link
([Share Link Shortener](https://meta.discourse.org/t/251965/1)) This link goes to post #1 in this topic.
```plaintext
https://meta.discourse.org/t/251965/1
```
([Share Link Shortener](https://meta.discourse.org/t/251965/)) This link has no post number.
```plaintext
https://meta.discourse.org/t/251965/
```
---
### Author:  [@hoangphuctran93](https://meta.discourse.org/u/hoangphuctran93)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2023, 10:13am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/10 "2023-02-08T10:13:00Z")
You can add more customization to use external shortlink systems, for example I am currently using yourl source code to set-up a website that supports shortlink is [AgentC Shortlink, Verry Simple](https://agentc.asia/s)
---
### Author:  [@danielabc](https://meta.discourse.org/u/danielabc)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/11 "2023-03-26T16:06:09Z")
I loved so much what you did
but I needed to put an icon next to the date
to signal to users that they can click
How do I put an icon there?
@Canapin
---
### Author:  [@Kartoon](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Kartoon)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/12 "2023-05-16T13:13:14Z")
This suddenly stopped working on my site (to be honest I have no idea when, I don’t use it frequently) but just noticed now it’s not appearing on any of my themes though it’s still enabled on all of them. I know that provides no useful information lol, but any idea?
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/13 "2023-05-16T15:25:49Z")
After upgrading to the latest version of Discourse, I confirm the component doesn’t work anymore.
I’d need to have a look at the recent Discourse commits.
It’s a very simple theme component, so if someone wants to have a look and do a PR, it’s also welcomed. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@awesomerobot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/awesomerobot)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/14 "2023-05-18T20:26:03Z")
This seems like a useful component, so I’ve fixed it and added some updates here:
[https://github.com/Canapin/short-share-link/pull/1](https://github.com/Canapin/short-share-link/pull/1)
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 9:41am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/18 "2023-05-22T09:41:46Z")
The theme component has been updated and is now #official. 🙂
There’s a new setting as well described in the first post.
I’ve been using Mastodon recently on an instance with limited character numbers, so that might be useful here indeed. 😄
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 10:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/19 "2023-05-22T10:07:54Z")
Shoud these two shares, topic and post, work similar way?
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 10:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/20 "2023-05-22T10:39:31Z")
1. Post link : yes, it does.
2. Topic link… It triggers a JS error 😱 Thanks for thinking about that @Jagster 👍
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 10:41am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/21 "2023-05-22T10:41:51Z")
Interesting, kind of. An error opens sharing of iOS instead. Well, not sharing-sharing actually, but this pop-up:
---
### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 11:34am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/23 "2023-05-22T11:34:56Z")
After trying again, it doesn’t trigger any error anymore.
I’m not sure what the issue was.
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2023, 11:39am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965/24 "2023-05-22T11:39:49Z")
I don’t know anything about errors, but I get different view, and I don’t know if it should or should not be that way.
[Next page](https://meta.discourse.org/t/share-link-shortener/251965.md?page=2)