How do I remove utm parameters from a link on iPhone?

Copy the link, paste it into Notes, delete everything from the question mark onward (or just the pairs starting with utm_), then copy it again and test that it opens the same page.

What is fbclid in a link?

It is a click ID that Facebook adds to links followed from its apps. It is not part of the page address, and the page opens without it.

Is it safe to delete everything after the question mark in a link?

Often, but not always. Some links keep the page identity in the query, such as the v= in a YouTube watch link. Open the shortened link once to check it lands on the same page.

Does Safari on iPhone remove tracking parameters automatically?

Partly. Recent iOS versions can strip some of them in places like Messages, Mail and Private Browsing, and you can extend it in Safari’s Advanced settings. Apple does not publish the full list, so check the link yourself if it matters.

Does Linkeeper remove tracking parameters from saved links?

No. It keeps the link as it was shared. It does recognise a page you save again as already in your library when only common tracking parameters, “www.”, http versus https or a trailing slash differ.

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How to remove tracking parameters (utm, fbclid) from a link on iPhone

Published November 1, 2026 · 5 min read

To remove tracking parameters from a link on iPhone, paste the link into a text field such as Notes, delete everything from the question mark (?) onward, and copy what is left. For most articles and shop pages, that shorter address opens the same page.

That is the manual method, and it is not always safe: some links need part of the tail to work. This guide explains what the tail is, how to tell what is safe to delete, what Safari can do for you, and how to keep the same page from piling up in your saved links under two addresses. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions.

What are the utm_ and fbclid bits at the end of a link?

A web address can have a query: a question mark followed by name=value pairs joined with &. Some of those pairs only say where a click came from, not which page to show. Examples you will see:

utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign: campaign tags added by whoever shared the link, such as a newsletter or an ad.
fbclid and gclid: click IDs added by Facebook and Google when you follow a link from them.
igsh or igshid, and si on some music and video links: share IDs added when you use an app’s share button.

The page is the same without them. The tail makes a link long and ugly, and it tells the site where you came from. Other pairs are part of the page address and must stay, for example the v= in a YouTube watch link or the id= in a product link.

How do I remove the tracking part by hand?

1Copy the link: in Safari, tap the address bar and choose Copy, or tap Share and then Copy.
2Paste it into Notes or any text field.
3Find the question mark. Everything from ? to the end is the query.
4Delete the pairs that start with utm_, fbclid, gclid or similar, and keep any pair you do not recognise. If nothing is left, delete the ? too.
5Select the cleaned link and copy it again.

Test the shorter link before you send or save it: open it once and check you land on the same page. If the page is different or says not found, you removed something it needed, so put the original back.

Does Safari remove tracking parameters on iPhone?

Partly. Recent versions of iOS can strip some tracking parameters from links in certain places, such as links in Messages and Mail and, by default, in Private Browsing. You can ask for the same in all browsing under Settings, in Safari’s Advanced section, with Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection (on older versions, Settings → Safari → Advanced). Apple does not publish the list of what it removes, and the copy you take from the address bar can still carry a tail.

So treat it as a helpful extra, not a guarantee. If you need a clean link, check it yourself using the steps above.

Why do I end up saving the same page twice?

The tail makes two addresses for one page. Open an article from a newsletter and from a social post and you get two different strings, so a plain list of saved links treats them as two entries. The same happens with “www.” versus no “www.”, http versus https, and a trailing slash. See how to find and remove duplicate bookmarks if you already have a pile of copies.

How does Linkeeper handle tracking parameters?

Linkeeper is an iPhone and iPad app that saves links from any app in one tap and keeps them in one organized, searchable library. It does not rewrite the addresses you save: a link is kept exactly as it was shared, tail included.

What it does is compare pages when you save. In versions that include the smarter duplicate check, a page you save again from another app is recognised as already in your library when the only differences are common tracking parameters (such as utm_ ones, fbclid and gclid), “www.”, http versus https, a trailing slash or a #fragment. The existing link is kept and no second copy is made. On YouTube and Spotify links, the si share ID is ignored as well.

To save a link without cleaning it first, tap Share in Safari and choose Linkeeper. If it is not in the row, add it to the share sheet. If you copied a link instead, Linkeeper’s add screen offers to save it, as covered in how to find a link you copied.

Honest limits: the app does not strip a tail for you, and it only treats the listed parameters as noise. A parameter it does not know stays part of the address, so two such links can still be saved separately.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove utm parameters from a link on iPhone?: Copy the link, paste it into Notes, delete everything from the question mark onward (or just the pairs starting with utm_), then copy it again and test that it opens the same page.
What is fbclid in a link?: It is a click ID that Facebook adds to links followed from its apps. It is not part of the page address, and the page opens without it.
Is it safe to delete everything after the question mark in a link?: Often, but not always. Some links keep the page identity in the query, such as the v= in a YouTube watch link. Open the shortened link once to check it lands on the same page.
Does Safari on iPhone remove tracking parameters automatically?: Partly. Recent iOS versions can strip some of them in places like Messages, Mail and Private Browsing, and you can extend it in Safari’s Advanced settings. Apple does not publish the full list, so check the link yourself if it matters.
Does Linkeeper remove tracking parameters from saved links?: No. It keeps the link as it was shared. It does recognise a page you save again as already in your library when only common tracking parameters, “www.”, http versus https or a trailing slash differ.