Hreflang Validator
Validate hreflang annotations for return tags and locale codes.
Input
Paste <link rel="alternate"> tags or fetch a page's head.
Summary
4 tag(s) · 4 valid · 0 invalid
Per-tag results
Start here · What is hreflang?
Hreflang tells search engines which language or regional version of a page to show to different users.
For example, an English US page can point to English UK, French France, and Spanish Mexico alternates.
Hreflang is easy to break because every alternate page should reference the others back. Missing return tags are one of the most common mistakes.
When to use this tool
- International launch
Validate tags before launching translated or regional versions of important pages.
- Wrong country ranking
Use it when Google shows the US page in the UK, or the English page for a translated query.
- Template QA
Check whether locale codes, canonical tags, and alternate URLs stay consistent across templates.
Examples
Walk through these with the form above — they are practice scenarios, not live data.
Two-country English setup
Try this
Test US and UK versions using en-us and en-gb alternates.
What to look for
Both pages should reference each other and usually include an x-default fallback.
Translated product page
Try this
Validate English, French, and German URLs for the same product.
What to look for
Look for missing return tags, invalid locale codes, and alternates that point to non-equivalent pages.
Short tutorial
Follow in order the first time you use the tool; later you can skip to the step you need.
- Step 1 - Enter one page in the hreflang set
Start with a live URL that should have alternates. The tool can then inspect the language mapping.
- Step 2 - Check codes and returns
Confirm language-region codes are valid and each alternate points back to the tested page.
- Step 3 - Fix templates, not one page
Hreflang problems usually come from templates or locale maps. Fix the source so every equivalent page updates.
More detail
New here? Skim Start here first, then run one Examples scenario in the form above.
Hreflang Validator does one job: validate hreflang annotations for return tags and locale codes. It lives under Technical SEO on SEOToolkits, where the beginner idea is simple: Technical SEO keeps pages crawlable, indexable, fast enough, and understandable to search engines.
FAQ
- Is hreflang a ranking boost?
- No. It helps search engines serve the right regional or language URL. It does not make weak content rank by itself.
- What is x-default?
x-defaultis a fallback URL for users who do not match a specific language or region.- Should hreflang and canonical tags conflict?
- No. Each language version should usually canonicalize to itself and list alternates through hreflang.
Related tools
Same workflow cluster on SEOToolkits — open another module without leaving context.