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Validate Your Hreflang Tags
Hreflang tags tell Google which language and region version of a page to show which users. They only help when the codes are valid, the set references itself, and every alternate points back — small mistakes make Google ignore the whole set.
Our Hreflang Checker fetches any public URL, validates every hreflang annotation, checks for x-default and self-reference, and performs a capped, honestly-labeled return-tag reciprocity check on a sample of the alternates.
No sign-up, nothing stored, results in seconds.
No need to type http:// — just the domain works. We verify a sample of alternates server-side and keep nothing. Public URLs only.
What this tool checks
Code validity
Every hreflang value is validated for shape and language code, which catches the classic mistake of using en-UK instead of the correct en-GB.
x-default
The presence of an x-default entry is checked, since x-default gives users whose language and region match nothing a sensible fallback.
Self-reference
The set is checked for referencing the page itself, because each page in an hreflang group should include an entry pointing to its own URL.
Conflicts
Conflicting entries are detected when one hreflang code maps to more than one URL, which invalidates that mapping.
Return-tag reciprocity
A capped sample of alternates is fetched to verify each one points back, because non-reciprocal hreflang is ignored by Google entirely.
Why it matters for SEO
Hreflang is how an international site avoids competing against its own translations and shows the right page to the right audience. Hreflang does not boost rankings on its own, but a broken implementation wastes the effort entirely: invalid codes are ignored, and a missing return tag makes Google discard the annotation, so users land on the wrong-language page and the localized version never gets its traffic. The cost of getting it wrong is silent and ongoing.
How to fix common issues
Invalid region code
An invalid region such as en-UK is fixed by using the correct ISO code — the United Kingdom is GB, so the value should be en-GB.
Missing x-default
A missing x-default is fixed by adding one entry with hreflang="x-default" pointing at the best fallback page for unmatched users.
Missing self-reference
A missing self-reference is fixed by ensuring each page lists an hreflang entry for its own language and URL, not only the other versions.
Non-reciprocal hreflang
Non-reciprocal hreflang is fixed by making every alternate link back to this page, since Google ignores annotations that are not mutually confirmed.
Relative hreflang URLs
Relative hreflang URLs are fixed by using absolute https:// URLs, because hreflang targets must be fully qualified.
Frequently asked questions
What is an hreflang tag?
An hreflang tag is an annotation that tells search engines which language and region version of a page to serve to which users.
Do I need hreflang on my site?
Hreflang is only needed when the same content exists in multiple languages or regional variants at different URLs. A single-language site does not need it.
What is x-default?
The x-default value designates the page shown to users whose language or region does not match any of the listed alternates.
Why is my hreflang being ignored?
Hreflang is most often ignored because of invalid codes or missing return tags, since Google only honors annotations that are valid and reciprocal.
Does hreflang improve rankings?
Hreflang does not directly improve rankings. Hreflang ensures the right regional page is shown, which improves relevance and reduces self-competition.
Is en-UK a valid hreflang value?
The value en-UK is invalid because UK is not the ISO 3166-1 country code for the United Kingdom. The correct value is en-GB.
Is this hreflang checker free?
Our Hreflang Checker is free, with no sign-up, no limits, and nothing stored. The page you submit is fetched server-side, analyzed, and then discarded.
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