> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://shortpen.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> Hide referrer data in ShortPen links to protect user privacy and keep destination sites from seeing the source URL.

# How to hide referrer information in ShortPen links

**Short answer:** Turn on **Hide referrer** in the URL’s **Advanced Options → Privacy**. This applies a strict referrer policy so the destination site does not receive the original source/URL when visitors arrive.

## Enable “Hide referrer” on a link

1. Open Links and select the link you want to protect.
2. Click **Edit**.
3. Expand **Advanced Options → Privacy**.
4. Toggle **Hide referrer** to **On**.
5. Click **Save**.

That’s it. Clicks to this link will arrive at the destination without passing a referrer.

## What changes after you hide the referrer?

* **Destination sees no referrer**

  Analytics on the target page will classify traffic as **Direct/None** (or similar).
* [ShortPen Analytics](/key-concepts/analytics-overview) **stay intact**

  You still get clicks, countries, devices, and top sources in your reports.
* [Redirect type](/link-management/links-settings/redirect-types) **compatibility**

  Works with common redirect codes. Choose the right one for your scenario.
* [Social previews](/link-management/links-settings/social-share-previews) **are unaffected**

  Your share card (title/description/image) is unchanged.

## Important considerations

* [UTMs](/link-management/links-settings/adding-utm-to-links) **are still visible on the destination URL**

  Hiding the referrer does **not** remove query parameters from the destination URL. If you want to limit what the destination can read, reduce or omit UTMs.
* [Link Cloaking](/link-management/links-settings/link-cloaking) **vs. Hide Referrer**

  Cloaking masks the destination behind your domain. Hiding the referrer stops sending the source page to the destination. You can use both if needed.
* **Downstream attribution shifts**

  Since the destination won’t receive referrers, their analytics may attribute traffic as Direct. Rely on ShortPen for upstream source breakdowns.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does hiding the referrer impact ShortPen’s click counts">
    No. Click measurement is unaffected, and you can still segment by device, country, and more.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I combine Hide referrer with Link Cloaking">
    Yes. [Cloaking](/link-management/links-settings/link-cloaking) masks the destination. Hide referrer removes the source signal. They address different privacy goals.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related links

* [How to enable Link Cloaking in ShortPen](/link-management/links-settings/link-cloaking)
* [Redirect types in ShortPen: What they are and when to use them](/link-management/links-settings/redirect-types)
* [Link-level metrics in ShortPen](/analytics/link-level-analytics/link-level-metrics)
* [Overview of ShortPen Analytics](/key-concepts/analytics-overview)