Publish Date
13 March, 2025
Yash Khandelwal
Shortened URLs are great for sharing links efficiently, but sometimes, you may want a link to expire after a certain period. Whether you’re running a limited-time promotion, sharing temporary access to content, or simply ensuring link security, CutMe Short allows you to set an expiration time for your short URLs.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up an expiry time for your short links in CutMe Short and why this feature is beneficial.
Why Set an Expiry Time for a Short Link?
Setting an expiration time for your short URL can be useful for various reasons:
Limited-Time Offers & Campaigns – Prevent users from accessing outdated promotions.
Temporary Access – Restrict access to specific users for a set period.
Security & Privacy – Reduce the risk of unauthorized use of your links.
Link Management – Avoid cluttering your active link list with expired or irrelevant links.
How to Set an Expiry Time for a Short URL in CutMe Short
Step 1: Create a Short Link
Navigate to the Dashboard and click on the 'Create New Link' button.
Enter the destination URL you want to shorten.
Step 2: Access Add Link Expiry Settings
Once your short link is generated, look for the 'Add Link Expiry' section.
Here, you will find the option to set an expiry time for the short link.
Step 3: Set the Expiry Date & Time
Ensure the selected time zone aligns with your intended expiration schedule.
Click on the ‘calendar icon’ and set the date and time when you want the link to become inactive.
For example, you can set the timer for ‘5 minutes’ of the same day just to check out how the feature works and click on ‘OK’. You’ll see the date and the time that you have set for the link to be operational till that particular date and time, after that time frame the link will not be operational.
Step 4: Setting an Expiration URL
If you set an expiration date for your link, when the ‘Expiration URL’ link field is empty the user will be redirected to an ‘Expired Link’ page when they try to access the link after the expiration date.
To set a custom expiration URL, simply enter a custom URL in the ‘Expiration URL’ field.
We can put the ‘homepage URL’ or any other URL in that field where you want the user to get redirected.
Step 5: Save and Activate the Link
Click 'Save' to finalize the settings.
Your short link is now active but will automatically expire at the scheduled time.
Use Case
A marketing agency is running a limited-time promotional campaign for an e-commerce brand, offering a 50% discount on a new product. They create a short link using CutMe Short to direct users to the promotional landing page.
How Expiry Time Helps:
The promotion is valid for 7 days only.
They set the short link to expire at midnight on the last day of the offer.
After expiration, users visiting the short link will either see an “Offer Expired” message or be redirected to a new page with a different offer.
What Happens After a Link Expires?
Once the expiry time is reached, the short link will:
No longer redirect users to the original destination.
Display an error message or custom expired page (if enabled).
Remain in your dashboard as an inactive link.
You can choose to either reactivate the link by extending the expiry time or delete it permanently from your dashboard.
Managing Expired Links in CutMe Short
1. View Expired Links
Navigate to the 'Dashboard' section.
Use the filter option to display expired links.
2. Extend the Expiry Time
Click on the expired link and edit the expiry settings.
Set a new expiration date and save the changes.
3. Delete the Link
If the link is no longer needed, delete it to keep your dashboard organized.
Setting an expiry time for a short URL in CutMe Short is a simple yet powerful way to control access, enhance security, and manage time-sensitive content effectively. Whether for promotions, events, or temporary content sharing, this feature ensures that your links remain relevant and don’t cause confusion after expiration.
