URL inspector
Separate the hostname, path and query. See what a link actually says without opening it.
Read the hostname before the familiar name.
The hostname is the network name or IP address extracted from the URL. A company name in a path, query, username or subdomain does not automatically identify the operator of the destination. This tool highlights the full hostname rather than guessing which final two labels form a registrable domain; public suffixes such as co.uk make that shortcut unreliable.
How to use the inspector
- Choose “Try an example” or enter a complete, non-private web address.
- Select “Inspect structure”. Review the hostname separately from the path and query names.
- Compare it with an address you already know through a trusted app, bookmark or official document. Do not establish trust using another link from the same suspicious message.
The fictional example contains [email protected]. The text before @ is user information. The hostname is help-desk.example. No example domain is presented as an actual malicious site.
What appears in the result
You see the scheme, complete hostname, port, path, query parameter names and whether a fragment or user information exists. Query values and fragment contents are omitted from the result to avoid repeating potentially sensitive values. Internationalized hostnames may appear in their ASCII xn-- form. The browser parser may normalize a hostname; this is a text transformation, not a reputation lookup.
Does HTTPS prove the page is legitimate?
No. HTTPS describes a connection scheme. A deceptive website can also use HTTPS. The inspector does not make a connection or validate a certificate.
Can it reveal a shortened link’s final destination?
No. Shortened and redirecting addresses require a separate network request to discover subsequent hops. This tool intentionally does not make that request. A query containing another URL is only a clue, not proof of a redirect.
Why did a URL fail to parse?
Only complete HTTP and HTTPS URLs are supported. Spaces, control characters, backslashes, missing hosts and URLs over 16,384 characters are rejected. A relative address needs context that this tool does not have.
Read the worked guide to finding the actual host ↗
Method: the browser’s URL interface. Reference: MDN URL documentation. Tool method reviewed October 27, 2026.