Google to shut down goo.gl short links by 2025

Google takes another step towards disabling support for goo.gl shortened links, which were widely used on the internet just a few years ago. New ones have not been accepted for a long time, but as just announced, all existing ones will stop working in 2025.

Google announced on its blog that all links using the proprietary "goo.gl shortener" will stop working after 25 August 2025. This information is essential for developers who use this solution. Google states that all links will lead to a 404 error page after the given date, meaning they won’t work. Therefore, it is necessary to change the address generation mechanism if it is used in applications before this time.

In parallel, Google announces that starting on 23 August this year addresses using the goo.gl URL will direct to an additional page where users will learn about the planned service shutdown. Interestingly, not all links will immediately lead to the notification. Google states that more and more goo.gl links will operate this way as the planned service shutdown date in 2025 approaches.

The described shutdown of the goo.gl link shortening service is another example of Google's actions, which are not necessarily understandable in the long run. History remembers many other useful tools and applications that Google initially gained a lot of recognition for among many users, only to unexpectedly cease further development and remove any traces of previous operations from the internet. An example is the once well-regarded photo organiser and basic editor - Picasa.