Get international SEO right
If you publish the same content for different languages or countries — say English for the US and UK and Spanish for Mexico — hreflang tags tell Google which version to show each searcher. They only work when every detail is right: valid codes, a self-reference, and return links from every alternate.
The checker lists every hreflang tag on the page, validates the codes (ISO 639-1 language plus optional ISO 3166 region, like en-US or es-MX), flags duplicates and a missing x-default, then fetches up to 20 alternate pages to confirm each one links back. Missing return tags are the most common reason hreflang is ignored.
How to check hreflang tags
- 1
Enter a page URL
Any language version works.
- 2
Review the checks
Codes, self-reference, x-default and duplicates.
- 3
Look at the alternates table
Every row should say it links back.
Key features
Code validation
Catches mistakes like en-UK instead of en-GB.
Return-link check
Fetches each alternate page.
x-default detection
Fallback for unmatched visitors.
Status of alternates
Broken alternate URLs are flagged.
Common uses
- Multi-country stores: US, UK, Canada and Australia versions.
- Translated sites: English, Spanish, French and more.
- After launching a new locale: Confirm the whole set is linked.
Tips and good to know
- The code for the United Kingdom is GB, not UK: use en-GB.
- Hreflang can also live in the XML sitemap or HTTP headers; this tool checks the HTML version.