🌍 Hreflang Tag Checker
Verify hreflang tags on any page. Check self-references, invalid codes, x-default, duplicate targets, and non-absolute URLs.
Check Hreflang Tags
About the Hreflang Checker
Hreflang is critical for international SEO. It tells Google which page version to show users based on their language and region. Incorrect hreflang tags can cause the wrong pages to rank in foreign markets — or worse, trigger duplicate content penalties.
Common Hreflang Mistakes
- Missing self-reference — Every page MUST include itself in its hreflang cluster
- Missing x-default — No fallback for unmatched languages
- Invalid codes — Use ISO 639-1 (e.g., "en", "es", "de") not "english" or "spanish"
- Relative URLs — Google recommends fully-qualified absolute URLs
- Duplicate targets — Each hreflang must point to a unique URL
- Bidirectional links — If page A links to page B with hreflang, page B must link back to page A
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hreflang tags?
Hreflang tags tell search engines which language and region a page targets. They help Google serve the right version to users in different countries and languages, preventing duplicate content issues across international sites.
What does the hreflang checker look for?
It checks: hreflang tags found, self-referencing (each page must include itself in its hreflang set), x-default tag presence, invalid language codes (must follow ISO 639-1), duplicate hreflang targets, and non-absolute URLs.
What is x-default?
x-default is the fallback page shown when no language matches the user. It's typically your language selector page or the most universal version of your content. It's recommended for all hreflang implementations.
What makes an invalid hreflang code?
Valid codes follow BCP 47 format like "en", "en-US", "es-MX". Codes that don't match the ISO 639-1 language + optional region pattern (like "english" or "en-US-x") may be ignored by Google.