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International SEO

Hreflang Tag Generator forMulti-Region, Multi-Language Sites

Build reciprocal hreflang tags for every language and region version of a page, or fetch and validate what a live page already has. Quick-add common codes, output as HTML or an HTTP header.

Reciprocal by designReview and export your results
Build your hreflang tags

Language / region versions

Quick-add common codes

Output format

Use the HTML tags in your page's <head>. Use the HTTP header format for non-HTML files (PDFs, etc.) where you can't add <link> tags.

Live preview

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Add versions above to generate tags.

Checks you can inspect

  • "en" has no URL.
  • "x-default" has no URL.

Resolve the errors above before publishing.

Step-by-step

How to use the Hreflang Tag Generator

Five steps from a single-language page to a correctly cross-linked, reciprocal set of language and region versions.

  1. 1.Add each language or region version of this page

    For every version ; en-US, ar-AE, fr, and so on ; add its code and the full, absolute URL it lives at. Use the quick-add buttons for common codes, then fill in the URL.

  2. 2.Add x-default

    x-default is the fallback shown to a visitor whose language or region doesn't match any version you've listed ; usually your language-selector page or your main international page.

  3. 3.Review the checklist

    It flags duplicate codes, invalid code formats, non-absolute URLs, and a missing x-default before you ever publish anything.

  4. 4.Copy the exact same block onto every listed page

    This is the part people get wrong most often: the identical set of hreflang tags ; including a self-referencing entry ; needs to go on every single page listed, not just the first one.

  5. 5.Validate after publishing

    Switch to "Check a live page," paste one of the published URLs, and confirm the tags are actually live and match what you intended.

Hreflang best practices

  • Make every version self-referencing. Each page's hreflang block should include an entry pointing at itself, not just at the other versions.
  • Use absolute URLs only. Relative paths are not valid in hreflang ; always use the full https:// URL.
  • One code, one URL. A language/region code should point to exactly one page. If two codes point to the same URL, that's usually a mistake.
  • Keep canonical tags self-referencing too. Each language version should canonicalize to itself, not to a different language version ; otherwise the canonical signal can override the hreflang signal.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • One-way links ; Page A references Page B, but Page B doesn't reference Page A back.
  • Made-up or swapped-case codes ; hreflang codes are lowercase language, uppercase region (en-US, not EN-us or en-us).
  • Pointing hreflang at a page that then redirects ; the target URL should resolve directly, not through a chain of redirects.

Before you publish

Why hreflang implementations usually break

Reciprocity is mandatory

If your English page links to your Arabic page, the Arabic page must link back ; to the English page and to itself. A one-way link is commonly ignored entirely. This tool's output is the same block for every version by design, so reciprocity isn't something you have to remember separately.

Codes are language-first, region-optional

A region code narrows a language, it doesn't replace it. "ar-AE" (Arabic, UAE) is valid; "AE" alone is not. When in doubt, a bare language code like "en" or "ar" is safer than guessing a region code.

Canonical tags can cancel hreflang out

Each language/region version should be self-canonical ; canonical to itself, not to the English version. A canonical pointing at a different language page tells search engines to treat that version as a duplicate, not an alternate.

Questions and answers

Hreflang generator FAQ

Can I review the results before using them?

Yes. Review the output and highlighted issues before making changes to your website.

Why does the tool keep saying "must be reciprocal"?

hreflang only works when every listed version links to every other version, including itself. If Page A lists Page B but Page B doesn't list Page A back, search engines commonly ignore the relationship. This tool's output is the same block for every page by construction, so copying it onto each version keeps them reciprocal automatically.

What's the difference between the HTML and HTTP header output?

The HTML <link> tags go in a page's <head> section. The HTTP Link header format does the same job for files where you can't add HTML, like PDFs ; it's set at the server/CDN level instead.

Do I need a region code, or is a language code enough?

A bare language code like "en" or "ar" is valid and often the right choice if your content doesn't actually vary by region. Add a region (en-US, ar-AE) only when you have genuinely different content for that specific region.