Add every language and region version of a page, then copy hreflang as HTML link tags, an HTTP header or XML sitemap entries. Includes x-default, bulk paste and checks for duplicate codes and broken URLs. Free, no sign-up, and nothing leaves your browser.
One per line: a code, then the URL. Commas, spaces or pipes can separate them. Lines are added to your list.
Hreflang is an annotation that tells search engines which language or regional version of a page to show to which users. It does not translate content or redirect visitors. It links equivalent URLs together as a set, such as an English US page and a Hindi India page.
It suits multilingual sites and sites with regional versions that differ in language, currency, pricing or availability. Google treats hreflang as a signal rather than a command, so it helps but does not guarantee the version users see.
You can add hreflang as HTML link tags, an HTTP header, or XML sitemap entries. Use one method consistently for a set of pages.
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-US" href="https://example.com/us/" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-GB" href="https://example.com/uk/" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="hi-IN" href="https://example.com/hi/" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/" />
All three are valid for Google. Pick the one that fits how your site is built.
| Method | Where it goes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HTML link tags | The <head> of every version | Most sites with a few versions per page |
| HTTP header | The server response for the URL | PDFs and other non-HTML files |
| XML sitemap | Your sitemap file, one entry per URL | Large sites with many pages and versions |
Three tags that are easy to mix up. Multilingual sites often use all three.
| Tag | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
hreflang | Links localized versions of the same page | en-US, en-GB, hi-IN |
rel="canonical" | Names the preferred URL among duplicates | Each version points to itself |
html lang | Declares the language of the current page for browsers and assistive tools | <html lang="en-GB"> |
Each localized page should usually have a canonical tag pointing to itself. Do not canonicalize every version to one URL, because that tells Google to ignore the others.
x-default marks the fallback URL for users who match none of your languages or regions. It is often a language selector page or your main international page.
Return tags are the biggest source of errors. If page A points to page B, page B must point back to A, and each page should also list itself. When Google cannot confirm the return link, it may ignore the annotation.
en-UK wrong, use en-GB jp wrong, use ja en_US wrong, use en-US US wrong, language is required en-us works, but en-US is standard
The generator writes the markup. These four steps cover the rest.
Add each language and region URL, including the page itself.
Choose the fallback URL, or let the tool use the first version.
Use HTML tags, an HTTP header or sitemap entries.
Add the same set to each page, then check indexing in Search Console.
Use fully qualified URLs that return a 200 status and are indexable. Hreflang pointing to redirected, blocked or noindex pages is usually ignored.
Short answers on codes, x-default and common errors.
A hreflang tag tells search engines which language or regional version of a page suits which users. It links equivalent URLs as a set so the right version can be shown in each market.
x-default marks the fallback URL for users whose language or region does not match any other version. Use it for a language selector or a default international page.
Yes. Every page in the set should list itself and all the other versions. If a return link is missing, Google may ignore the annotation.
A canonical tag names the preferred URL among duplicates. Hreflang connects localized versions of a page. They solve different problems and are used together, with each version canonical to itself.
Yes. A value such as en targets all English speakers. Use en-US or en-GB only when you have distinct regional versions.
Hreflang regions use ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes, and the United Kingdom is GB. Use en-GB. The generator flags en-UK so you can fix it.
Yes. Google accepts HTML tags, HTTP headers and XML sitemaps. Headers suit PDFs, and sitemaps suit large sites. Use one method per set of pages.
Common causes are missing return tags, invalid codes, URLs that redirect, are blocked or noindexed, and sets that differ between pages. Check that every URL works and every page lists the full set.
Yes. It is completely free, with no sign-up and no limit. Everything runs in your browser, so your URLs are never uploaded to a server.
Pair hreflang with the other technical tags that help international sites.
Search Savvy’s technical SEO team plans and audits hreflang, sitemaps and multilingual site structure.
