Advanced Features
Redirect Short Links by Device, OS & Browser
A single "download" or "get the app" link often needs to send Android users one place and desktop users another. URL Shortify PRO's Technology redirection does exactly that: one short link routes visitors to a different destination URL based on their device, operating system, or browser — for example Android visitors to the Play Store and everyone else to your default page. Technology is a Dynamic Redirection type on the link form and is available in URL Shortify PRO.
PRO feature
Technology (device / OS / browser) redirection is part of URL Shortify PRO. In the free version the Dynamic Redirection section shows only an upgrade prompt, and every visitor is sent to a single Target URL.
What is Technology redirection?
Technology redirection is a per-link rule that maps a visitor's device, operating system, and browser to a specific destination URL. URL Shortify reads those attributes from the visitor's user agent at click time and sends them to the URL whose rule they match. Visitors who match no rule fall back to your main Target URL, so one short link can serve every platform.
How to set up a device redirect
- Go to URL Shortify → Links and add a new link or click Edit on an existing one.
- Enter your default destination in the main Target URL field. This is where unmatched visitors go.
- Find the Dynamic Redirection section and select Technology from the dropdown.
- A rule table appears with Device, OS, Browser, and URL columns. In the first row, choose the conditions to match and enter the destination URL for them.
- Leave any column set to Any to ignore it. A row that matches only Device (OS and Browser both Any) targets that device regardless of OS or browser.
- Use the + (add) button in the Action column to add more rules and the trash icon to remove one.
- Click Save Link.
Available match values
| Column | Options |
|---|---|
| Device | Desktop, Tablet, Mobile |
| OS | Android, Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Browser | Amazon Silk, Android, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari |
| URL | The destination for visitors matching this row |
How matching works
Within one row, all three conditions must match the visitor (Device and OS and Browser); a column set to Any always matches. URL Shortify checks the rows top to bottom and uses the first row that matches. If no row matches, the visitor is sent to your main Target URL.
Example: split app-store traffic
To send Android users to the Play Store and everyone else to your default page:
- Set the main Target URL to your fallback (for example, your website or App Store link).
- Choose Technology as the Dynamic Redirection type.
- Add a row with OS = Android (Device and Browser left as Any) and URL = your Play Store link.
- Save. Android visitors go to the Play Store; every other visitor falls back to the main Target URL.
Technology vs. other dynamic redirects
Technology routes by device, OS, and browser. To route by visitor country instead, use Geo Location redirection. To split traffic across multiple weighted URLs — for load balancing or A/B split testing — use Link Rotation. A link can use only one Dynamic Redirection type at a time.
Conclusion
Technology redirection lets one short link serve the right page to every platform — a mobile page for phones, a Play Store link for Android, a desktop page for everyone else — with your main Target URL as the safety net. To route by location instead, see Geo Location redirection, and to measure how each destination performs, add UTM Presets or review link tracking.
FAQs
Can I redirect iPhone or iOS users specifically?
The operating system options are Android, Linux, Mac, and Windows, so there is no dedicated iOS value. To reach mobile visitors, set the Device column to Mobile, or target the Safari browser. For an app-download link, the common pattern is an Android rule pointing to the Play Store with everyone else (including iPhone users) falling back to your main Target URL, such as an App Store link.
What happens if a visitor matches no rule?
Visitors who do not match any Technology rule are sent to the main Target URL you entered on the link form. That URL is the fallback for the whole link, so always set it to a page that works for a general audience, then add Technology rules only for the specific platforms you want to route elsewhere.
How does URL Shortify detect the device, OS, and browser?
URL Shortify parses the visitor's browser user agent at the moment they click the short link, recording the device type, operating system, and browser with the click. It matches those against your rules to choose the destination. Because detection relies on the user agent, unusual or spoofed agents may not match and will fall back to the main Target URL.
Do all three conditions in a row have to match?
Yes. A row matches only when the visitor's Device, OS, and Browser all satisfy that row — a column set to Any matches everything, so it is effectively ignored. To target just one attribute, set the other two columns to Any. URL Shortify uses the first matching row from top to bottom, so order your most specific rules first.
Is device redirection available in the free version?
No. Technology redirection is a URL Shortify PRO feature. In the free version the Dynamic Redirection section on the link form shows an upgrade prompt instead of the rule table, and every visitor is sent to a single Target URL. Upgrading to PRO unlocks Technology redirects alongside Geo Location and Link Rotation.