How to Set an Expiry Date for Short URLs in URL Shortify

To make a short link stop working after a campaign or event ends, set an Expiration Date on the link in URL Shortify. Once that date and time pass, the link either shows the default not-found behavior or, if you enable it, redirects visitors to a URL you choose. Expiry is by date only — there is no click-count limit.

Why set an expiry date?

• Time-limited campaigns — temporary promotions, product launches, or event pages that should not stay live afterward.
• Link housekeeping — retire obsolete links automatically instead of tracking them by hand.
• Security — stop older, sensitive links from working after a set date.

Set an expiry date on a link

Step 1 — Open the link editor

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to URL Shortify → Links.
3. Click Edit on an existing link, or Add New Link to create one.

Step 2 — Set the Expiration Date

In the link editor, scroll to the Expiration Date field and choose the date and time the link should expire. Times use your site's timezone.

Step 3 — Choose what happens after expiry

Below the date, use the Redirection After Expiration? toggle to control the outcome:

When you enable the toggle, enter the destination in the Redirection URL field.

Step 4 — Save

Click Save (or Update) to apply the expiry date and post-expiry behavior.

What happens after the short link expires?

Once the expiration date and time pass, the link stops sending visitors to its original target. If Redirection After Expiration? is on, visitors go to your Redirection URL; if it is off, they get the default not-found response. Expiry is triggered by the date only — URL Shortify does not cap a link by number of clicks.

Manage expiry on many links at once

You can apply an expiry date to several links together from URL Shortify → Links: select the links with their checkboxes, then use the Add Expiry bulk action. You can also change or clear an expiry date at any time by editing an individual link.

Conclusion

Setting an Expiration Date (PRO) retires a short link automatically when a campaign ends, and the optional Redirection URL keeps visitors moving somewhere useful instead of hitting a dead link. To hide a link behind a password instead of expiring it, see Password-Protected Links.

FAQs

Can I change or remove an expiry date after setting it?

Yes. Edit the link from URL Shortify → Links and update or clear the Expiration Date field, then save. There is no limit on how many times you can change it, so you can extend a campaign or make a link permanent again at any point before or after it expires.

What happens if I don't set a Redirection URL?

If Redirection After Expiration? is left off, the expired short link no longer resolves and visitors see the default not-found behavior — typically a 404 page. To send visitors somewhere useful instead, turn on the toggle and enter a destination in the Redirection URL field before saving.

Can I set an expiry date on many links at once?

Yes. On the URL Shortify → Links screen, select the links using their checkboxes and choose the Add Expiry bulk action to apply an expiration date to all of them together. You can still fine-tune or clear the expiry date on any individual link afterward by editing it.

Can I expire a link after a number of clicks instead of a date?

No. URL Shortify expires links by date and time only; there is no click-count or usage cap. If you need to stop a link after an event, set an Expiration Date. To restrict who can open a link, use Password-Protected Links instead.

Is the expiry feature available in the free version?

No. Setting an Expiration Date requires URL Shortify PRO. In the free version, the Expiration Date area on the link form displays an upgrade prompt rather than a working date picker. Upgrading to PRO also unlocks password protection, custom domains, and full click analytics.