Hreflang Validator

Check your page’s <link rel="alternate" hreflang="..."> and optional header Link: <...>; rel="alternate". Detect invalid language/region codes, duplicates, relative URLs, missing x-default, and (optionally) return tags.

Also try our Canonical Tag Checker and Open Graph Checker.

What Is a Hreflang Validator?

The Hreflang Validator scans your page for <link rel="alternate" hreflang="xx-YY"> tags and optional Link HTTP header directives. It validates language–region codes, detects duplicates, checks for x-default, flags relative URLs, and can sample whether return tags exist across alternates.

Hreflang tags help search engines serve the correct language or regional URL to users in international markets, reducing duplicate content issues and improving user experience.

Why Hreflang Matters

International SEO: Ensures users see the right localized version of your site.
Prevents duplicate content: Avoids competing versions of the same page in search results.
Improves CTR: Users click on results in their language/region.
Signals relationships: Tells Google which pages are language/region variants of each other.

Common Hreflang Issues

Invalid codes: e.g., en-UK instead of en-GB.
Missing x-default: No fallback version for unspecified users.
Duplicate entries: Multiple URLs with the same hreflang code.
Relative URLs: Using /path/page instead of absolute https:// URLs.
Non-200 targets: Hreflang points to broken or redirected URLs.
No return tags: Alternates don’t reciprocally reference each other.

Best Practices for Hreflang Implementation

✅ Use ISO 639-1 language codes (en, es, fr).
✅ Add optional ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2 region codes (US, GB, CA).
✅ Keep language lowercase (en) and region uppercase (GB).
✅ Use x-default for a global catch-all page (e.g., homepage or language selector).
✅ Ensure all alternates reference each other (bidirectional return tags).
✅ Always use absolute URLs with scheme + host (no relative paths).

Example of Correct Hreflang Markup

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-US" href="https://example.com/us/page/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="es-ES" href="https://example.com/es/page/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/" />

FAQ: Hreflang Validator

What is a hreflang return tag?

A return tag means that if Page A references Page B with hreflang, then Page B must also reference Page A. Google requires this reciprocity.

Do I need x-default?

Yes, it’s recommended for global or language selector pages. It tells Google what to serve when no exact language/region match exists.

Can hreflang fix duplicate content?

Yes. By signaling which version to show to which audience, Google avoids showing multiple language versions in the same SERP.

What happens if hreflang is wrong?

Invalid codes, broken links, or missing return tags may cause Google to ignore the tags completely, leading to duplicate or misaligned rankings.

Pro tip: Keep language codes lowercase (e.g., en) and regions uppercase (e.g., GB). Always use absolute URLs and ensure every alternate page includes a return link to every other.

Try our other free SEO tools: Canonical Tag Checker, Open Graph Checker, Robots.txt Tester.