Toolsvana→SEO Tools→Hreflang Tag Generator

Hreflang Tag Generator

Generate hreflang tags for multilingual and multi-regional SEO

🌐Language Versions (3)

en-US
es-MX
fr

The x-default value tells search engines which URL to show when no other language/region matches the user.

Valid entries: 3 / 3 + x-default

πŸ’»Generated Hreflang Tags

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

How to Use

  1. 1.Add an entry for each language/region version of your page with its corresponding URL.
  2. 2.Enable the x-default tag and set it to your primary/fallback page URL.
  3. 3.Copy the generated tags and paste them into the <head> section of each language version of the page.
  4. 4.Important: All pages referenced in hreflang tags must include the same set of hreflang tags (bi-directional confirmation).

About Hreflang Tag Generator

The Hreflang Tag Generator is a free online tool that helps you create proper hreflang link elements for multilingual and multi-regional websites. Hreflang tags tell search engines which language and regional version of a page to serve to users based on their location and language preferences, preventing duplicate content issues and ensuring the right audience sees the right version of your content.

Hreflang tags are HTML link elements that specify the language and optional geographic targeting of a webpage. They use the format <link rel="alternate" hreflang="language-region" href="url" />. Search engines like Google and Yandex use these signals to serve the correct language or regional URL in search results. For example, if you have an English page for the US and a Spanish page for Mexico, hreflang tags ensure American users see the English version while Mexican users see the Spanish version.

Our generator simplifies the complex process of creating valid hreflang annotations by providing dropdown selectors for 30+ languages and 35+ regions, automatic code formatting, built-in URL validation, duplicate detection, and support for the critical x-default fallback tag. The tool generates ready-to-paste HTML link tags that you can add directly to your page's head section.

Key Features

  • Support for 30+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and more
  • 35+ region/country options for granular geographic targeting
  • Optional x-default tag for specifying a fallback page for unmatched users
  • Built-in URL validation ensuring all URLs are absolute (http/https)
  • Duplicate hreflang code detection to prevent conflicting entries
  • Real-time code generation that updates as you add or modify entries
  • One-click copy to clipboard for easy implementation
  • Validation warnings for empty URLs, relative paths, and duplicate codes
  • Language code reference table with common examples for each language
  • Support for unlimited language/region entries per page

How to Use the Hreflang Tag Generator

  1. Add language entries: For each language or regional version of your page, select the language and optional region from the dropdowns and enter the full absolute URL.
  2. Configure x-default: Enable the x-default tag checkbox and enter your primary or fallback page URL to handle users whose language does not match any entry.
  3. Add more versions: Click "Add Language" to create additional entries for each translated or localized version of the page.
  4. Validate your entries: Click "Validate" to check for empty URLs, relative paths, and duplicate hreflang codes before copying.
  5. Copy the tags: Click "Copy All Tags" to copy the generated hreflang link elements to your clipboard.
  6. Implement on all pages: Paste the tags into the head section of every language version of the page. All pages must include the same complete set of hreflang tags (bidirectional confirmation).

Use Cases

  • Multilingual websites: Implement hreflang tags for websites that serve content in multiple languages to ensure each version ranks in its target market.
  • Multi-regional content: Target specific countries with the same language, such as English for the US, UK, Australia, and Canada with separate regional content.
  • E-commerce internationalization: Direct shoppers to the correct store version with the right language, currency, and shipping information for their region.
  • Global brand websites: Manage hreflang implementations for corporate websites with dozens of country-specific pages and language variants.
  • Content localization: Ensure blog posts, articles, and landing pages in different languages do not compete with each other in search results.
  • SEO migration: Generate correct hreflang tags when migrating from a single-language site to a multilingual structure or changing URL patterns.
  • International SEO audits: Quickly generate the correct hreflang markup during website audits to fix implementation errors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this tool free?

Yes, the Hreflang Tag Generator is completely free to use. There are no usage limits, no sign-up required, and no premium features locked behind a paywall.

Is my data secure?

Yes. All hreflang tags are generated entirely in your browser. Your URLs, language settings, and other data are never sent to any server or stored anywhere. Your information remains completely private.

What is the x-default tag and do I need it?

The x-default hreflang value specifies the default or fallback page for users whose language or region does not match any of your other hreflang annotations. It is strongly recommended to always include an x-default tag, typically pointing to your main language version or a language selector page.

Why must hreflang tags be bidirectional?

Bidirectional confirmation means that if page A references page B with a hreflang tag, page B must also reference page A. This mutual confirmation helps search engines verify the relationship between pages and prevents unauthorized third parties from claiming language relationships.

Can I use relative URLs in hreflang tags?

No. Hreflang tags require absolute URLs that start with http:// or https://. Relative URLs will not be recognized by search engines and will cause your hreflang implementation to fail.

Where can I place hreflang tags besides the HTML head?

Hreflang annotations can be implemented in three ways: HTML link tags in the head section, HTTP headers (useful for non-HTML files like PDFs), or in your XML sitemap. All three methods are equally valid, but HTML link tags are the most common approach.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Always include self-referencing tags: Each page should include a hreflang tag that points to itself in addition to all other language versions.
  • Use valid ISO codes: Use ISO 639-1 language codes (e.g., en, es, fr) and ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 region codes (e.g., US, GB, MX) to ensure search engines recognize your annotations.
  • Target languages, not countries: Hreflang primarily targets languages. Use the region component only when you have country-specific content variations within the same language.
  • Ensure URLs are indexable: All URLs referenced in hreflang tags must return a 200 status code, be self-canonical, and not be blocked by robots.txt or noindex directives.
  • Test your implementation: Use Google Search Console's International Targeting report and third-party hreflang testing tools to verify your implementation is correct and free of errors.
  • Keep tags consistent: When you add or remove a language version, update the hreflang tags on all related pages simultaneously to maintain bidirectional confirmation.