iOS Universal Links and URL Shorteners

Question

We have recently begin to encounter issues with our Universal Link implementation when the UL is accessed via a shortened goo.gl URL.

This Works: https://site.domain.com/Deep/Link

This does not: https://goo .gl/fake -> 302 Redirect -> https://site.domain.com/Deep/Link

Is anyone else experiencing the same thing?

Note: I had to break up the shortened Google URL to keep StackOverflow's editor from yelling at me.

Answer 1

Universal Links are triggered by the URL that is being accessed, and are ignored if a redirect is not triggered by explicit user action. Since goo.gl isn't registered to your app (and cannot be, since you don't control it), burying your URL behind a shortened link is bypassing Universal Link detection for the destination domain.

There is no good workaround for this on goo.gl. The best option is to set up a URL shortener on a custom domain that you CAN register with your app for Universal Links. Alternatively, Branch.io (full disclosure: I'm on the Branch team) or Firebase Dynamic Links could handle this for you, since both essentially set up a custom link shortener on a domain they control for Universal Links on your behalf.