What Is the HTTP Referer Header?
When you click a link, your browser sends an HTTP Referer header to the destination site containing the full URL of the page you came from. Website owners use this to track traffic sources — but it also exposes private URLs and browsing context. Hide your referrer now →
When the Referer Header Causes Problems
- Sharing links from private company intranets or internal tools
- Linking from members-only forums or private communities
- Outbound links from pages containing sensitive URL parameters
- Marketing campaigns where you need to protect your traffic source strategy
- Personal research you do not want linked to your identity
Four Methods to Hide Your Referrer
1. Use a Referrer Removal Service (Easiest)
Our Hide Referrer Link tool wraps your URL in an anonymous redirect that strips the Referer header completely. Free, instant, no account needed.
2. Referrer-Policy HTTP Header
Website owners can add Referrer-Policy: no-referrer to their pages to prevent outbound referrers for all links.
3. rel="noreferrer" Attribute
Adding rel="noreferrer" to an HTML anchor tag prevents the referrer for that specific link only.
4. Copy and Paste Directly
Copying a URL and pasting it into the address bar instead of clicking a link removes the referrer entirely.
Does Hiding the Referrer Affect Analytics?
Traffic with no referrer appears as "direct" in Google Analytics. If you need campaign attribution without the Referer header, use UTM parameters — they work independently of the Referer header.
Related Tools
- Dereferer — Full anonymous redirect with batch mode and UTM stripper
- My Referrer Checker — See what your browser currently sends
- Referrer Removal Tool — One-click referrer strip for any link
