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Google URL Shortener service shortens URLs using goo.gl.

For example, goo.gl/e1kTPw ( archived † ) redirects to this question.

How does one determine the destination URL of a goo.gl short link without actually visiting it?

Is there an official way provided by Google, instead of a 3rd party?

† Google has now deprecated goo.gl ├── 2009-12 Google announces "URL Shortener" launch. ├── 2010-09 goo.gl website launched. ├── 2018-04 Google announces 2019 sunset of goo.gl │ ├── Transitions service to Firebase Dynamic Links. │ ├── Existing website users have one more year. │ └── No new users will be accepted. ├── 2019-03 Sunset date for existing goo.gl users. ├── 2024-07 Announced existing links won't work after 2025-08. └── 2025-08 Updates decision to only disable "inactive" links.
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To determine the destination URL of a goo.gl short link without visiting it, you can use a command-line tool like curl to inspect the HTTP headers.

The curl command below will follow the redirect and print header information.

Just run this command into your terminal:

curl -I -L goo.gl/e1kTPw

As far as I know there is no method provided by Google to do this.

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