Referrer Viewer
See what the previous page told this one about where you came from.
How this test works
The referrer the browser passed to this page is read, along with the referrer policy this page itself declares. Historically a browser sent the complete previous URL to every site you clicked through to, path and query included, which leaked search terms, document names and account sections between unrelated sites as a matter of routine. Browsers now default to strict-origin-when-cross-origin, which trims a cross-site referrer down to just the origin — so a full path arriving here means the previous site deliberately chose a looser policy. No referrer at all is equally ordinary: typing the address, using a bookmark, or following a link marked noreferrer all produce it.
What the results mean
- Referrer received
- What the previous page passed on. Empty is common and not a problem.
- Full path sent
- More than modern defaults send. The previous site chose a looser policy.
- This page's policy
- What this page passes on when you follow a link away from it.
- Modern default
- strict-origin-when-cross-origin — trims cross-site referrers to the origin.
Common problems and fixes
- No referrer was sent
- Entirely normal. Typing the address, a bookmark, an HTTPS-to-HTTP navigation or a noreferrer link all produce it.
- The full URL of the previous page came through
- That site is using a looser referrer policy than the default. It is worth knowing if the paths on it are sensitive.
- Can I stop sending referrers?
- Browser extensions can strip the header, and some browsers offer a setting. Be aware that a few sites use it for anti-hotlinking and may break.
Frequently asked questions
What is a referrer?
The address of the page you were on when you followed a link. Browsers pass it to the destination, which is how sites know where their traffic came from.
Do full URLs still leak between sites?
Much less than they used to. Browsers now trim cross-site referrers to the origin by default, so paths only leak when a site deliberately opts into a looser policy.
Is a missing referrer a problem?
No. It is common and often deliberate. Some sites use it for anti-hotlinking, which is the only place its absence tends to cause trouble.