Google is Quietly Preserving Some Goo.gl Links Despite Shutting Down.

In a surprising twist, Google is preserving access to select goo.gl short links, even though the official Google URL Shortener service was discontinued years ago. According to a recent investigation by Android Authority, while the public-facing service is no longer functional, some old shortened links still redirect properly, raising questions about Google’s handling of legacy data and link preservation.

In an update to its developer blog, Google explained:

While we previously announced discontinuing support for all goo.gl URLs after August 25, 2025, we've adjusted our approach to preserve actively used links. We understand these links are embedded in countless documents, videos, posts, and more, and we appreciate the input received.

The End of Goo.gl.

The Google URL Shortener service, launched in 2009, was originally created to help users share links in a more compact format, especially for mobile users and platforms like Twitter. Over the years, it gained popularity among marketers, bloggers, and everyday users.

However, in March 2018, Google announced the gradual shutdown of the goo.gl service in favor of Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL), citing a shift in user behavior toward more dynamic mobile-first solutions. The URL shortener was fully shut down to the public in March 2019, and Google stated that existing links would continue to redirect, but the creation and management of new ones would no longer be supported.

Originally announced in July 2024, Google planned to sunset the legacy goo.gl shortener entirely, citing declining usage as 99 % of links had no activity as of mid‑2024. Those links were set to return errors, breaking outdated or embedded references across the web.

Fast forward to 2025, and some goo.gl links are surprisingly still active and functional, redirecting users to the correct destination. However, not all goo.gl links behave the same, and some now lead to a generic error page, while others continue to work perfectly.

This inconsistency suggests that Google might be selectively preserving certain high-traffic or important goo.gl links, possibly based on usage history or relevance. While there’s no official statement from Google on the exact criteria, it’s clear that some level of backend maintenance or archival logic is in place.

Implications for Users and the Web.

This partial survival of goo.gl links offers both opportunity and caution for users. On one hand, those with important legacy content tied to goo.gl links might find relief knowing some of their URLs still work. On the other hand, the unpredictability means businesses or publishers relying on goo.gl for permanent redirects should consider migrating to a more stable URL shortening service.

From a web archiving and digital preservation perspective, this raises interesting questions about Google’s long-term commitment to preserving parts of the internet’s past infrastructure. It also shows that tech giants, even when discontinuing a service, may still quietly maintain support for legacy features that serve value behind the scenes.