Campaign tags
Parameters like utm_source and
utm_campaign that tell marketing systems where a
click came from.
URLStrip
Silentium servat - silence protects
Remove tracking junk from links.
URLStrip strips known tracking parameters before you open a link, save it, or send it to someone else. It runs locally, supports macOS and Windows, and is free to use.
What URLStrip does
This is the basic idea. A normal link often arrives with extra tracking parameters attached to it. URLStrip removes the known junk and keeps the destination intact.
Before
https://example.com/article?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR123&gclid=abc123
After
https://example.com/article
Same destination. Less junk attached to it.
Why it matters
A lot of links carry extra baggage.
Copy a link from email, search, or social media and there is a good chance it has extra tracking glued onto the end. Some of it measures campaigns. Some of it identifies clicks. Some of it can tie the link back to a person, browser, or session.
Click identifiers
Values like fbclid and gclid added by
major platforms to follow clicks across systems.
Other tracking codes
Other junk added by analytics, email, affiliate, and marketing systems.
The result is a cleaner link with less junk and less tracking attached to it.
What it does
Clean links without breaking them.
URLStrip checks a link for known tracking parameters and strips what does not need to be there. It keeps the parts the destination actually needs, including normal paths and parameters that control content or state.
What URLStrip removes
- Common tracking parameters like
utm_* - Many click IDs and redirect wrappers
- Known junk added by advertising, analytics, and email systems
What URLStrip keeps
- Normal paths and destination URLs
- Functional parameters needed for content or state
- The parts of the link that still need to work
How it works
Simple on purpose.
URLStrip is built to stay out of the way. On desktop, it fits into normal copy-and-paste use instead of asking you to route links through some service. The cleanup happens locally and the result is a cleaner link you can keep using normally.
01
Install it
Install URLStrip for your platform and leave it there.
02
Use links normally
Copy, paste, or share a link the same way you already do.
03
Clean locally
URLStrip removes known tracking junk on the device itself.
04
Keep moving
Open it, save it, or send it without dragging the junk along.
Some parameters are intentionally kept because they control content, preserve state, or are required for the destination to work.
Trust
The privacy model is simple.
Runs locally
URLStrip cleans links on your device instead of routing them through someone else's cloud service.
No account required
There is no login, subscription wall, or account setup just to clean a link.
Rules-based approach
URLStrip is grounded in the ClearURLs ruleset and extended with maintained additions where they improve real-world results.
Built with relevant experience
Tacita Labs is building privacy tools with a practical, local-first bias shaped by years of security and privacy work.
Download
Free to download and use.
Current desktop releases are published through the public URLStrip release repository with direct download links and published SHA-256 hashes so people can verify what they are downloading.
macOS
Download URLStrip 1.0.1 for macOS
SHA-256: 8a90190b27027db25686d6538d65e27dddcb048685c2677acd55790607292e43
Windows
Download URLStrip 1.0.1 for Windows
SHA-256: 2d1b30ed7b12f474c6d80c9f34da4e0f40de911e15abed6059f09e69e40ddbce
Full checksum file: checksums/1.0.1.sha256
Screenshots
A real look at the app.
Real screenshots. No invented UI, no glossy mockups. Desktop stays lightweight and out of the way. iPhone makes cleanup, controls, and visibility easier.
About
Built by Jim O'Gorman.
Jim O'Gorman spent nearly two decades helping build Offensive Security, working across leadership, training, product, operations, and community as the company grew through two exits.
Tacita Labs is focused on practical privacy tools that reduce unnecessary data exposure without adding another account, dashboard, or cloud dependency. The idea is simple: solve the problem without creating a second one.
FAQ
Short answers to obvious questions.
Does URLStrip send my links anywhere?
No. The point is to clean links locally instead of routing browsing data through another service.
Do I need an account?
No. Download it, install it, and use it.
Will it break links?
It is designed to remove known tracking junk while preserving the parts a link needs to work. Some parameters are intentionally kept when they affect content or function.
Where do the rules come from?
URLStrip is grounded in the upstream ClearURLs ruleset and extended with additional maintained coverage where that improves practical results.
Why make another privacy tool?
Because too many privacy products solve one problem by creating another. Tacita Labs is focused on reducing exposure without demanding more of your data in return.
Contact
For product questions, feedback, or general inquiries, reach out at hello@tacitalabs.com.