Free Hreflang Tag Generator
Create correct hreflang tags for multilingual and multi-regional websites. 180+ languages, 250+ regions, x-default support and live validation. No sign-up required.
100% Private
180+ Languages
Copy-Ready Output
Works on Mobile
Configure Language Versions
Quick presets
Language versions
Generated Hreflang Tags
<!-- Add language versions on the left -->
Reciprocal linking required: Paste the full set of tags into the
<head> of every language version of the page. If page A links to page B with hreflang, page B must link back. Include a self-reference to the current page too.
What Is Hreflang?
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that tells Google which language and geographic region a page is targeting. It is used on multilingual and multi-regional sites to make sure users see the correct language version in search results.
For example, if you have an English page for the US and an English page for the UK, hreflang lets you tell Google: "Send US users to the .com/en-us/ version and UK users to the .com/en-gb/ version."
The hreflang tag format
There are three valid formats for the hreflang attribute:
en— language only (any English-speaking user)en-US— language + region (English speakers in the United States specifically)x-default— fallback for users whose language/region is not covered
Do you need hreflang?
You need hreflang if any of these apply:
- Your site has content in multiple languages
- You target different countries with the same language (US vs UK vs Australia)
- You have regional stores with different prices, currency or products
- You serve different content based on the user's location
You do not need hreflang if your site is in one language and one country. A single-language site has nothing to disambiguate.
The 5 hreflang rules you must follow
- Hreflang must be reciprocal. If page A points to page B, page B must point back to page A. Google ignores non-reciprocal pairs.
- Every page needs the full set. Not just the tags pointing to other languages — every language version must contain tags for all versions, including itself (a self-reference).
- Always include x-default. It tells Google which page to show when no language matches. Usually your language selector or global English page.
- Use the correct ISO codes. Language codes are ISO 639-1 (two letters:
en,fr,de). Region codes are ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (US,GB,DE). Never use both region and script together. - Use absolute URLs. Hreflang URLs must be absolute:
https://example.com/en-us/, not/en-us/.
Three ways to implement hreflang
- HTML link tags — inside the
<head>of each page. Easiest for small-to-medium sites and what this tool generates. - HTTP headers — for non-HTML files like PDFs. Sent as
Link: <https://example.com/en>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="en". - XML sitemaps — using
xhtml:linkelements. Best for sites with thousands of pages.
Common hreflang mistakes
- Non-reciprocal tags. Page A points to B, but B doesn't point back. Google ignores both.
- Missing x-default. Users whose language isn't covered see the "wrong" version.
- Using region as language.
hreflang="uk"doesn't mean "United Kingdom" — it means "Ukrainian." Useen-GBfor UK English. - Wrong codes.
en-UKis invalid — the UK country code isGB. Always useen-GB. - Pointing to redirecting or 404 URLs. Both endpoints must return 200 OK.
- Using uppercase region codes inconsistently.
en-usanden-USare equivalent, but be consistent. - Conflicting with canonical. If a page has a canonical pointing to another URL, that URL must also be the hreflang target.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hreflang?
Hreflang is an HTML attribute that tells Google which language and geographic region a page is targeting. It is used on multilingual and multi-regional sites to show the correct language version to each user in search results.
Do I need hreflang?
You need hreflang if your site has content in multiple languages or targets different countries with similar content. If your site is in one language and one country, you do not need hreflang.
What is x-default?
x-default tells Google which page to show when no language or region matches the user. It is typically your language selector page or your global English version. Every hreflang set should include one x-default.Do hreflang tags need to be reciprocal?
Yes. If page A links to page B with hreflang, page B must link back to page A with hreflang. Non-reciprocal hreflang is ignored by Google. Every page must include the full set of hreflang tags for all its language versions, including a self-reference.
Can I put hreflang in a sitemap instead?
Yes. Hreflang can be implemented in three ways: HTML link tags in the head, HTTP headers, or XML sitemaps. All three work. Sitemaps are best for very large sites, but HTML tags are easier for small to medium sites.
Why is my hreflang not working?
The most common causes: (1) non-reciprocal linking, (2) missing x-default, (3) invalid region codes, (4) URLs returning 404 or redirecting, (5) hreflang pointing to a URL that has a conflicting canonical. Check each of these with Google Search Console's International Targeting report.
Is this hreflang generator free?
Yes — 100% free, no sign-up, runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is ever sent to any server.