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Hreflang Validator

Validate hreflang tags on a live page: language/region codes, x-default, self-reference, absolute URLs, and return-tag reciprocity across alternates.

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We read the <link rel="alternate" hreflang="…"> tags from the page HTML.

Checks language/region code validity, x-default, self-reference, absolute URLs, duplicates, and whether each alternate links back (the #1 cause of hreflang errors in Search Console). Need to create tags? Use the Hreflang Generator.

Hreflang Validator: Check International SEO Tags the Right Way

Paste a live URL and this hreflang validator reads the page's alternate-language tags, checks every code and URL, and confirms return-tag reciprocity across your alternates — the single most common cause of hreflang errors in Google Search Console.

What the hreflang validator checks

Hreflang tells Google which language and regional version of a page to serve to which users. A single misconfigured tag can break an entire cluster. This tool fetches your page and runs the checks that matter:

  • Valid syntax for every hreflang value, including language, script, region, and x-default.
  • A self-referencing tag, which every page in a language set is required to have.
  • Absolute URLs — relative hrefs are a frequent and silent failure.
  • Duplicate or conflicting hreflang values on the same page.
  • Return-tag reciprocity: it visits each alternate and confirms it links back to your page.

Why hreflang reciprocity matters most

Google only honors an hreflang pairing when it is bidirectional. If page A declares page B as its Spanish version but page B does not declare A in return, Google ignores the annotation entirely. That is why Search Console reports 'no return tags' more than any other hreflang error. This validator fetches your alternates (up to 20) and flags exactly which ones fail to point back, so you can fix the pairing at the source.

How to read the results

Start at the top-level summary, then work down the table:

  • Fix any invalid codes first — Google discards tags it cannot parse.
  • Ensure the self-reference and x-default rows are present.
  • For every 'No return tag' row, add the missing hreflang tag to that alternate page.
  • Re-run the validator after deploying, then confirm in Search Console's International Targeting report.

Where hreflang tags can live

This tool reads hreflang from the HTML head, which is the most common implementation. Hreflang can also be delivered via HTTP headers (for non-HTML files like PDFs) or inside your XML sitemap. If you use the sitemap method, validate there as well and keep the two approaches consistent — never mix conflicting signals.

FAQ

Is the hreflang validator free?
Yes. Enter any public URL and get a full report instantly, with no account or signup.
What does 'no return tag' mean?
The alternate page you point to does not include an hreflang tag pointing back to the current page. Google requires this reciprocity, so the pairing is ignored until you add the return tag.
Do I need an x-default tag?
It is not strictly required, but strongly recommended. x-default tells Google which page to serve users whose language or region you do not explicitly target.
Can it read hreflang from XML sitemaps or HTTP headers?
This tool analyzes hreflang in the page's HTML head. If you implement hreflang via sitemap or HTTP headers, validate those separately and keep them consistent with any on-page tags.
Why are only some alternates reciprocity-checked?
To keep the check fast and polite, it fetches up to 20 alternate pages. Larger clusters are sampled; run the tool on individual pages to cover the rest.

Related tools

Pro tip: pair this tool with UTM Builder and Duplicate Title Detector for a faster SEO workflow.