Google Can Handle URLs Up to 2,048 Characters
But just because you can does not mean you should.
Long URLs are harder to share, harder to remember, and look terrible in search results. They also tend to indicate excessive folder depth or parameter bloat.
The Practical Limit
Keep URLs under 75 characters when possible. Under 100 is acceptable. Over 200 and you should ask yourself what went wrong.
What Makes URLs Unnecessarily Long
Nested categories: `/shop/clothing/mens/casual/t-shirts/blue-cotton-crew-neck-tee`
Excessive parameters: `/products?category=shoes&color=blue&size=10&sort=price&page=3`
Auto-generated slugs from long titles: `/blog/the-complete-and-comprehensive-guide-to-everything-you-need-to-know-about-url-length-in-2026`
The Fix
Flatten your URL structure where possible. Remove stop words from slugs. Clean up unnecessary parameters. And make sure to pick one approach for trailing slashes — inconsistency doubles your URL count. Ahrefs covers URL optimization in their technical SEO guide.
Short, descriptive, readable. That is the goal.
Part of our 113-task SEO checklist. Free. No credit card. 30 seconds. wink