---
title: "Getting started"
description: "From a long URL to a tracked short link in two minutes."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.in.bio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting started

This is the shortest honest path to a working, tracked short link.

1. **Shorten a URL**

   Go to [in.bio](https://in.bio), paste a long URL into the box, and press
   **Shorten**. You get a short link like `in.bio/a8K2p` and a QR code —
   no account needed. Copy it, open it, share it, or download the QR.
2. **Create a free account**

   Click **Save & track this link** on the result screen. Registering right
   after shortening automatically claims the link into your account.
   You can also sign up with Google.

   :::note
   Anonymous links keep redirecting but can't be edited or tracked, and
   they're deleted after 30 days if unclaimed. Custom slugs also require an
   account.
   :::
3. **Create a link with a custom slug**

   In the dashboard press **Create link** (always in the sidebar). A random
   available slug is pre-filled — edit it to anything 4–64 characters
   (`a–z`, `0–9`, `-`, `_`), like `in.bio/spring-sale`. Add a title, folder,
   and tags if you want structure from day one.
4. **Watch the clicks come in**

   Share the link anywhere. Clicks appear within seconds in **Events**
   (a live click log) and roll up into **Analytics** — clicks over time,
   countries, devices, browsers, and referrers, with bots already filtered
   out.

## What you just got

Every link you create has:

| Included | Details |
|---|---|
| Short URL | `in.bio/your-slug`, served from cache in milliseconds |
| QR code | Points at the short URL — [style it](/guides/qr-codes) any time |
| Analytics | [Clicks, visitors, geo, devices](/guides/analytics) |
| Safety scan | Every destination is checked for phishing and malware |

## Next steps

- Organize with [folders and tags](/guides/folders-and-tags)
- Style your [QR codes](/guides/qr-codes)
- Tag campaigns with the [UTM builder](/guides/utm)
- Protect links with [passwords, expiration, and click limits](/guides/link-protection)

Source: https://docs.in.bio/getting-started/index.mdx