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Sending URLs via SMS

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Nina Wilson

Posted Jul 15, 2022

Hello! My organization uses the SMS product, and I am wondering: if I send an SMS with a URL in it, do I need to include "http://" or "https://" in the URL in order for the recipient to access the link directly from the SMS, or will the link work without that? For example: could I send the link to zendesk.com, or would I instead need to send the link to https://zendesk.com?

I experimented with sending the shorter version to a few mobile devices, and the links worked fine, but I want to know if I can expect this result consistently.

 

Thanks!

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4 comments

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    Christine

    Zendesk Engineering

    Hi Nina,

    Because SMS messages have a 160 character limit, when you send a URL as part of a message, our provider Twilio automatically creates a shortened version of it. While this URL shortening generally works well, it might occasionally cause a problem with message delivery. If you notice your messages are not being delivered, let us know.

    There is no suggested workflow whether you should include http or https or just the direct url since Twilio automatically shorten the URL due to the SMS character limit.

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    Adnan Ali

      When Twilio receives a URL as part of a message, it automatically shortens the URL due to the 160 character limit of SMS messages. I have found that URL shortening generally works well and does not cause any problems with the delivery of messages, but it can occasionally cause problems with the delivery of messages. In the event that you do not receive your messages, please contact us as soon as possible.

    Due to the fact that Twilio automatically shortens URLs in order to meet the SMS character limits, there is no suggested workflow as to whether you should include HTTP or https in your URLs.

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    Vinicius Henrique da Silva

    Zendesk Luminary

    Ahmed Zaid and how would it work now?

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    Christine

    Zendesk Engineering

    Hi Vinicius,

    The discontinuation of automatic URL shortening for text messages took effect on August 31, 2022. Any URLs that were shortened and included in SMS messages sent prior to August 31, 2022 will no longer function if your recipient clicks them. 
     
    Here are a few workarounds you can utilize as an alternative:
    • Don’t send URLs in text messages
    • Type the full URL into the text message
    • Use another URL shortening service to shorten the URL. 

    Thanks,
    Christine

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