Starlight Tools

Free URL Slug Generator

Convert titles into lowercase, hyphenated, URL-safe slugs instantly, privately, and without signup. Use it as a slug generator, title-to-slug converter, or bulk URL planning tool.

URL slug generator tool

Live slug

Include the domain and any folders.
Matched words move first only in the Short variant.
Advanced settings
International text mode
Use 0 for no limit. Whole words are kept when possible.
Character options

What is a URL slug?

A URL slug is the readable path segment that identifies a page. In this example, the slug is the final green segment:

https://example.com/blog/summer-recipes
Slug
One page-identifying path segment, such as summer-recipes.
URL
The complete web address, including scheme, domain, folders, and slug.
Permalink
A complete URL intended to remain a stable, permanent address.
URL encoding
Escapes characters using codes such as %20; it does not rewrite a title.
URL shortening
Creates a short redirect link to another URL; it does not create a page slug.

How to generate a slug

  1. Enter a title. Enter the title, product name, or text you want to convert.
  2. Choose settings. Choose an output mode, separator, length limit, and any priority keywords.
  3. Review the output. Compare the Full, Short, and Stop Words Removed variants and review the URL preview and quality feedback.
  4. Copy into your CMS. Copy the chosen slug or full URL into your CMS. Add a 301 redirect if you replace an already published slug.

Published page? Changing its slug changes its address. Plan a permanent redirect and update internal links before making the replacement.

Practical slug examples

These examples use lowercase, hyphens, number preservation, and ASCII transliteration unless noted.

UseBeforeAfter
Blog titleHow to Plan a Summer Gardenhow-to-plan-a-summer-garden
Ecommerce productMen’s Linen Shirt & Shortsmens-linen-shirt-and-shorts
Accented LatinCrème brûlée à Pariscreme-brulee-a-paris
ApostropheWhat’s Newwhats-new
AmpersandResearch & Developmentresearch-and-development
YearConference Schedule 2026conference-schedule-2026
File-like nameRelease_notes.v2.mdrelease-notes-v2-md
GreekΚαλωσόρισμα στην Αθήναkalosorisma-stin-athina
Arabic, Unicode modeدليل السفردليل-السفر
Japanese, Unicode mode東京旅行ガイド東京旅行ガイド

Common uses

WordPress

Paste the chosen result into the post or page slug field and check the final permalink.

Shopify

Use a stable product or collection handle; check for route conflicts before publishing.

Webflow

Generate consistent collection-item slugs and review duplicates before importing CMS rows.

Static sites

Create predictable filenames or front-matter slugs that match the router’s conventions.

API routes

Use deterministic identifiers only where mutable display names are appropriate; IDs are often safer for permanent resources.

Content migrations

Use Bulk mode to audit source titles, blank rows, empty results, and collisions before mapping redirects.

Practical slug checklist

  • Use readable words that identify the page’s primary topic.
  • Prefer lowercase and hyphens for a consistent, easy-to-scan public URL.
  • Remove filler only when the remaining words keep the intended meaning.
  • Avoid unstable dates in evergreen URLs; keep years when they identify a specific event, edition, or version.
  • Check route uniqueness, reserved paths, and existing CMS records before publishing.
  • For duplicate titles, add a stable qualifier such as category, location, language code, or product code.
  • Choose a consistent localization policy: readable Unicode slugs or maintained transliteration rules.
  • When changing a published slug, update internal links and create an appropriate 301 redirect from the old URL.

Descriptive slugs can improve comprehension, consistency, crawlability, and user trust. Clean wording alone does not guarantee search rankings, so preserve clarity rather than optimizing for an exact character count.

URL slug generator FAQs

What is a URL slug?

A URL slug is the readable path segment that identifies a page, usually after the domain and any folders. In https://example.com/blog/summer-recipes, the slug is summer-recipes.

Does a URL slug affect SEO?

A descriptive slug can help people and search systems understand a page, but a clean slug alone does not guarantee better rankings. Clarity, consistency, crawlability, and stable URLs matter more than chasing a formula.

Should I use hyphens or underscores in a slug?

Hyphens are the clearest default for public web pages because they visibly separate words. Use underscores only when an established project or route convention requires them.

What is the ideal slug length?

There is no universal ideal character count. Keep enough words to identify the page clearly, remove needless repetition, and follow any technical limit imposed by your CMS or routing system.

Should I remove stop words from a slug?

Remove words such as the or of only when the meaning stays clear. Compare the Full and Stop Words Removed variants rather than deleting them automatically in every case.

How does the generator handle accents and Unicode?

Transliterate to ASCII converts accented Latin text and common Greek and Cyrillic letters. Preserve Unicode keeps letters from scripts including Arabic and CJK. Strict ASCII keeps only original ASCII letters and numbers.

What should I do with duplicate slugs?

Each route must be unique. Add a stable qualifier such as a category, location, product code, or language code, and check existing CMS routes before publishing.

Should years and numbers stay in a slug?

Keep numbers when they identify a version, model, event, or genuinely time-specific page. Avoid unstable years in evergreen content if the URL would need changing later.

Can I change an indexed or published slug?

Yes, but changing it creates a new URL. Update internal links and use a permanent redirect from the old URL so visitors and search crawlers do not hit a broken page.

Do I need a 301 redirect after changing a slug?

Usually yes for a published page. A 301 redirect sends the old URL to the new permanent location. Confirm the correct redirect status and route rules for your platform.

What is the difference between a slug and a permalink?

A slug is one identifying path segment. A permalink is the complete lasting URL, which can include the scheme, domain, folders, and slug.

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