Online Tool Store
Hreflang Return Tag Validator
Paste hreflang tags from two related pages to check whether they correctly reference each other as required for valid hreflang annotations. Runs entirely in your browser.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Example
Hreflang Return Tag Validator
Sample: 2-page hreflang pair
Example shown — replace it with your own hreflang tags.
Result
How it works
- Paste the hreflang tags from two related pages.
- Each page's tags are checked for a matching return reference.
- See whether the return tag relationship is valid.
The method
Each page's hreflang declarations are cross-checked to confirm both pages reference each other correctly, the requirement search engines expect for valid hreflang annotations.
FAQ
What is a return tag in hreflang?
When page A links to page B with an hreflang tag, page B is expected to link back to page A ("return the tag") — search engines treat missing return tags as invalid or ignore the annotation.
What happens if return tags don't match?
Search engines may ignore the hreflang annotation entirely for that pair, which can cause the wrong language or regional version of a page to be shown in search results.
Does this crawl my site automatically?
No — paste the hreflang tags from each page manually; this doesn't fetch or crawl live URLs.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Search Console international targeting report | Manual tag inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| No software install | Yes | No | Yes |
| Quick to start | Yes | Setup required | Slow, error-prone |
| Free to use | Yes | Free | Free |
For a quick check on a specific page pair before a full crawl report, this catches the issue faster.