How do I generate hreflang tags?

Use the Hreflang Tag Generator above: (1) Enter your base URL (optional, for auto-fill). (2) Click 'Add locale' and select a language-country combination from the searchable dropdown. (3) Enter the URL for that locale. (4) Repeat for all language-regional versions. (5) Enable 'Auto x-default' to add the x-default tag. (6) Copy the HTML, XML, or HTTP header output. The tool validates your tags in real time and flags errors.

Hreflang Tag Generator — HTML, XML Sitemap & HTTP Header Output | LazyTools

🌐 Hreflang Tag Generator

Hreflang Tag Generator — HTML, XML & HTTP Header Output

Q: What is an hreflang tag?

An hreflang tag is an HTML attribute that tells search engines which language and regional version of a page to show users based on their location and language preferences. Implemented as in the head section of every page. Google, Yandex, and Bing all support hreflang. It is essential for multilingual and multi-regional websites to avoid serving the wrong language version or being penalised for duplicate content.

Q: What is x-default in hreflang?

The hreflang x-default tag specifies the fallback page shown to users when none of the other hreflang variants match their language or region. It uses the special code 'x-default' instead of a language code: . Google recommends x-default for your language selector page or your default English version. It is not required but strongly recommended for international sites.

Q: Do hreflang tags need to be bidirectional?

Yes. If page A references page B via hreflang, page B must also reference page A. This mutual confirmation is how Google validates the hreflang relationship. If hreflang tags are one-directional, Google may ignore the entire set. Every page in a hreflang group must include hreflang tags pointing to all other variants in the group, including itself (self-referencing).

Q: What is the correct hreflang format?

The correct hreflang format is: . Language code: ISO 639-1 two-letter code (en, fr, de, zh). Region code: ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 two-letter code (US, GB, FR, DE) — optional but recommended for regional targeting. Examples: hreflang='en' (English, any region), hreflang='en-US' (English, United States), hreflang='zh-TW' (Chinese, Taiwan), hreflang='x-default' (fallback).

Q: Where do I put hreflang tags?

Hreflang tags can be implemented in three places: (1) HTML head section — add tags inside the of every page. (2) XML Sitemap — add elements within each block in your sitemap. (3) HTTP Link headers — add Link: ; rel='alternate'; hreflang='...' to your server response headers. All three methods work with Google. The HTML head method is most common and easiest to implement.

Q: Do I need hreflang for different English variants?

Yes, if you have separate pages targeting different English-speaking countries (en-US, en-GB, en-AU, en-CA), hreflang is recommended. Without it, Google may show the wrong regional variant, or consider pages as duplicate content. Use hreflang='en-US' for the US version, hreflang='en-GB' for UK, hreflang='en-AU' for Australia, and include hreflang='x-default' pointing to your default version.

Q: What are common hreflang mistakes?

Common hreflang mistakes: (1) Missing self-reference — every page must include an hreflang tag pointing to itself. (2) Non-bidirectional — all pages in a group must link to each other. (3) Wrong ISO codes — use ISO 639-1 for languages (en, not eng) and ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 for regions (US, not USA). (4) Relative URLs — hreflang href values must be absolute, fully qualified URLs. (5) Missing x-default — recommended for international sites. (6) Inconsistent implementation — using HTML on some pages and XML sitemap on others.

Q: What is hreflang for Chinese (Simplified vs Traditional)?

For Chinese, use: zh-CN for Simplified Chinese (mainland China), zh-TW for Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), zh-HK for Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong). Note that Google uses region codes (CN, TW, HK) rather than script codes (Hans, Hant) for Chinese variants. Do not use zh-Hans or zh-Hant — these are not supported by Google for hreflang purposes.

Q: Hreflang vs canonical — what is the difference?

Canonical tags signal to search engines which version of a page is the 'preferred' version to index (used for duplicate content consolidation). Hreflang tags signal which language-regional version to show to specific users. They serve different purposes and can coexist. A canonical tag says 'this is the preferred URL'. An hreflang tag says 'this URL is for users speaking language X in region Y'. Both should be implemented correctly for international sites.

Add your locale–URL pairs and get valid hreflang tags in three formats simultaneously: HTML <link> tags for the <head>, XML sitemap syntax, and HTTP Link header format. Built-in validation catches missing self-references, non-bidirectional links, and invalid ISO codes. Supports x-default, base URL auto-fill, and 60+ locale codes.

3 output formats Live validation Auto x-default 60+ locale codes Base URL auto-fill Download .txt

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🌐 Hreflang Tag Generator

Add locale–URL pairs — get HTML, XML sitemap, and HTTP header hreflang tags instantly

Base URL (optional — auto-fills new rows)

Auto x-default (uses first URL)

Locale code URL

Add locale-URL pairs on the left to generate hreflang tags.

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📖 How to Use

How to generate hreflang tags

Enter your base URL

Optionally enter your site’s base URL (e.g. https://example.com). New locale rows will auto-fill with this URL so you only need to add the path suffix for each locale.

Add locale-URL pairs

Click “Add locale”, select a language-country combination from the searchable dropdown, and enter the full URL for that locale. Repeat for every language or regional version of the page.

Enable x-default

Keep “Auto x-default” on to automatically add an hreflang x-default tag pointing to your first URL. This specifies the fallback page for users whose language isn’t matched.

Check validation

The validation panel shows green checks for correct implementation and flags errors: missing self-reference, invalid ISO codes, and empty URLs. Fix any errors before implementing.

Choose output format

Switch between HTML link tags (for the page head), XML Sitemap format (for your sitemap.xml), and HTTP Link header (for server configuration). All three update instantly.

Copy or download

Click “Copy output” to copy the current tab’s code to clipboard, or “Download .txt” to save the file. Add the HTML tags to each page’s head section, or submit the XML sitemap via Google Search Console.

✔ Key Features

The most complete free hreflang tag generator

📤

3 Output Formats

HTML link tags for the page head, XML sitemap hreflang format, and HTTP Link response headers — all generated simultaneously. Switch tabs to see each format instantly.

✅

Live Validation

Real-time checks for missing self-references (every page must reference itself), invalid locale codes, empty URL fields, and x-default presence. Flags errors before you implement.

🌍

60+ Locale Codes

Searchable dropdown with all major ISO 639-1 language + ISO 3166-1 country combinations. Includes language-only codes (en, fr, de) and regional pairs (en-US, en-GB, zh-CN, zh-TW).

⭐

Auto x-default

Toggle to automatically include hreflang="x-default" pointing to your first URL. x-default specifies the fallback page when no other locale matches the user’s language.

⚡

Base URL Auto-fill

Enter your site base URL once. Every new locale row auto-fills with it — you only need to add the locale-specific path. Saves time when generating tags for the same page across many locales.

💾

Download .txt

Download any output format as a .txt file for implementation reference. Useful for sharing with developers or keeping a record of your hreflang configuration per page.

📋

One-Click Copy

Copy the entire generated output to clipboard with a single click. Paste directly into your page’s head section, sitemap, or server configuration file.

🔓

Free, No Account

100% free with no sign-up, no limits on locales, and no premium tier. Generate hreflang tags for as many pages and locales as you need.

📱

Mobile Friendly

Fully responsive layout that works on any screen size. Generate and copy hreflang tags from your phone or tablet when you’re working on the go.

📊 Comparison

LazyTools vs other hreflang generators

Feature	LazyTools	Aleyda Solis	SISTRIX	GeoTargetly
Output formats	✅ HTML + XML + HTTP	⚠ HTML only	⚠ HTML only	⚠ HTML only
Live validation	✅ Real-time	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Auto x-default toggle	✅ Yes	⚠ Manual	⚠ Manual	⚠ Manual
Base URL auto-fill	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Download output	✅ .txt download	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Account required	✅ None	✅ None	⚠ Login	❌ Account
Locale limit	✅ Unlimited	⚠ 50 URLs	✅ Unlimited	❌ Paid tiers

📐 International SEO Guide

Hreflang Tags — Complete Guide to International SEO Implementation

Hreflang tags are HTML attributes that tell search engines which language and regional version of a page to show users based on their preferences. Without them, a search engine may show your US English page to a UK user, your English homepage to a French speaker, or treat regional variants as duplicate content. Correct hreflang implementation is foundational for any website serving multiple countries or languages.

What is hreflang?

Hreflang (formally rel="alternate" hreflang) is an HTML link attribute introduced by Google in 2011. It signals three pieces of information to search engines: (1) that a page has alternate versions, (2) which language and/or region each version targets, and (3) the URL of each alternate. Google, Yandex, and Bing all support hreflang. Other search engines typically ignore it but are not harmed by it.

The basic syntax is:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-US" href="https://example.com/us/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-GB" href="https://example.com/uk/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr-FR" href="https://example.com/fr/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/" />

Hreflang language and country codes

Hreflang value	Code	Meaning
English (any)	en	English language, any country
English (US)	en-US	English, United States
English (UK)	en-GB	English, United Kingdom
English (Australia)	en-AU	English, Australia
French	fr	French, any country
French (France)	fr-FR	French, France
German	de	German, any country
Spanish	es	Spanish, any country
Spanish (Spain)	es-ES	Spanish, Spain
Spanish (Mexico)	es-MX	Spanish, Mexico
Chinese Simplified	zh-CN	Chinese, China (Simplified)
Chinese Traditional	zh-TW	Chinese, Taiwan (Traditional)
Japanese	ja	Japanese
Fallback	x-default	Shown when no locale matches

Three ways to implement hreflang

1. HTML head section (most common) — Add link tags inside the <head> of every page in the hreflang group. Simple to implement, no server configuration needed. Must be added to every page variant.

2. XML Sitemap — Add <xhtml:link> elements within each <url> block in your sitemap.xml. Best for large sites where adding tags to every page is impractical. Submit via Google Search Console.

3. HTTP Link headers — Configure your web server to send Link response headers. Best for non-HTML resources (PDFs), or when you can’t modify page HTML. Requires server configuration (Apache, Nginx, CDN rules).

The bidirectionality requirement

The most common hreflang mistake is one-directional implementation. Every page in a hreflang group must reference every other page in the group — including itself. If your English page references your French page, the French page must also reference the English page AND reference itself. Google validates hreflang by checking that all referenced pages confirm the relationship. If any page is missing from the reciprocal references, Google may ignore the entire hreflang set for that page.

Example: you have three pages — English (en), French (fr), German (de). Each page must contain all three <link rel="alternate"> tags: one pointing to en, one to fr, one to de, plus x-default.

Hreflang and canonical tags

Hreflang and canonical tags serve different purposes and can coexist. The canonical tag (<link rel="canonical">) tells search engines which URL to index when there are duplicates. Hreflang tells search engines which language/region version to show to which users. Both should point to the correct self-referencing URL on each page. Do not use a single canonical tag pointing to only one language version across all variants — each page should canonical to itself.

Common hreflang implementation mistakes

Mistake	Impact	Fix
Missing self-reference	Google ignores hreflang for that page	Every page must include its own hreflang tag
Non-bidirectional	Google may ignore the entire group	All pages in group must reference each other
Relative URLs	Tags are ignored	Always use absolute, fully-qualified URLs
Wrong ISO codes	Tags are invalid	Use ISO 639-1 for language (en, not english), ISO 3166-1 for country (US, not USA)
Missing x-default	No fallback for unmatched users	Add hreflang="x-default" pointing to default URL
zh-Hans / zh-Hant	Google doesn't recognise script codes	Use zh-CN (Simplified) or zh-TW (Traditional)

When do you need hreflang?

You need hreflang if your website has: content in multiple languages, the same content in one language targeting multiple countries (e.g. en-US and en-GB), or a mix of both. You do NOT need hreflang if your site is in a single language targeting a single country, or if all regional differences are handled by a single URL with user-side localisation (e.g. currency shown by IP without different page URLs).

❓ FAQ

Hreflang tag generator FAQ

What is an hreflang tag?▾

An hreflang tag tells search engines which language and regional version of a page to show specific users. Implemented as link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-US" in the HTML head, XML sitemap, or HTTP header. Essential for multilingual and multi-regional sites.

What is x-default in hreflang?▾

hreflang="x-default" specifies the fallback page shown when no other locale matches the user. Use it for your language selector page or default English version. Not required, but strongly recommended for international sites.

Do hreflang tags need to be bidirectional?▾

Yes. If page A references page B, page B must reference page A. Every page in the group must link to every other page AND to itself. Google validates this mutual confirmation. One-directional hreflang may be ignored entirely.

What is the correct hreflang format?▾

Format: link rel="alternate" hreflang="language-REGION" href="https://absolute-url". Language: ISO 639-1 (en, fr, de). Country: ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 (US, GB, FR). Examples: en (any English), en-US (US English), zh-CN (Simplified Chinese), x-default (fallback).

Where do I put hreflang tags?▾

Three options: (1) HTML head section of every page. (2) XML sitemap (xhtml:link elements). (3) HTTP Link response headers. HTML head is most common. XML sitemap is best for large sites. HTTP headers for non-HTML files or when you can't edit HTML.

Do I need hreflang for different English variants?▾

Yes, if you have separate pages for en-US, en-GB, en-AU, en-CA. Without hreflang, Google may show the wrong regional version or treat them as duplicates. Use en-US, en-GB, en-AU plus x-default for the default version.

What are common hreflang mistakes?▾

Missing self-reference (every page must include its own hreflang tag). Non-bidirectional. Relative URLs (must be absolute). Wrong ISO codes (en not english, US not USA). Missing x-default. Using zh-Hans/zh-Hant instead of zh-CN/zh-TW.

Hreflang vs canonical — what is the difference?▾

Canonical: which URL to index (deduplication). Hreflang: which language/region version to show specific users. They coexist. Each page should canonical to itself AND have hreflang tags. Do not canonical all language versions to one URL.

What is hreflang for Chinese Simplified vs Traditional?▾

Use zh-CN for Simplified Chinese (mainland China) and zh-TW for Traditional Chinese (Taiwan). zh-HK for Traditional Chinese Hong Kong. Do NOT use zh-Hans or zh-Hant — Google does not support script subtags in hreflang.

Does hreflang affect rankings?▾

Not directly, but it prevents ranking cannibalization, ensures the correct regional version appears in the right country's SERPs, and reduces bounce rates (users see their language). Correct hreflang makes your international SEO strategy work as intended.

How to implement hreflang in WordPress?▾

Best options: Yoast SEO plugin (auto-generates for multilingual setups), WPML plugin (handles automatically), Rank Math (supports configuration). Or manually via functions.php wp_head() hook. For large sites, XML sitemap method is cleanest.

Hreflang tag generator free no signup▾

The LazyTools Hreflang Tag Generator is 100% free with no account required. Add unlimited locale-URL pairs, get HTML, XML, and HTTP header output, validate, and download. No limits, no premium tier.

How many URLs can I include in hreflang tags?▾

No official Google limit. Most sites have 2-30 variants. For 50+ variants, use the XML sitemap method rather than HTML head tags — it's easier to maintain and keeps HTML pages lighter. This tool has no limit on locale rows.

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