How to See URLs when You Hover Over Links in Safari
I always want to see the URL of a link before I click on it, and there are a few reasons for this. For example, some links may point to file downloads containing dangerous software. Some links may open a suspicious or unknown domain, which could be a malicious or phishing site. You can avoid these unwanted situations if you can see the URL before clicking so that you know which links to avoid clicking.
Safari can show the URL of a hyperlink in the bottom left corner of the window (in the Status bar) when you hover over it, allowing you to preview it before visiting. You can easily turn this feature on or off. If you turn it on, the links will be displayed. Here is how:
- In Safari, click View from the top menu bar.
- Click Show Status Bar.
Now, links will be displayed when you hover them, as you can see below. Another neat feature of this is that you will not only see the URL, but you will also know if it will be opened in a new tab or not.

Alternatively, you can also use keyboard shortcuts to turn off and on the Show Status Bar option by pressing the Command and / keys.
Another method that will allow you to see the URL before clicking is to click and drag the link. A small box will appear showing the URL. However, this option will only show the root domain and not the full URL. For example, if the link is pointing to “https://macreports.com/review-audioengine-a2-wireless-speakers-are-great-for-the-home-office/”, you will see it as “macreports.com”.

Lastly, you can also right click (Control–click) the link, select the Copy Link option and then paste it into the address bar or somewhere else to preview the URL before visiting it.
Please note that some of above tips may not work on all websites. Some websites may hide the status bar option.
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