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When I click a PDF link in Google search, in the Google Chromium web browser, it does not display the URL of the PDF in the address bar - it just downloads the PDF.

Often, the green URL displayed below the result in Google Search is truncated in the middle (middle characters are replaced with an ellipsis) for space reasons.

Right-clicking on the main blue link in the Google search result and choosing Copy Link Address results in a Google tracking URL, not the actual URL.

How can I get the full URL?

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4
  • mine says Copy link address. though gives that result also.
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:52
  • d'oh, sorry, got confused between Chrome and another browser.
    – Robin Green
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:54
  • though a pdf can take a while to load in a browser, and one may prefer to download it, and if chrome insists on open it, then one may want to download it in another way e.g. wget
    – barlop
    Jul 1, 2014 at 13:59
  • the same question we have over at Stackexchange if you wish to see some other comments/answers.
    – BastianW
    Feb 8, 2017 at 9:48

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
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Use this URL to search - http://www.google.com/custom

It will then list the complete URL of the PDF

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  • Bing.com provides the actual URL in the search results
    – mvark
    Sep 19, 2015 at 11:44
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Use this extension

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dont-track-me-google/gdbofhhdmcladcmmfjolgndfkpobecpg/related?hl=en

It fixes that

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  • Personally, I'd rather not use such an extension, as it might break Google searching at some point in the future when Google changes how it works, and my wife wouldn't know how to fix it. But that's just my personal view.
    – Robin Green
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:53
  • @RobinGreen it just discretely fixes what link gets copied to the clipboard, so it wouldn't interfere with search. In terms of user friendlyness and techie friendlyness, it is an improvement on both fronts. In getting chrome to not behave oddly. and what it does is so small, and so unintrusive, and not relevant to search, I think even if it broke (which hasn't happened yet), it wouldn't give any noticable disadvantage compared to not having it installed. I see the philosophy in that
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 10:01
  • @RobinGreen (cont) I often disable adblock or adblock plus or any proxy because it can slow down searches when it isn't performing well, and I don't like solutions that are very temporary. But this doesn't look like it's in the category of adblock. It doesn't touch search, it does something very very simple that doesn't need updating, there's no cat and mouse game.. it doesn't look like just a temporary fix. I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted over 5 years or longer than Google have the silly links. And I can't imagine it causing any issue if it broke (and it breaking seems more unlikely).
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 10:02
  • @RobinGreen furthermore if it did break and it was an issue, all these not that likely, then even then, you could fix it in 10 seconds just downloading a newer version (though there have been no newer versions as no need). That said. It's also good to have other solutions.. and one that is more native. I'd add, what I used to do to get the proper URL from the search results, was just highlight it and right click and click Copy! So this extension was never something I needed to rely on, just something that saves time, and gives / has given no headache at all.
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 10:08
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After downloading the file, go to Downloads (which is accessed via pressing Ctrl+J on Windows and Linux). The URL, which is underneath the filename, may be truncated there, too, but don't worry if it is - just right-click on the URL, and choose Copy Link Address. That will copy the full URL onto your clipboard.

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5
  • Why did you answer the question by yourself? If you know the answer, why have you posted the question?
    – Christian
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:37
  • 2
    @Chris He was right to have answered it himself. This is a database of questions and answers. By answering it and you thinking he shouldn't have, he shows intelligence and experience beyond yours and beyond his 359 rep!
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:41
  • mine says Copy Link Address
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:51
  • @barlop Sorry didn't know that. But keep cool. You don't have to bash me for this. I don't think that make a mistake has something to do with intelligence. But yes, I'm new at superuser and didn't know that and didn't expect, that this is the best way to share an information. So sorry again.
    – Christian
    Sep 29, 2013 at 10:01
  • @chris no problem. And I don't mean intelligence in all areas, or even one area. I mean in this instance he showed more insight.
    – barlop
    Sep 29, 2013 at 11:06
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By clicking on the green arrow next to the truncated URL, you can access a "cached" button. Clicking on it will redirect you on an html version of your pdf. On the top of this page you will find a mention "This is the html version of the file" followed by the full URL that you can wget to download the file.

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I personally use the service from (found that solution on StackExchange here):

http://urlclean.com/

Where you can past the google URL and get a clean one.

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