Create and Manage Links

This guide covers creating, editing, and managing deep links from the OpenLynk dashboard. Deep links route users to specific content inside your app, falling back to the app store or a web URL when the app is not installed.

Prerequisites

• An OpenLynk account with at least one app created (see Create and Manage Apps)
• Your app configured with iOS and/or Android settings

note

If you have not created an app yet, the Links page displays a setup prompt instead of the links list. Click Create your first app to set up an app, then return to the Links page to start creating links.

Create a Link

1. Open the Links page in the dashboard.
2. Select the app you want to create a link for.
3. Click Create Link.
4. Fill in the following:
   • Destination — the in-app route the user should land on (e.g., /product/123, /invite/abc). Must start with /.
   • Metadata (optional) — key-value pairs that get passed to your app when the link is opened. Common uses include UTM parameters and custom identifiers.
5. Click Create.
6. Copy the generated URL and share it.

Adding Metadata

Metadata is passed to your app's deep link callback as key-value pairs. You can add any custom data your app needs.

Common metadata keys include:

Key	Example Value	Purpose
utm_source	newsletter	Track traffic source
utm_medium	email	Track marketing medium
utm_campaign	spring_sale	Track campaign name
referrer_id	user_456	Track referrals
promo_code	SAVE20	Pass promotional codes

tip

UTM parameters added as metadata are automatically tracked in the Analytics dashboard under campaign analytics.

Generated URL Format

Every link gets a URL in the format:

https://{app-slug}.openlynk.to/{link-slug}

For example, if your app slug is myapp and the generated link slug is a1b2c3, your link URL would be:

https://myapp.openlynk.to/a1b2c3

If you have a custom domain configured, links are also accessible via your custom domain.

View Links

1. Go to the Links page.
2. Select an app to view its links.
3. Each link displays:
   • The destination path
   • The full link URL
   • The total click count
   • Creation date

Click on any link to view its detailed analytics and metadata.

Edit Link Metadata

1. Go to the Links page and select a link.
2. Click Edit.
3. Update the metadata key-value pairs as needed.
4. Click Save.

note

The destination path and link slug cannot be changed after creation. If you need a different destination, create a new link.

Delete Links

Deleted links are soft-deleted and moved to the trash. They can be recovered before permanent deletion.

Delete a Single Link

1. Go to the Links page.
2. Find the link you want to delete.
3. Click the delete action on the link row.
4. Confirm the deletion.

Bulk Delete Links

1. Go to the Links page.
2. Select multiple links using the checkboxes.
3. Click Delete Selected.
4. Confirm the bulk deletion.

warning

While deleted links can be recovered from trash, any clicks on a deleted link will not resolve until the link is restored.

Recover Links from Trash

1. Go to the Links page.
2. Navigate to the Trash section.
3. Find the link you want to recover.
4. Click Restore to move the link back to active status.

Verification

After creating a link, confirm the following:

• The link appears in the links list with the correct destination path.
• Visiting the link URL in a browser redirects to the appropriate store listing or web fallback.
• Opening the link on a device with your app installed launches the app and navigates to the correct destination.
• Metadata key-value pairs are received in your app's deep link callback.

What's Next

• View Analytics — track clicks, devices, and campaign performance for your links.
• Manage Short URLs — create general-purpose redirects that are not tied to deep linking.
• Set Up Custom Domains — serve links from your own branded domain.