How can I create TinyURL links using Google Sheets?
You can integrate the TinyURL API with Google Sheets using Apps Script and an API token. Follow these instructions to set it up:
- Register and set up your account: Create a TinyURL account if you don't have one. Then, generate an API token with "Create TinyURL" permissions and store it in a secure location.
- Open your Google Sheet: Navigate to the Google Sheet where you want to generate TinyURLs from destination URLs.
- Access Apps Script: Go to Extensions > Apps Script. A new window will open.
- Add the script: Copy the provided script into the editor window. On line 3, replace
yourTokenValue
with the API token from step 1 (e.g.,var token = "abc123yourActualToken";
). - Prepare your data: Enter a destination URL in a cell, such as J6.
- Generate TinyURLs: In another cell (e.g., K6), enter the formula
=shortenUrl(J6)
to automatically create a TinyURL. Drag the formula down to apply it to additional URLs.
function shortenUrl(longUrl) {
var apiUrl = "https://api.tinyurl.com/create";
var token = "yourTokenValue"; // replace with your real token
var payload = {
"url": longUrl
};
var options = {
method: "post",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer " + token,
"Accept": "application/json",
"Content-Type": "application/json"
},
payload: JSON.stringify(payload),
muteHttpExceptions: true
};
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(apiUrl, options);
var json = JSON.parse(response.getContentText());
// TinyURL API returns { data: { tiny_url: "..." } }
if (json.data && json.data.tiny_url) {
return json.data.tiny_url;
} else {
return "Error: " + response.getContentText();
}
}