Firebase Dynamic Links is dead. Google deprecated the service in August 2023 and fully shut it down in August 2025. If you're reading this, you're either dealing with broken links or trying to migrate before your last compatibility workarounds expire.
Here's what happened, what it means for your app, and what to do about it.
The Timeline
August 2023: Google announced the deprecation of Firebase Dynamic Links. No new projects could enable the feature. Existing projects could continue using it.
August 2025: The service was shut down. Link creation APIs stopped working. Existing short links stopped resolving. The Firebase Dynamic Links SDK stopped returning deep link data.
Today: Any links in the format yourapp.page.link/xyz no longer work. If you used a custom domain with Firebase Dynamic Links, those links also stopped resolving through Firebase's infrastructure.
What Broke
If your app relied on Firebase Dynamic Links, several things may have broken:
Short Links
All *.page.link URLs and custom domain URLs that routed through Firebase's servers no longer resolve. Users clicking these links see an error page or a dead end.
Impact: Every link you ever shared in emails, social media posts, QR codes, print materials, or partner integrations that used Firebase Dynamic Links is now broken.
Deferred Deep Linking
Firebase's deferred deep linking (preserving link data through the app install process) no longer works. New users who click a link, install your app, and open it for the first time won't receive the deep link data they expected.
The SDK
The Firebase Dynamic Links SDK methods (getDynamicLink, handleUniversalLink) no longer return valid data. If your app relies on these methods for routing, deep links silently fail.
Analytics
Firebase Dynamic Links analytics data may still be accessible in the Firebase console for historical reference, but no new data is being collected.
If Your Links Are Already Broken
If you're past the shutdown date and your links aren't working, here's the immediate action plan:
1. Assess the Damage
Identify where Firebase Dynamic Links were used:
- Check your app code for Firebase Dynamic Links SDK imports
- Search your email templates for
page.linkor your custom domain - Review recent social media posts and ad campaigns for affected links
- Check your website for any links that routed through Firebase
2. Set Up a Replacement (Fast)
You need a new deep linking platform. Tolinku can be set up in a day:
- Create an account and Appspace
- Configure your iOS and Android app settings
- Set up a branded domain (e.g.,
go.yourapp.com) - Create routes for your most important deep link paths
- Integrate the SDK for Universal Links and App Links
3. Update High-Priority Links
Start with the links getting the most traffic:
- Email templates (update the links in your ESP)
- Website download buttons and smart banners
- Social media profile links (link in bio)
- Active ad campaigns
- Partner integration links
4. Accept That Some Links Can't Be Fixed
Links embedded in already-sent emails, printed QR codes, and cached social media posts can't be updated. These links are permanently broken. Focus your energy on forward-looking fixes rather than trying to recover every historical link.
If You Haven't Migrated Yet
If you're still using Firebase Dynamic Links compatibility modes or haven't fully migrated, do it now.
Choosing a Replacement
Firebase Dynamic Links' feature set was relatively simple:
- Deep linking
- Deferred deep linking
- Social meta tags
- Short links
- Basic analytics
Any modern deep linking platform covers these. Tolinku provides all of them plus referral tracking, smart banners, A/B testing, and advanced analytics.
Migration Guide
For a step-by-step migration from Firebase Dynamic Links to Tolinku, see Firebase Dynamic Links Migration Guide.
For the broader migration guide covering multiple platforms, see Migrating to Tolinku from Branch, Firebase, and AppsFlyer.
Why Google Killed Firebase Dynamic Links
Google never gave a specific reason, but the context tells the story:
Low investment: Firebase Dynamic Links hadn't received significant feature updates in years. It lacked features that competing platforms had (A/B testing, advanced analytics, smart banners).
Strategic shift: Google's focus shifted to Privacy Sandbox and server-side measurement. Firebase Dynamic Links' client-side approach didn't align with this direction.
Competition: Deep linking became a competitive market with dedicated platforms (Branch, etc.) that invested heavily in features Google wasn't matching.
Maintenance burden: Maintaining a service used by thousands of apps but not generating direct revenue didn't justify the engineering resources, especially when alternatives existed.
Lessons for the Future
Own Your Domain
The biggest takeaway: never use a vendor's domain for your links. Apps that used yourapp.page.link lost all their links when Firebase shut down. Apps that used a custom domain could redirect that domain to a new provider.
Always use your own branded domain for deep links. If your provider shuts down, you update DNS and point to a new provider. Your links survive.
Abstract Your Deep Linking
Don't tightly couple your app code to a specific deep linking provider's SDK. Build an abstraction layer:
// Instead of calling Firebase directly:
// FirebaseDynamicLinks.handleUniversalLink(url)
// Build an abstraction:
protocol DeepLinkHandler {
func handleURL(_ url: URL) -> DeepLinkResult?
}
// Swap implementations without changing app logic
class TolinkuDeepLinkHandler: DeepLinkHandler { ... }
This makes future migrations trivial: swap the implementation behind the interface without touching your routing logic.
Monitor Deprecation Notices
Google gave two years of notice before shutting down Firebase Dynamic Links. Teams that migrated during that window had a smooth transition. Teams that waited until the last minute (or past it) had broken links and emergency migrations.
When a service announces deprecation, start planning the migration immediately.
For a comparison of Android deep linking approaches post-Firebase, see Android App Links vs Firebase Dynamic Links.
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