Migrate from T.ly to Flyn
Get your links out of T.ly, preview them in Flyn for free, and move your branded domain's DNS
Last updated: September 2026
Previewing is free on every plan. Importing needs Pro, Lifetime or Team.
Already have a Flyn account? Open the importer
Pre-Migration Checklist
Complete these steps before starting the migration to ensure a smooth transition.
- 1Get your links out of T.ly as a CSV (a dashboard export if yours has one, otherwise the T.ly API)
- 2Document your current custom domain DNS settings (screenshot recommended)
- 3Note any links with special routing rules or redirects
- 4If your links use your own branded domain, add it in Flyn (Settings > Domains) before you import
- 5Check your Flyn plan: previewing an import is free, creating the links needs Pro, Lifetime or Team
- 6Notify your team about the upcoming migration window
Step 1: Export from T.ly
First, get your existing links out of T.ly so you can import them into Flyn.
Log in to your T.ly account
Log in to your T.ly dashboard at t.ly.
Look for a CSV export
We could not confirm a CSV export in the T.ly dashboard. If your Links page offers one, download that file.
Or list your links with the T.ly API
GET https://api.t.ly/api/v1/link/list with your API token returns your links as JSON, up to 5,000 per page. Save long_url, short_url and short_id (plus tags if you use them) as CSV columns.
Check the file
Open the CSV and confirm it contains your destination URLs and short links.
Step 2: Import into Flyn
Upload your export and Flyn detects the format, maps the columns (you can change any of them), and previews every link before anything is created. Previewing is free; importing needs Pro, Lifetime or Team.
Using your own branded domain? Add it in Settings > Domains before you import (Step 3 lists the DNS records), so the preview can match those links to it. Want to look first? Drop the file on the migration page: it is read in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Create a Flyn account
Sign up at flyn.to/signup, no credit card required. Uploading and previewing an import is free on every plan; creating the links needs Pro, Lifetime or Team.
Open Links > Import links
In the Flyn dashboard, open the Links page and choose Import links, or go straight to flyn.to/links/import.
Upload your T.ly CSV
Drag and drop the file onto the importer, click to browse, or paste the rows (CSV, TSV and plain text all work). Flyn recognizes T.ly's API field names (long_url, short_url, short_id) and maps them for you; for other headers it finds the URL columns from their contents. You can change any column mapping in the Review step.
Preview, then import
The preview shows what will happen to every link before anything is created. Links on your own branded domain can keep their back-halves when that domain is added in Flyn first. Links on t.ly cannot move, so each gets a new Flyn link on flyn.co (or a domain you pick in the preview). Choose whether to reuse old back-halves on flyn.co where they are free, and whether a taken back-half is skipped or renamed; existing links are never overwritten. Then start the import and download the report that maps each old short link to its new one.
Step 3: Domain & DNS Migration
Only links on your own branded domain can keep working after the move. Add the domain in Flyn and import its links before you switch DNS, so the links are already there when traffic arrives. Links on domains T.ly owns stay with T.ly, and printed QR codes that encode those links keep pointing there.
Add your domain in Flyn first
In Flyn, go to Settings > Domains > Add Domain and enter your branded short domain (for example go.yourcompany.com). Custom domains are included on Pro, Lifetime and Team, up to 3 per account. Do this before you import, so the preview matches your links to the domain.
Add the TXT record and click Verify
At your DNS provider, add the TXT record Flyn shows: _flyn on your root domain (_flyn.yourcompany.com, even when the short domain is go.yourcompany.com; many DNS panels want just _flyn as the name) with the flyn-verify value. Click Verify. This proves you own the domain and does not change where your links point.
Point the domain at Flyn
After your links are imported, replace the CNAME that points to your T.ly domain target: use a CNAME to cname.flyn.to for a subdomain, or an A record to 76.76.21.21 for a root domain. Keep the hostname the same.
Verify again and test
DNS changes usually apply within minutes but can take up to 48 hours. Click Verify again: Flyn marks the domain Active once it finds the TXT record and the record pointing at Flyn. Then open a few old short links to confirm they redirect.
DNS Record Summary
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Type | CNAME | CNAME (subdomain) or A (root domain) |
| Host | go (or your subdomain) | go (no change), or @ for a root domain |
| Target | Your T.ly target | cname.flyn.to or 76.76.21.21 |
| Ownership (TXT) | None | _flyn.yourcompany.com with the flyn-verify= value from Settings > Domains |
What Transfers
Here is what carries over from T.ly to Flyn and what needs to be reconfigured. A back-half can be reused when it uses only letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores and is not reserved for Flyn's own pages; the preview flags the rest, and those links get a new random back-half.
| Item | Transfers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Destination URLs | All long URLs are preserved exactly as-is | |
| Custom slugs | On your domain | Kept on your own branded domain when it is added in Flyn before you import. Back-halves from t.ly can be reused on flyn.co (or a domain you pick in the preview) when they are free |
| Tags | If in file | Mapped when your file has a tags column |
| Custom domains | Add it in Flyn before importing, then switch the CNAME from your T.ly domain target to cname.flyn.to (root domain: A record 76.76.21.21) and click Verify | |
| Click analytics | Historical analytics stay in T.ly, new clicks tracked in Flyn | |
| QR codes | Regenerate | Printed QR codes that encode your own domain follow it to Flyn; ones that encode t.ly keep pointing there. New QR codes are free in Flyn |
| t.ly short links | t.ly is owned by T.ly, so those links stay there. Each gets a new Flyn link, and the import report maps old to new |
Post-Migration Verification
After completing the migration, work through this checklist to verify everything is working.
- Verify 5-10 sample short links resolve to correct destinations
- Confirm custom domain shows a green checkmark in Flyn dashboard
- Check that new clicks are appearing in Flyn analytics
- Test QR codes if you regenerated them in Flyn
- Update any integrations or API calls to use Flyn endpoints
- Keep your T.ly account active for 30 days as a safety net
Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to resolve them.
Links returning 404 after migration
DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to reach everyone. Use a DNS checker (like whatsmydns.net) to confirm the record points to cname.flyn.to (or 76.76.21.21 for a root domain), and clear your browser cache. The domain should show Active under Settings > Domains; if it does not, click Verify there. If you imported before adding the domain in Flyn, those links were created on flyn.co: add the domain and run the import again.
Old t.ly links still go to T.ly
The t.ly domain is owned and operated by T.ly, it cannot be migrated. Only links on your custom branded domain (e.g., go.yourcompany.com) keep their URLs. t.ly links will continue working through T.ly; the import report lists the new Flyn link for each one.
Analytics showing zero clicks after import
Historical analytics from T.ly do not transfer. Flyn counts clicks from the moment traffic reaches Flyn, so new clicks appear once your links are live on Flyn and your domain points at it.
Columns mapped to the wrong fields
If your file uses different headers, change the mapping in the Review step (long_url to destination, short_url to old short link). If accented characters look broken, save the file as UTF-8 CSV.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to migrate from T.ly to Flyn?
Most of the time goes into getting your links out of T.ly. In Flyn, the importer creates links in batches of 100 with a progress bar, so most imports take minutes. Accounts in their first week may have a daily limit on new links; if an import reaches it, the importer stops and lets you download the remaining rows as a file to import once 24 hours have passed. If you move a branded domain, DNS changes usually apply within minutes but can take up to 48 hours.
Will my existing short links break during migration?
Links on your own branded domain keep working if you import them onto that domain before you switch DNS: add the domain in Flyn, import, then change the record and click Verify. While DNS updates, some visitors still reach T.ly and others reach Flyn, and requests can fail briefly while the SSL certificate is issued, so keep your T.ly account active until the switch is done and lower the record's TTL a day ahead. Links on t.ly are not affected by the move and keep working through T.ly.
Can I migrate t.ly links to Flyn?
No. The t.ly domain is owned by T.ly and cannot be transferred, so the importer creates a new Flyn link for each one. Only links on your own custom domain (like go.yourcompany.com) keep their URLs, once you import them onto it, update the DNS record and verify the domain in Flyn.
Do my T.ly analytics transfer to Flyn?
Historical click data stays in T.ly. Once your domain points to Flyn, all new clicks are tracked in Flyn's analytics with richer data including real-time streams, city-level geo, and A/B test metrics.
Can I keep using T.ly and Flyn simultaneously?
Yes. You can create new links in Flyn while keeping your T.ly account active. However, a custom domain can only point to one service at a time via DNS.
Is there a limit on how many links I can import?
Previewing an import is free on every plan, and on the free plan you can still create 25 links a month by hand. Importing needs Pro, Lifetime or Team, with no cap on how many links you import, and no monthly link ceiling like T.ly's tiers. Accounts less than 7 days old may have a daily limit on new links, an abuse safeguard; if an import reaches it, the importer stops cleanly and lets you download the rows that were not imported, to import once 24 hours have passed. The REST API takes one destination per request (Create Many only copies a single destination) and is rate limited, so the importer is the way to move a whole account.
What happens to my T.ly API integrations?
You will need to update API calls to use Flyn's REST API. The endpoints and authentication differ; Flyn's API creates, lists, updates and deletes links and returns click stats, and API keys need a paid plan (Pro, Lifetime or Team). See the API docs at flyn.to/docs. Flyn also sends webhooks.
Ready to Migrate from T.ly?
Create a free Flyn account and preview your T.ly import at no cost. No credit card required to sign up. Importing needs Pro, Lifetime or Team, and most imports take minutes. Accounts in their first week may have a daily limit on new links; if an import reaches it, the importer stops and lets you download the remaining rows as a file to import once 24 hours have passed.
Already have a Flyn account? Open the importer