Parameter Forwarding for Deep Links, Universal Links, App Stores, and Web
Keep campaign attribution and in-app context intact as one smart link routes each visitor to a different destination.
One click, several destinations, the same context
A smart link may open an installed app, send a new user to an app store, use an HTTPS Universal Link or App Link, or open your website. Without parameter forwarding, the route works but the campaign and content context attached to the original click disappears.
Parameter forwarding copies eligible query parameters from the incoming Appy URL to the destination selected for that device. It keeps one campaign link useful across every branch of the journey.
Where parameters are forwarded
One campaign link
https://appy.to/summer?utm_source=qrcampaign=launchcoupon=SUMMER
Appy picks the destination for this device
Then copies the incoming parameters onto it
App installed
myapp://offer/42?
utm_source=qrcampaign=launchcoupon=SUMMERUniversal Link or App Link
https://example.com/offer/42?
utm_source=qrcampaign=launchcoupon=SUMMERApp Store or Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.example.app&
utm_source=qrcampaign=launchcoupon=SUMMERstore ID protected
Website (desktop, other devices)
https://example.com/summer?
utm_source=qrcampaign=launchcoupon=SUMMER
Custom-scheme deep links
Values such as product_id, coupon, referrer, and UTM tags reach the installed app through a URL such as myapp://.
Universal Links and App Links
The same values are merged into an HTTPS app-opening URL while preserving its path, existing query, and fragment.
App Store and Google Play
Campaign context follows the platform-specific store URL. Existing store identifiers such as Google Play id remain protected.
Normal links and your website
Desktop and unsupported-device traffic keeps the same campaign values on the final landing page.
The merge rules that prevent broken links
- Destination-defined query keys win. An incoming value can never replace a fixed app ID, content ID, or signed token.
- New keys are appended and repeated incoming values are preserved.
- The destination path and URL fragment stay unchanged.
- Forwarding is opt-in per link and available on the Business plan. If the entitlement is removed, forwarding stops at click time.
Destination you set
https://example.com/offer?id=42#details
Incoming click
https://appy.to/summer?id=99&utm_source=qr
Where the visitor lands
https://example.com/offer?id=42&utm_source=qr#details
- The destination’s key wins
- New keys are appended
- Path and fragment stay unchanged
A concrete example
https://appy.to/summer?utm_source=qr&campaign=launch&coupon=SUMMER → myapp://offer/42?utm_source=qr&campaign=launch&coupon=SUMMERHow to enable it in Appy
- 1Create or open a link in the dashboard.
- 2Configure the deeplink, Universal Link, store URLs, and website URL you need.
- 3Enable “Forward incoming parameters,” save, and test each device branch with representative campaign values.
What not to put in a URL
- Do not forward passwords, access tokens, session IDs, or personal data.
- Use short opaque identifiers for sensitive business objects and resolve them securely inside your app.
- Keep allowlists in your app or landing page when only a known set of keys should affect behavior.
Frequently asked questions
Will incoming parameters overwrite a destination parameter?
No. Values configured on the destination URL take precedence; only missing keys are forwarded.
Does forwarding work when the redirect target is cached?
Yes. Appy caches the base destination and merges request-specific parameters after the cache lookup, so one visitor cannot leak parameters into another visitor’s redirect.
Continue exploring
How In-App Browsers Handle Deep Links: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Gmail, Telegram and More
Why a link that opens your app from Safari dies inside Instagram: the three kinds of in-app browser, the iOS and Android rules, and what each app documents, from Facebook to Telegram.
Custom Domain Short Links for Apps: A Practical Guide
Why a link on your own domain is worth it, how to choose the hostname, the setup in three steps, and what happens to the links and QR codes you have already shared.
UTM Parameters for App Campaigns: A Practical Guide
What each UTM tag is for, a naming system that stays clean, values for every app channel, and what really happens to your tags at the App Store and Google Play.
Looking for something else? Browse all topics on the blog.
Keep campaign context through every redirect
Use one link for app, store, Universal Link, and web traffic without losing the values that explain where the click came from and what it should open.
Create a Business link