Why do I see ?i=1 at the end of a URL?

When you first open your website, you may see the extra characters like ?i=1 at the end of your URL. This article explains more about what causes it, and what you can do about it.

What causes the ?i=1 suffix?

This extra URL parameter is caused by a security system we use to protect your website. This security system ensures that your website can only be accessed through regular web browsers. Read more about this security system.

What does the ?i=1 suffix do?

The ?i=1 suffix is a counter. When you first load your website, some Javascript will be sent to your browser to verify it can execute the code and store a cookie. The page will then reload with the ?=1 suffix. On the next request, the server checks if your browser has the security system cookie. If not, your browser will get a new security challenge to set the cookie again, and be redirected to a URL with suffix ?i=2.

If the counter hits 3 and your browser still doesn’t send a valid cookie, you’ll be redirected to a page with instructions on how to enable cookies in your browser. This way, your browser will not get stuck in a redirect loop.

Can I remove the ?i=1 URL suffix?

The security system responsible for the ?i=1 suffix is mandatory on all websites. Because of that, the security system cannot be disabled, so neither can the URL suffix.

Note that premium hosting does not have a security system like this.

Still have questions? Check our forum!