Modern social networks have turned into complex ecosystems where content is exchanged every minute. Users are often faced with the need to share a specific post, photo, or send a friend a link to their profile. On desktop computers, this process is intuitive thanks to the context menu of the mouse, however, on touch screens of smartphones, the logic of actions may differ depending on the version of the operating system and updates to the interface of the application itself.
Owners of devices based on Android have several ways to perform this task, each of which has its own nuances. The standard application VKontakte is regularly updated, changing the arrangement of buttons and icons, which sometimes confuses even experienced users. Understanding the general principles of how the clipboard and the “Share” menu work will allow you to easily find the desired URL in any situation.
In this article we will analyze in detail all possible scenarios: from copying the address of a personal page to receiving a direct link to a specific video or product in the marketplace within the social network. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes when service code is copied instead of the desired address, and how to work with short links that the system generates.
Copying a link to a personal profile page
The most popular scenario is the need to send someone the address of your account or a friend’s page. In the mobile application, this function is hidden in a non-obvious way, as developers strive to simplify the interface for quickly viewing the feed. To get the direct URL, you will need to go to the profile section by clicking on the person icon in the lower right corner of the screen.
After opening the page, pay attention to the top part of the interface. Next to the "Edit" button or under the avatar there is often a three-dot button or a "More" icon. This is where the functionality for working with links is hidden. Clicking on this element will open a drop-down menu, where among the action options there will be the item “Copy link”.
It is important to distinguish between the concept Page ID and its letter address (shortname). If you previously set up a beautiful address, for example, vk.com/ivanov, then when copying you will receive exactly that. If the settings have not been made, the system will issue a digital view identifier vk.com/id12345678. Both options are working and lead to the same profile.
If you want your page to be easier to find and remember, set up a short address in advance in the full version of the site through the “Settings” → “Page Address” section.
After clicking the copy button, the system does not always provide a visual confirmation in the form pop-up notification, especially on new versions Android. However, the text is automatically saved to the clipboard. You can immediately go to the messenger, hold your finger in the text input field and select “Paste” to make sure the operation is successful.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to copy the address directly from the address bar of the browser if you are using the built-in browser inside the VKontakte application. Often it displays a service address like
vk.com/imorvk.com/feed, which does not lead to a specific profile.
Obtaining the URL of a specific post, photo or video
Working with content inside the news feed requires a different approach. When you see an interesting post, a meme, or important news and want to save or forward it, simply sending it through the “Share” button is not always suitable, since the recipient will only see a preview. Sometimes you just need a text link to insert into an article or comment.
To copy the post address, find the action bar under the post. There are icons for like, comment and repost. You need a repost button that looks like an arrow forming an angle or an icon with three dots in the top right corner of the post itself. Clicking on three dots opens a context menu adapted for this type of content.
- 📋 Select “Copy link” to save the address to the clipboard.
- 🚀 Click “Share” if you plan to immediately send the post to another messenger.
- 🔖 Use “Save to bookmarks” to return to the post later without the need to copy the URL.
A similar algorithm works for photos and videos. With the media file open in full screen, find the control menu (usually three vertical dots in the corner). The list of options must include a copy option. This is especially convenient when you need to send a link to a specific frame from an album, and not to the entire album.
It is worth noting that links to videos can lead to the internal VKontakte viewing page or to an external player, depending on the privacy settings and the source of the video. If the video is uploaded by a third-party service, the link may redirect to YouTube or other hosting, which should be taken into account when sending.
Working with links in communities and groups
VKontakte communities have their own specific navigation. A link to the group may be needed for advertising, inviting friends, or publishing in third-party resources. The process of obtaining a group address is almost identical to copying a link to a personal profile, but there are important differences in access rights.
Go to the community page. If you are an administrator or editor, you will have access to an advanced management menu. However, for an ordinary user, it is enough to click on the group name in the header or on the “Information” button under the community avatar. In the description that opens, the action button is often duplicated.
Click on the icon with three dots in the upper right corner of the screen. In the drop-down list, select "Copy link". The system will provide you with an address like vk.com/public... or a beautiful address if it was set by the creators of the group. This method is universal for public pages, meetings and events.
| Page type | Where to look for the menu | Link features |
|---|---|---|
| Personal profile | Under the avatar or in the “More” menu | There may be a digital ID or a short address |
| Group/Public | Three dots in the corner of the screen | Often contains the prefix public or club |
| Meeting (Event) | Action menu in the header | Contains the event prefix |
| Product in the store | Product card, "Share" button | Leads for a specific product, and not for a storefront |
If you are trying to copy a link to a closed community that you are not a member of, the system may give an error or copy the address of the main page with a notification about access via the link. Make sure you have permission to view content before sharing it with others.
Links to closed communities only work for those users who are already members. Sending such a link to a stranger will not give him access to the materials.
Using the “Share” function to generate links
Sometimes the direct copy button is missing or hidden deep in the settings. In such cases, the universal “Share” function comes to the rescue. It is built into most screen forms of the application and allows you not only to send content to friends, but also to receive its address.
Click on the send icon (arrow or paper airplane). The recipient selection menu will open. At the top of this menu, among the icons of instant messengers and social networks, there is often an item "Copy link" or a clipboard icon. This is a duplicate method that works even if the main menu is not available.
In addition, the "Share" menu allows you to immediately create a message with an attached link. You can select an application, for example Telegram or WhatsApp, and the link will automatically be inserted into the draft message input field. This saves time by eliminating the need to manually paste text from the buffer.
⚠️ Attention: When using the “Share” function in some versions of the application, the link may be copied along with a short description of the post (snippet). If you need a "clean" URL, check the contents of the clipboard after pasting.
Also worth mentioning is the ability to send the link to yourself. Select “Send by message” from the contact list and specify your conversation. This way, the link will be saved in the correspondence history, and you can return to it at any time, even if you clear the clipboard.
Copying links through a mobile browser
If for some reason the VKontakte application does not work correctly or is not installed on your device, you can always use a mobile browser such as Chrome, Yandex or Firefox. This method gives full control over the address bar and is the most reliable.
Open your browser and go to the website vk.com. Log in to your account. Navigation in the mobile version of the site is slightly different from the application, but the principle of obtaining a link remains classic for the web. Go to the desired page - profile, group or post.
At the top of the screen there is an address bar. Click on it once to highlight all the URL text. A context menu will appear with Copy and Paste options. Click "Copy". Now the address is saved in the system.
☑️ Check the link before sending
The advantage of the browser method is the ability to edit the link before copying. You can manually remove unnecessary tracking parameters (for example ?from=...) to make the address cleaner and shorter. It is impossible to do this in the application without third-party tools.
Solving problems and common errors when copying
Users often encounter a situation where the copied link does not open for the recipient or leads to a non-existent page. Most often, the problem lies in the privacy settings, and not in a technical glitch in the copying process.
Check the privacy settings of your account. If the page is private and you send a link to someone who is not on your friends list, they will see a "Access Restricted" message. In this case, the link is technically correct, but access to the content is blocked by the social network's security policy.
Another common mistake is copying a link to deleted content. If the post or photo was deleted by the author after you copied the address, when clicking on the link the user will see a page with a 404 error. Always update the information before mass mailing.
What is a shortened URL?
Short links like vk.cc/... are created automatically by the system to save space. They redirect to the full address. Sometimes antivirus or corporate filters can block such shortened addresses, considering them suspicious. In such cases, it is better to use the full URL.
It is also worth considering the differences between the mobile and full versions of the site. Some links generated in the application may contain parameters optimized for mobile devices (m.vk.com). When opened on a computer, they will still redirect to the full version, but visually the address in the browser line may change.
Why is the link to the message in the dialogue not copied?
In personal messages, the function of directly copying a link to a specific message is not available in all versions of the client. Try using the Forward function or take a screenshot. In the web version, you can right-click (or long tap) while sending a message to get a link.
How to copy a link to a product on VKontakte?
Open the product card in the “Shop” section of the community. Click on the "Share" button (usually under the price or title). From the menu that appears, select “Copy Link.” This will allow you to send a specific product to a buyer or partner.
Is it possible to change the copied link to your own?
No, you cannot change the link to the page itself, since it is generated by VKontakte servers. However, you can use link shortening services (for example, clck.ru) to create your own short address that will redirect to the original.
Where is the copied link saved on Android?
The copied text goes to the system clipboard. It is not saved as a file. To see it, you need to open any application with a text input field (notes, instant messenger), press and hold your finger in the input field and select “Paste.”
Why does the link look scary and long?
Long links contain technical parameters of the session and tracking. This is fine. For aesthetics, you can manually remove all characters after the question mark ? in the address, if it is not a link to a specific comment or attachment.