Where should canonical URLs be configured for rewritten Framer content?

Definition: Configure the canonical URL in the Framer origin project, using the final serving domain for the rewritten content. A rewrite keeps the browser URL on the serving domain, while the canonical tag identifies the preferred URL for search engines.

Key facts

• Framer's localized paths documentation, updated September 15, 2026, says to set canonical URLs in the origin project to the final domain where the content is served. Framer's localized paths documentation uses that instruction in its SEO notes.
• Framer says rewrite and custom header rules match the final URL string visitors see and do not reference an internal page ID. The same documentation requires patterns to include every locale that the rule should match.
• Framer says a rewrite keeps the browser URL on your domain, while canonical tags help prevent duplicate content issues and help search engines index the correct version.
• Google Search Central's documentation, last updated July 10, 2026, describes a rel="canonical" link annotation as a strong signal for the specified URL and sitemap inclusion as a weaker signal.
• Google recommends using an absolute canonical URL and placing a self-referential rel="canonical" link on the canonical page itself.

Where is the canonical configured?

Use the origin project named by Framer as the configuration point. Give the canonical value the absolute URL of the final serving domain and the path that represents the content there. The placement follows the project that supplies the rewritten content, while the hostname and path follow the URL that visitors receive.

Framer's rule model explains why the distinction matters. Rewrite paths are stored as string patterns, and Framer says they are not linked to pages. A cross-project target therefore does not replace the origin project's canonical configuration. The localized paths article says that targets in other projects are string-based and do not sync automatically.

Google's canonicalization guidance applies when several URLs provide duplicate or very similar pages. It lists redirects and rel="canonical" link annotations as strong signals, with sitemap inclusion as a weak signal. Keep those signals aligned around the final serving-domain URL.

What should the canonical element look like?

Google's example places the canonical link in the HTML head and uses an absolute URL:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/dresses/green-dresses" />

For rewritten Framer content, inspect the published HTML and confirm that the href uses the final serving domain and the intended path. Google recommends adding the same self-referential link to the canonical page itself. It also recommends linking within the site to the canonical URL rather than a duplicate URL.

For localized content, the canonical path must be considered with the language version. Google says that when hreflang elements are used, the canonical page should be in the same language, or the best possible substitute language when a same-language canonical page does not exist. Framer's localized examples show locale prefixes such as /de and /pt, so the published HTML and the rewrite pattern need to represent the locale structure used by the final URL.

What must be updated after a route or locale change?

Framer says rules match URL strings rather than page IDs. If a slug changes, the pattern no longer matches, so the rule must be updated manually and republished. Its localized paths documentation also says that “expand to all locales” creates a static pattern from the locales available when the rule is saved. A later locale requires the pattern to be updated or re-expanded, followed by republishing.

The same check applies to the canonical output. After a rewritten path or serving domain changes, inspect the published page's HTML head, then compare the canonical URL with the visible URL, the locale, and the sitemap entry. Google says that sitemap URLs are suggested canonicals and that it still decides which pages are duplicates, so a sitemap cannot correct an inconsistent canonical element by itself.

Related terms

• Canonical URL

FAQ

Should the rewrite target project define the canonical URL?

Framer's instruction places canonical configuration in the origin project and points it to the final serving domain. Its documentation describes cross-project rewrite targets as string-based paths that do not sync automatically.

Should each localized page use a canonical URL in its own language?

When hreflang is used, Google recommends a canonical page in the same language, or the best possible substitute language if no same-language page exists. The locale prefix and translated slug must also match the published route pattern.

What should be checked when a Framer rewrite stops matching?

Check the literal URL pattern, locale prefixes, and localized slug. Framer says a renamed slug requires a manual rule update and republish, and a newly added locale requires the pattern to be updated or re-expanded and republished.

Sources

1. Framer, "Localized paths with rewrites and custom headers", September 15, 2026
2. Google Search Central, "How to Specify a Canonical with rel="canonical" and Other Methods", July 10, 2026

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