Overview
An empty referrer means the request reached the CDN or origin server without a Referrer HTTP header.
In the Top referrer chart, this commonly appears as:
"-"
This indicates that the source website or page that initiated the request is unknown or was not provided by the client/browser.
Common Reasons for Empty Referrers
1. Direct Traffic
Users may access the asset or website directly by:
- Typing the URL manually in the browser
- Using bookmarks
- Pasting the URL into the address bar
- Clicking untagged links from emails or documents
Since no previous webpage exists in these cases, browsers do not send referrer information.
This traffic is typically categorized as Direct Traffic and often appears as "-" in Top Referrer URIs (last 30 days) Chart
2. HTTPS to HTTP Navigation
When a user navigates from a secure page (HTTPS) to a non-secure page (HTTP), modern browsers often suppress the referrer header for security and privacy reasons.
Example:
- Source page:
https://example.com - Destination page:
http://yourwebsite.com
In this scenario, the destination server receives no referrer information, resulting in an empty (-) referrer entry.
3. Browser Privacy & Security Policies
Modern browsers and privacy tools may intentionally remove or limit referrer information due to:
- Privacy protections
- Tracking prevention features
- Ad blockers
- Browser extensions
- Referrer-Policy configurations
As a result, some legitimate user traffic may appear without referrer data.
4. Mobile Apps and External Clients
Some applications and clients do not send referrer headers at all, including:
- Mobile applications
- API clients
- Monitoring tools
- Bots and crawlers
For example, if a user opens a link from a mobile app, the request may reach the CDN without any referrer information.
5. Embedded or Non-Web Environments
Requests originating from environments outside traditional web pages may also lack referrer headers, such as:
- Email clients
- PDFs
- Messaging applications
- Microsoft Word or Office documents
These platforms often do not pass standard HTTP referrer information.
Impact on Analytics
A high percentage of empty referrers may indicate:
- Direct asset access
- Email or offline campaign traffic
- Mobile application usage
- Privacy-filtered traffic
- Hotlinking
- Bot or crawler activity
This is normal behavior in many environments and should not automatically be considered a CDN or configuration issue.
If you have any questions or issues, please feel free to contact the Support Team and mention the following details:
- Token
- Short description of the issue (including URLs, screenshots, short video if available)
- Steps to reproduce the issue.
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