diff --git a/src/app.py b/src/app.py
index 8a26824..79f83f5 100644
--- a/src/app.py
+++ b/src/app.py
@@ -83,7 +83,10 @@ def logout():
 def verify_link(link:str) -> bool:
     if not link.startswith('http://') and not link.startswith('https://'):
         link = 'http://' + link
-    reg = r'^(https?:\/\/)(([a-zA-Z0-9-]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,})(:\d+)?(\/[a-zA-Z0-9@:%_\+.~#?&//=]*)?$'
+    reg = r'^(https?:\/\/)' + \
+          r'(([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,})' + \
+          r'(:\d+)?' + \
+          r'(\/[a-zA-Z0-9@:%_\+.~#?&//=~-]*)?$'
     
     return bool(re.match(reg, link))
 
diff --git a/src/static/js/validLink.js b/src/static/js/validLink.js
index 596758c..a442e62 100644
--- a/src/static/js/validLink.js
+++ b/src/static/js/validLink.js
@@ -8,24 +8,22 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
     destLinkError.classList.add('error-message');
     customLinkError.classList.add('error-message');
 
-    // Append error messages right after inputs
     destLinkInput.parentNode.insertBefore(destLinkError, destLinkInput.nextSibling);
     customLinkInput.parentNode.insertBefore(customLinkError, customLinkInput.nextSibling);
 
-    // Function to validate URLs
     const isValidURL = (url) => {
         const pattern = new RegExp(
-            '^(https?:\\/\\/)?' +                // Protocol (http or https)
-            '(([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+\\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,6})' + // Domain name
-            '(\\/[a-zA-Z0-9@:%_\\+.~#?&//==-]*)?$', // Path, query, or fragment (now includes `=`)
+            '^(https?:\\/\\/)' +
+            '(([a-zA-Z0-9_-]+\\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,})' +
+            '(\\:\\d+)?' +
+            '(\\/[a-zA-Z0-9@:%_\\+.~#?&//=~-]*)?$',
             'i'
-          );
-          
+        );
+    
         return pattern.test(url);
     };
     
 
-    // Function to add https:// if missing
     const addHttpsIfMissing = (url) => {
         if (!/^https?:\/\//i.test(url)) {
             return 'https://' + url;
@@ -33,12 +31,9 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         return url;
     };
 
-    // Validate destination link on input
     destLinkInput.addEventListener('blur', () => {
-        // Auto-correct the URL if missing protocol
         destLinkInput.value = addHttpsIfMissing(destLinkInput.value);
 
-        // Validate URL
         if (!isValidURL(destLinkInput.value)) {
             destLinkError.textContent = 'Please enter a valid URL (e.g., https://example.com)';
         } else {
@@ -46,7 +41,6 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         }
     });
 
-    // Validate custom link for valid characters
     customLinkInput.addEventListener('input', () => {
         if (customLinkInput.value && /[^a-zA-Z0-9_-]/.test(customLinkInput.value)) {
             customLinkError.textContent = 'Custom link can only contain letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores.';
@@ -55,11 +49,9 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         }
     });
 
-    // Validate form on submit
     form.addEventListener('submit', (event) => {
         let isValid = true;
 
-        // Auto-correct the URL if missing protocol
         destLinkInput.value = addHttpsIfMissing(destLinkInput.value);
 
         if (!isValidURL(destLinkInput.value)) {
@@ -73,7 +65,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
         }
 
         if (!isValid) {
-            event.preventDefault(); // Prevent form submission if validation fails
+            event.preventDefault();
         }
     });
 });
diff --git a/src/templates/form.html b/src/templates/form.html
index 583de30..41f2eb4 100644
--- a/src/templates/form.html
+++ b/src/templates/form.html
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     <h1>Create a Redirect</h1>
     <form method="post">
         <input type="text" name="dest_link" placeholder="https://example.com" required><br>
-        <input type="text" name="custom_link" placeholder="https://example2.com"><br>
+        <input type="text" name="custom_link" placeholder="cool little name"><br>
         <button type="submit">Create Redirect</button>
     </form>
     {% with messages = get_flashed_messages() %}