diff --git a/lib/src/url.dart b/lib/src/url.dart
index e2f71f5..270e928 100644
--- a/lib/src/url.dart
+++ b/lib/src/url.dart
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import 'package:linkify/linkify.dart';
 
 final _urlRegex = RegExp(
-  r'^((?:.|\n)*?)((?:https?):\/\/[^\s/$.?#].[^\s]*)',
+  r'^((?:.|\n)*?)((?:https?:\/\/|www\.)[^\s/$.?#].[^\s]*)',
   caseSensitive: false,
 );
 
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ final _looseUrlRegex = RegExp(
   caseSensitive: false,
 );
 
+final _protocolIdentifierRegex = RegExp(
+  r'^(https?:\/\/)',
+  caseSensitive: false
+);
+
 class UrlLinkifier extends Linkifier {
   const UrlLinkifier();
 
@@ -48,7 +53,7 @@ class UrlLinkifier extends Linkifier {
 
             var url = originalUrl;
 
-            if (loose) {
+            if (loose || !originalUrl.startsWith(_protocolIdentifierRegex)) {
               originalUrl =
                   (options.defaultToHttps ?? false ? "https://" : "http://") +
                       originalUrl;