Broken Links Checker

Find and fix broken links on your website for better SEO & UX

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Broken Links Checker

Find broken links, redirects, and more.

Why Check for Broken Links?

Broken links damage your website's credibility, user experience, and SEO performance. Our free broken link checker helps you identify and fix dead links before they hurt your rankings.

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User Experience

Broken links frustrate visitors and increase bounce rates. Keep your users happy with a smooth browsing experience.

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SEO Impact

Search engines penalize sites with many broken links. Maintain your rankings by fixing dead links promptly.

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Easy Maintenance

Quickly identify and fix broken links before they damage your site's reputation and search visibility.

What is a Broken Link Checker?

A broken link checker is a tool that scans your web pages to find links that no longer work (404 errors, server errors, or redirects). It helps you maintain a healthy website by identifying dead links that can harm your SEO and user experience.

How Does It Work?

Our broken link checker follows a simple 3-step process:

  1. Scan: Enter your page URL and we'll extract all links
  2. Check: We test each link to verify its status (200, 404, 301, etc.)
  3. Report: Get a detailed report showing which links are broken and need fixing

💡 Pro Tip: Run this checker regularly (monthly or quarterly) to catch broken links before they impact your SEO. Set up a maintenance schedule to keep your website healthy!

Types of Broken Links

🔴 404 Not Found

The most common broken link. The page no longer exists on the server.

🟡 301/302 Redirects

The page has moved. While not "broken", too many redirects slow down your site.

🔴 500 Server Errors

The server encountered an error. These need immediate attention.

🟢 Timeout Errors

The server took too long to respond. May indicate performance issues.

Common Causes of Broken Links

  • ❌ Typos in URLs: Misspelled links during content creation or migration
  • ❌ Deleted pages: Content removed without setting up 301 redirects
  • ❌ Website restructuring: URL structure changes during redesigns
  • ❌ External link rot: Third-party websites removing or moving their content
  • ❌ Domain expiration: Linked websites going offline permanently
  • ❌ Protocol changes: HTTP to HTTPS migrations without proper redirects

Best Practices for Managing Broken Links

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Regular Audits

Check your site monthly for broken links, especially after content updates

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Use 301 Redirects

When moving or deleting pages, always set up proper redirects

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Monitor External Links

External sites change frequently. Review outbound links quarterly

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Document Changes

Keep a log of URL changes and redirects for future reference

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Fix Internal Links First

Prioritize fixing internal broken links as they're fully under your control

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Use Relative URLs

For internal links, use relative URLs to avoid issues during domain changes

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check for broken links?
For most websites, checking for broken links monthly is sufficient. High-traffic sites or e-commerce platforms should check weekly. After major website updates, redesigns, or migrations, run an immediate check.
Do broken links hurt my SEO rankings?
Yes, but indirectly. Google has stated that a few broken links won't directly harm rankings. However, many broken links signal poor site maintenance, which can increase bounce rates, waste crawl budget, and reduce user trust.
What's the difference between internal and external broken links?
Internal broken links point to pages on your own domain and are fully under your control. External broken links point to other websites. You should update them to working alternatives or remove them.
Can I check broken links for my entire website?
This tool checks one page at a time to provide fast, focused results. For full-site audits, we recommend starting with your most important pages: homepage, top landing pages, and high-traffic content.
What should I do when I find broken links?
Follow this priority order:
  1. Internal links: Set up 301 redirects to the new URL or update the link directly
  2. External links: Find an alternative working page or use archive.org to find the old content
  3. If no alternative: Remove the link and update surrounding content to maintain flow
  4. Document everything: Keep a log for future reference and pattern analysis