Broken Links Checker

Find dead ends before your visitors do. Enter a page address and the checker visits every URL on it, flagging the ones that return errors such as 404 Not Found or a server failure.

How to use it

1. Paste the address of the page you want to test.
2. Run the scan — it may take a moment on long pages.
3. Review the flagged URLs and their status codes.

Understanding the status codes

• 200 – the destination loaded normally.
• 301 / 302 – it redirects somewhere else; consider pointing straight to the final address.
• 404 / 410 – the page is missing or has been removed.
• 5xx – the destination server had an error, which may be temporary.

Why fix dead URLs?

Each one is a small frustration for a reader and a wasted visit for search engine crawlers. On important pages — your homepage, top articles, product and contact pages — they can quietly cost sales, sign-ups and trust.

How to fix what you find

1. Update the URL if the content moved.
2. Add a 301 redirect on your own site when you change a page's address.
3. Remove or replace references to content that no longer exists.

Limitations

Some servers block automated requests or need a login, and a site that is briefly down can look broken. Re-check a flagged URL in your browser before removing it. Anchors added later by JavaScript may not be scanned.

A worked example

A charity's "useful resources" page was written three years ago. The scan finds 9 dead destinations out of 60: government pages that moved, a partner that closed and a PDF that was renamed. Updating six and removing three takes ten minutes and makes the page genuinely useful again.

Prioritise what to fix

1. Pages with the most visitors, such as the homepage and top articles.
2. Sales, sign-up and contact paths where a dead end costs conversions.
3. Navigation menus and footers, which repeat on every page.
4. Older posts that still receive search traffic.

Prevent new dead ends

• Add a 301 redirect whenever you change the address of one of your own pages.
• Prefer official, stable sources when citing references.
• Schedule a check every month or two for important pages.
• Keep a custom 404 page with search and helpful suggestions for anything you miss.

False alarms

Some sites reject automated visitors with 403 or 429 responses even though they work in a browser. Social networks and large shops often do this. Open the flagged address yourself before deciding to remove it.

Related tools

• Redirect Checker – see where a moved page now points
• Link Extractor – export every URL on a page
• Internal Links Checker – review same-site navigation

Step by step: a quarterly maintenance routine

1. Scan your top ten pages.
2. Fix or remove dead destinations.
3. Add redirects for any of your own moved pages.
4. Note the date so you remember the next check.