Broken Link Checker

How to Check for Broken Links on a Page

Enter the address of the page and submit it: the checker reads the page once, then requests its links, up to the limit of a run, and sorts the answers by state.

1. Enter the full address of the page, including https://.
2. Select Submit. The checker fetches the page and collects its links, one entry per URL.
3. Wait while each link is requested. Links to different sites are checked in turn, and requests to the same site are spaced out.
4. Read the broken links and link errors first, then the blocked and redirected links.
5. Fix or replace each failing link in the page, then check the page again.

What the Broken Link Checker Reports

Every link gets one state from the answer to its request, and the report shows where the link appears on the page.

Broken Links (4xx and 5xx)

A link is broken when its final answer is a 4xx or 5xx status code other than 401, 403 and 429, such as 404 Not Found or 500 Internal Server Error, or when its host name no longer resolves. A 503 bot challenge counts as blocked, not broken. Visitors who follow a broken link reach an error instead of the content.

Redirected Links (3xx)

A redirected link answers with a 3xx status and a new address, and then reaches a working page. The checker follows up to five redirects itself and shows the first status, the redirect target and the final status. Linking straight to the final URL saves every visitor a request.

Link Errors

An error means the link produced no usable answer: a timeout, a connection or TLS failure, a redirect loop, more than five redirects, or an address that is not public. The message under the status says which one.

Blocked Links

A blocked link answered 401, 403 or 429, or returned a bot challenge, so the site refused the checker. The page may still open in a browser, so check it yourself before changing the link.

Unchecked Links

A link is unchecked when it falls beyond the link limit of a run, when the time budget of the run ran out before its turn, or when its site stayed busy with another request. The summary says how many links were left and why.

Where Each Link Appears

Each link lists up to three places it appears, with the anchor text and rel values such as nofollow or sponsored. Internal links point to the same site as the page, with or without www, and external links point to another site.

How to Fix Broken Links

Fix a broken link by pointing it at a working address, or remove it when the content no longer exists anywhere.

Update or Replace the Link

If the target page moved, link to its new address. If it was deleted, link to the closest page that still exists, or remove the link.

Redirect Your Own Moved Pages

When a page of your own site moves, a permanent 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one keeps older links and bookmarks working. Then update your own links to the new URL so they no longer pass through the redirect.

Test a Page for Broken Links Before Publishing

Run the checker on a draft or staging URL before you publish, as long as that URL is reachable from the internet. The checker only requests public addresses, so a page on a local or private network cannot be tested.

Broken Link Checker FAQ