Websites Broken Link Checker

The Broken Link Checker scans your pages, follows every link, and reports which ones are dead — the 404s and errors that frustrate visitors and quietly undermine your SEO. Catch broken internal and external links, see their status codes, and fix them before they cost you traffic and trust. Free, with no signup.

Find the Dead Ends Before Your Visitors Do

Every broken link is a dead end — a frustrated visitor, a wasted click, a small dent in your site's credibility. They accumulate silently as pages move and external sites disappear. This tool crawls your links, follows each one, and flags every link that returns a 404 or other error, turning an invisible problem into a clear, fixable list.

How to Use It

1. Enter your URL.
2. Scan the links and their response statuses.
3. Fix what's broken — update or remove dead links.

Why Broken Links Hurt

The damage runs in two directions. For users, a dead link is a frustration that can send them straight back to the search results. For SEO, broken internal links waste your crawl budget and disrupt the flow of link equity through your site, while a pile of 404s signals neglect to search engines. Clean links keep your site trustworthy, navigable, and efficient to crawl.

Internal vs. External Broken Links

The checker finds both, but they're handled differently. Internal broken links point to your own pages — fully within your control, usually caused by a deleted page or a URL typo, and the priority to fix. External broken links point to other sites that have moved or shut down (link rot); you can't control those, but you can update or remove them. Start with the internal ones, since they're your responsibility.

How to Fix Them

• Page moved — update the link, or add a 301 redirect from the old URL.
• Target gone for good — remove the link or point it to a relevant alternative.
• Broken external resource — find its new location or swap in a reliable source.

An Honest Note on SEO Impact

Be realistic about the payoff. Fixing broken links is good housekeeping — it improves user experience, preserves link equity, and helps search engines crawl cleanly — but it's maintenance, not a magic ranking lever. Don't expect a dramatic jump from a fix-up alone. The real reward is a healthier, more professional site that doesn't frustrate the people you worked hard to attract.

Make It a Habit

Link rot never stops, so check periodically. Large or frequently updated sites benefit from regular audits; a smaller site might scan after major content changes or every few months. Routine checks catch broken links while they're still few, instead of letting them pile up into a site-wide problem. Free, with no signup.

Broken Link Checker FAQs

What is a broken link checker?

It's a tool that scans a web page or site, follows every link it finds, and reports which ones are broken — typically links returning a 404 (not found) or other error status. It checks both internal links (to your own pages) and external links (to other sites), giving you a clear list of what to fix so visitors and search engines never hit a dead end.

Why are broken links bad for my site?

They harm both user experience and SEO. Visitors who click a dead link get frustrated and may leave, and broken internal links waste crawl budget and disrupt the flow of link equity through your site. A site riddled with 404s also signals neglect to search engines. Fixing them keeps your site trustworthy, navigable, and efficient to crawl.

What's the difference between internal and external broken links?

Internal broken links point to other pages on your own site and are fully within your control to fix — usually caused by a deleted page or a typo in a URL. External broken links point to other websites that may have moved or shut down (link rot), which you can't control but can update or remove. Both are worth auditing, but internal ones are the priority since they're your responsibility.

How do I fix a broken link?

It depends on the cause. If a page moved, update the link to the new URL or set up a 301 redirect from the old one. If the target is gone for good, either remove the link or point it to a relevant alternative. For a broken external link, find the current location of that resource or replace it with another reliable source.

Will fixing broken links boost my rankings?

Indirectly, and modestly — don't expect a dramatic jump. Fixing broken links is good housekeeping that improves user experience, preserves link equity, and helps search engines crawl your site cleanly, all of which support SEO. But it's a maintenance task, not a magic ranking lever. The real benefit is a healthier, more professional site that doesn't frustrate visitors.

How often should I check for broken links?

Periodically, because link rot is constant — external sites change and disappear over time, and your own pages get moved or deleted. Large or frequently updated content sites benefit from regular audits, while a smaller site might check after major content changes or every few months. Routine checks catch problems before they pile up.

Can it check an entire website or just one page?

Tools vary, but the core function is to follow the links on the page or pages you provide and report their status. For a full-site audit you crawl the whole domain; for a quick check you scan a single important page. Either way, you get a list of which links work and which are broken.

Is the tool free?

Yes, it's free with no signup. Enter a URL to scan its links and get a report of any that are broken.