Quick answer
A broken link checker loads a page, collects every link on it, and requests each one to see whether it works. Enter a URL above to find links that return 404 or server errors, links that time out, and links that still work but pass through a redirect, with the link text so you can find and fix them.
Enter the address of any page. The checker loads it, collects up to 100 links, internal and external, and requests each one. Links that return a 4xx or 5xx status, time out or can't connect are listed as broken; links that work but pass through one or more redirects are listed separately. Each result shows the link text so you can find it on the page. It is free, needs no account and allows 10 checks an hour.
Why broken links matter
A broken link sends a visitor to an error page. They lose the thing they clicked for, and often leave. For search engines, a broken internal link is a dead end: it wastes a crawl and stops link value flowing to the page you meant to link to. A handful of broken links won't sink a site's rankings, but they are a sign of neglect that visitors notice, and on large sites they add up. They also accumulate on their own: other sites reorganise, products are discontinued, and documentation moves. A page that had no broken links when it was published can have several a year later without anyone touching it, which is why it is worth checking important pages a few times a year.
Redirected links are a smaller problem. They work, but each hop slows the click and costs crawlers an extra request. When the link is your own, it is quick to point it straight at the final address. Our redirect chain checker shows every hop for any URL.
How to read the broken link checker results
The summary shows how many links were found and checked, how many work, how many are broken and how many redirect.
- Broken, 404 or 410. The page no longer exists. Update the link to the right page, or remove it.
- Broken, 5xx. The linked server had an error. It may be temporary; check again later before changing the link.
- Broken, timed out or couldn't connect. The site is down, very slow or no longer exists.
- Redirected. The link works but goes through a redirect. Change it to the final address shown.
A few sites refuse automated requests and answer 403 or 429 even though the page works in a browser. If a well-known site shows as broken, open the link yourself before changing it.
How to fix broken links
Internal links. Find the right destination. If the page moved, link to its new address and add a 301 redirect from the old one so links elsewhere keep working. If it was deleted on purpose, remove the link or point it at the closest useful page.
External links. Look for the same resource at a new address, a newer version, or an archived copy. If nothing replaces it, remove the link or the sentence that depends on it.
Navigation and templates. A broken link in a header, footer or sidebar appears on every page. Fix those first: one change repairs hundreds of broken links.
Prevent new ones. Before deleting or renaming a page, search the site for links to it and set up a redirect. Our technical SEO audit checklist covers redirects, status codes and internal linking together.
One page versus the whole site
This tool checks the links on one page. Most broken links are spread across many pages, and the useful question is which broken targets are linked most often. Seotific's site crawl follows every internal link, records every broken target and every page that links to it, and ranks the fixes with the rest of the audit, so the template link that breaks 400 pages comes first.
Check your own page
Seotific audits a URL against the keyword it should rank for and lists the fixes in order of impact. Free plan, no card.
Run a free auditFrequently asked questions
What is a broken link checker?
A broken link checker is a tool that collects the links on a web page and requests each one, reporting the links that return errors such as 404 Not Found or 500, that time out, or that redirect to a different address.
Do broken links hurt SEO?
A few broken links won't noticeably hurt rankings, but they waste crawling, stop internal link value from reaching the intended pages and frustrate visitors. Broken links in navigation and templates are worth fixing promptly.
How many links does the checker test?
Up to 100 links per page, internal and external. Links to email addresses, phone numbers and anchors on the same page are skipped, because they aren't web addresses that can break.
Why is a working link shown as broken?
Some websites block automated requests and answer 403 Forbidden or 429 Too Many Requests even when the page works in a browser. Open the link yourself to confirm before changing it.