How to use
Enter the site and scope
Paste the starting URL and choose Whole site or This page only. For a large site, set Max pages to keep the first run short, then press Check links and wait for the crawl to finish.
Review broken and blocked links
Read the summary tiles, then filter by type or status code, sort, and switch to By page to fix to see each page's broken links. Re-check a link after you fix it.
Export the fix list
Press CSV, Download Excel or Copy CSV. Each row holds the category, status, URL, link type, anchor text and the pages the link appears on. Exports follow the current filter.
Why Broken Link Checker
- Crawls internal pages with no fixed page limit, or checks a single page.
- Tests internal and external links and separates bot blocks from real errors.
- Shows anchor text and source pages, grouped by broken link or by page to fix.
- Checks one URL's images, scripts and CSS and reports redirect chains.
Status codes and how to fix each one
The status code tells you why a link failed and what to do about it. A code in the blocked group is not proof that anything is wrong, so check those in a browser before you change them.
| Status | What it means | Listed as | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 404 Not Found | Nothing exists at that URL | Broken | Point the link at the right page. If the URL is yours and moved, add a 301 redirect. |
| 410 Gone | The page was removed on purpose | Broken | Remove the link or link to a replacement. |
| 500, 502, 503 | The server failed to answer properly | Broken | Check again later. If it keeps failing, replace or remove the link. |
| Timed out or connection failed | The host did not respond or no longer exists | Broken | Check the domain still works; if not, remove the link. |
| 401, 403 | Login needed, or a firewall refused the checker | Blocked | Open it in a browser. If it loads, keep the link. |
| 429 | Too many requests from the checker | Blocked | Recheck later or open it by hand. |
| 999 | LinkedIn refusing automated requests | Blocked | Keep the link if it opens in a browser. |
Fix the link or add a redirect?
Both remove the error for visitors, but they suit different cases. Editing the link sends people and crawlers straight to the right page. A redirect sends them to the old URL first and then on to the new one, which costs an extra request and can pile up into chains over time.
As a rule, fix links you control and redirect URLs you do not control. An internal link in your own navigation or article should be edited to the new address. An old URL that other sites, emails or bookmarks still point to should get a 301 redirect to its closest replacement.
- Broken internal link: edit the link in your CMS or template.
- Your page moved or was renamed: edit your own links and add a 301 from the old URL.
- External page gone: link to a working source or remove the link.
- External site down for a day: recheck before changing anything.