The fastest way to find broken links on a website is to scan each key page with a free checker. Then you update, redirect or remove every link that returns an error. Why bother? A dead link works like a locked door in a shop: visitors give up, and Google wastes part of its visit on pages that aren't there.

Our free Broken Link Checker handles the scanning. Paste a page address, and it checks up to 150 links and images on that page at the same time. It shows which links are broken, which ones redirect, and the clickable words of each link, so you can find them fast.

Picking the right fix takes more thought. A redirect isn't always the answer, and some 404 errors don't need fixing at all. We cover both below.

Quick answerDetails
What you needThe address (URL) of the page you want to check and a web browser. No account or install.
TimeUp to about a minute per page scan, plus time to make the fixes.
ResultA list of broken links, redirects and broken images, which you can filter and download as a CSV file.
Best paired withGoogle Search Console, which shows missing pages Google itself tried to open.

Use two tools together. A link checker scans the pages you choose and tests every link on them. Google Search Console lists "Not found (404)" pages, which are addresses Google tried to open and couldn't.

Why both? The checker sees your pages the way a visitor does. Search Console shows what Google ran into on its own visits, including old addresses you may have forgotten.

A broken link, also called a dead link, leads nowhere. You click it and get an error instead of a page.

Here's why that happens. Every time a browser asks for a page, the server replies with a short number called an HTTP status code. It works like a delivery receipt: "200" means the page arrived safely. Other numbers mean something went wrong:

  • 404 Not Found: the website exists, but the page isn't there. It was deleted, moved, or the address has a typo.
  • 410 Gone: like a 404, but it says the page was removed on purpose and won't come back.
  • 5xx server error: the site's server had a problem. The page might work again later.
  • Dead domain: the whole website doesn't respond, often because the owner let the domain expire.

Images can break too. If someone deletes a photo from your media library but the page still points to it, visitors see an empty box or a broken image icon.

Start with links you control on pages people actually visit: your menu, footer, home page, service pages and most-read blog posts. For example, a dead "Book Now" button on your home page costs you real leads. A dead link in a five-year-old post that nobody reads costs you far less.

Broken links hurt visitors first and search engines second. People can't reach the page they wanted, and Google's robot hits dead ends instead of useful pages.

Visitors hit dead ends

Picture a plumbing company in Ohio that ran a "Spring Promo" page last year and then deleted it. Its blog posts and Facebook ads still link there. Someone clicks, sees an error, and goes back to search results to find another plumber.

Nothing on that error page tells the visitor the company is still open for business. One missing page quietly turns a paid click into a lost customer.

Googlebot is Google's robot that visits pages to learn what's on them. It only spends so much time on each site, and people call this limit the crawl budget. Every dead end uses up a little of that time.

Links also pass value from page to page, a bit like water flowing through pipes. A broken link is a pipe that ends in a wall. The value stops there instead of reaching the page you wanted to help.

Honest note: not every 404 needs a fix

A 404 is a normal part of the web. Google's Search Console Help page on 404 errors says a 404 for a URL that never existed on your site usually needs no fix. The exception is a link that people often misspell.

So if Search Console lists a strange address you never created, you can usually ignore it. Your time is better spent on links you placed yourself.

Why are broken links worth fixing?

Step-by-step: scan a page with our free Broken Link Checker

The tool works in your browser with no sign-up. Each step below says what to do and why it helps.

Step 1: Paste your page URL

Go to the free broken link checker and paste the full page address, including https://. Start with your home page.

Why the home page? It acts like the main hallway of a building. Most important rooms connect to it, so one scan there catches problems that affect your whole site.

Step 2: Tick "Also check images" and start the scan

Tick the Also check images box so the tool tests pictures as well as text links. Then start the scan. The tool checks up to 150 unique links and images in parallel, which means many at once instead of one by one.

On a busy page, the scan can take up to a minute. Wait for it to finish before you refresh, or you'll have to start again.

Use the filter to split the list. Internal only shows links from your page to other pages on your own site. External only shows links to other people's sites, and All links shows everything.

Fix internal links first. You control both ends, so you can always repair them, often in a few minutes.

Step 4: Read the status, anchor text and redirects

Each row shows a status code and the anchor text, which is the clickable words of the link. Anchor text works like a search term for your own page. If a broken link says "see our pricing," search your page editor for that phrase and you'll find it in seconds.

The tool also flags links that redirect, meaning they forward visitors to a different address. You can then edit those links to point straight to the final page.

Step 5: Export a CSV for your team

Use the CSV export to download your results. A CSV file is a simple table you can open in Excel or Google Sheets. It turns the scan into a to-do list.

Add a few columns so the work is easy to share: page, anchor text, broken URL, status, action and done. If a freelancer or colleague makes the fixes, they can tick off rows as they go.

What "blocked" means

Some large websites refuse automated checks. Instead of the real page, they answer with a 403 or 999 code. The checker lists these as "blocked," separate from broken links.

Blocked links usually work fine for real people. Click one or two by hand to confirm, then move on.

Which pages to scan on a whole site

The tool checks one page at a time, not your whole site in one go. That's a real limit. For most small sites, though, a short list covers what matters: home page, service or product pages, contact page and top blog posts.

Run each one through the checker. Your menu and footer appear on every page, so your home page scan already covers those links.

A checker reads a page, collects every link on it, and asks each one for a status code. That's the whole idea behind finding broken links on a website.

First, the tool loads the public page and pulls out every link address. If you asked, it collects image addresses too. Then it sends a request to each address and waits for the reply, like knocking on each door to see who answers.

A 200 means fine, and a 301 or 302 means the link redirects. A 404, 410 or 5xx means broken, while no reply at all usually points to a dead domain. Our checker only requests the public page and its links, and the results are not stored.

Developers sometimes build the same check into automated tests with Selenium, a tool that controls a web browser. Selenium is good at collecting the links on a page, but it doesn't read status codes by itself. So developers pair it with a separate HTTP request, a direct "are you there?" message to each link. If you just want answers for your own site, a ready-made checker is faster.

Open Search Console and go to Indexing, then Pages. Under "Why pages aren't indexed," look for "Not found (404)." This list shows addresses Googlebot tried to visit and couldn't find.

Indexing > Pages > Not found (404)

Google Search Console is a free Google tool that shows how Google sees your site. It has no separate broken links report. Instead, the Pages report lists missing URLs that Google has found.

Click "Not found (404)" to open the list. Remember that it only shows what Google has met. Broken links that point to other people's sites won't appear here, which is why you still need a link checker.

Click a URL in the list and inspect it. Google may show a referring page, which is a page that links to the missing one. That referring page is where you make the fix.

If no referring page shows up, run your likely pages through the link checker instead. The anchor text in the results will lead you to the bad link.

Use Validate Fix after repairs

Once you've fixed the problem, click Validate Fix in the report. Google then rechecks those URLs over time.

Don't worry if old 404s stay listed for a while. Google's help page says they drop from the report after about a month.

Choose the fix based on why the link broke. There are five options, and "redirect it" is only one of them. A doctor treats the cause, not just the symptom, and the same idea applies here.

SituationBest fixWhy
The link has a typo or points to an old address of a page that still existsUpdate the linkThe cleanest fix. No redirect needed.
A useful page was deleted by mistakeRestore the pageVisitors and other sites that linked to it get their page back.
A page moved or was replaced by a close match301 redirect to the closest matchSends people and Google to the new page for good.
A link points to an external page that's gone, with no replacementRemove the link or swap in a new sourceYou can't fix someone else's site.
A page is gone for good and has no similar replacementLeave it as a 404 or 410, and remove links to itGoogle says this is the right signal for removed pages.

That last row surprises people. Google's guide to crawling errors says a page that's gone, with no similar replacement, should return a 404 or 410. That code tells search engines the page doesn't exist. You still need to remove your own links to it.

For example, say a bakery in Austin renames its page from /menu to /our-menu. The right move is to update every internal link to the new address, then add a 301 redirect from the old one. Old Google results and shared links will then still work.

How 301 and 302 redirects differ

A 301 (or 308) redirect says the page moved for good, like a permanent change of address at the post office. A 302 (or 307) says it moved for now and may come back. Google's redirect documentation confirms this split and says server-side redirects are the best way to send both people and Google to the right page.

For a renamed or replaced page, use a 301. Google's site move guide says permanent redirects like 301 don't cause a loss in PageRank, Google's measure of link value. We cover the details, and how to test which one your site sends, in our guide to 301 vs 302 redirects.

Fix redirect chains by linking to the final URL

A redirect chain is a link that jumps through several redirects before it reaches the final page. It's like calling a company and getting transferred three times. You get there in the end, but it's slower for everyone.

When the checker flags a redirect on a link you control, edit that link to point straight to the final address.

Why not to send everything to the homepage

Sending every dead page to your homepage feels tidy, but it can backfire. Google's Search Console Help says redirecting a missing page to the homepage can be treated as a soft 404.

A soft 404 is a page that acts like "not found," or is empty, but tells Google "everything is fine" with a 200 code. It's a mixed message, so Google trusts neither part. Redirect only when there's a real match. Otherwise, let the page return a 404.

Internal broken links come first because you control both the link and the page it points to. Visitors also meet them most often, since they move between your own pages.

Menu and footer links appear on every page, so one broken menu item repeats across your whole site. Fix those first.

Next, check buttons like "Get a quote" or "Shop now," because those lead to sales and leads. Then work through blog posts, starting with the ones that get the most traffic.

Say a food blogger linked to a free recipe tool that has since shut down. First, search for the tool's name, since it may have moved to a new address. If you find it, update the link.

If it's truly gone, link to a similar trusted source instead. Or remove the link and adjust the sentence so it still reads well.

Make your 404 page helpful

Some visitors will still land on missing pages, so give them a way forward. A good 404 page works like a friendly sign at a closed road: it points to the detour.

Same look and menu as your site

A plain server error page looks broken and makes people leave. A custom 404 page uses your logo, colors and normal menu, so visitors know they're still on your site.

Google's custom 404 page tips suggest linking to your home page and popular pages. A search box helps too. Add a short, friendly line such as "This page has moved. Try one of these instead."

Keep a real 404 status code

Google also says the server must still send a real 404 code with your custom page. If it sends a 200, Google may index the error page as if it were real content.

Common mistakes and fixes

Most broken link problems come from a handful of repeat habits. Here's each one with a simple fix.

MistakeWhat happensFix
Ignoring broken imagesPages show empty boxes and look unfinished.Tick "Also check images" on every scan.
Redirecting to an unrelated pageVisitors land somewhere confusing, and Google may see a soft 404.Redirect only to a close match, or leave a 404.
Leaving deleted pages in the sitemapGoogle keeps trying to visit pages that are gone.Update your sitemap after deleting pages.
Fixing a link but not retestingA typo in the new link creates a fresh error.Re-run the scan on that page after each fix.
Chasing every 404 in Search ConsoleHours spent on URLs that never existed.Fix links you control first.

A sitemap is a list of your pages that you give to Google, like a map handed to a visitor at the door. If you need a new one after a cleanup, our free XML Sitemap Generator can create it.

Prevention takes less time than cleanup. A few small habits stop most broken links before they start.

  • Check before you delete or rename a page. Search your site for links to it first. Then set up the 301 redirect the same day you make the change.
  • Re-scan key pages on a schedule. There's no magic number. A site you update every week needs more frequent checks than a five-page site you rarely touch.
  • Scan again after a redesign or site move. These are the moments when the most links break at once.
  • Keep redirects in place for a long time. Old links on other sites and in bookmarks keep sending visitors long after you make the change.
  • Use the CSV as a running log. Old exports show you whether problems are shrinking over time.

If this feels like one job too many, it's exactly what our post-launch maintenance plans cover: updates, security patches, backups, performance monitoring and fixes as your site grows. When we build a site, SEO and performance are part of the work from day one. Every project gets a dedicated team with weekly demos, and our SEO services team handles technical fixes like these for clients worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paste a page URL into a free online checker and read the results. Our Broken Link Checker needs no sign-up and checks up to 150 links and images per page. Pair it with Google Search Console, which is also free.

They can, mainly on pages you control. Broken internal links waste Google's visit time and stop link value from flowing through your site. They also frustrate visitors, which is the bigger problem for most small businesses.

How do I fix a 404 error?

Match the fix to the cause. Update links with typos, restore pages deleted by mistake, and add a 301 redirect when a page moved. When a page is gone with no replacement, leave a true 404 and remove your own links to it.

Enter the other site's page URL into the same checker, since it works on any public page. This is handy if you want to tell a partner site about a dead link that points to you.

Use Selenium to collect every link, then check each one with a separate HTTP request. Selenium can gather link addresses, but it doesn't report status codes by itself. Any code of 400 or higher means the link is broken.

Is my data stored when I use the checker?

No. According to the tool page, the checker only requests the public page and the links on it, and the results are not stored.

Next step

Start with your home page. Run it through the free Broken Link Checker, fix what's broken using the decision table, and scan the page again to confirm. Then repeat for your service pages and top blog posts.

Would you rather have experts handle it? We find and fix broken links, clean up redirects and keep your site healthy with ongoing maintenance. You get transparent updates and a fixed quote after a free discovery call, with no hidden costs, and our team replies within one business day. Request a Free Quote today.