Broken Link Checker

The Broken Link Checker is a free online tool that scans any webpage to find dead links, 404 errors, and redirect issues. Enter a URL and the tool will jump to the result section, crawl the page, extract its links, and validate them one by one. It scans up to 20 pages and 200 links, with live progress and incremental results that keep the review flow engaging and easy to follow.

Why Broken Links Matter

How to Use This Tool

1. Enter the URL: Type or paste the website URL you want to scan. You can enter URLs with or without the http:// prefix.
2. Set the crawl depth: Choose Depth 1 to scan only the entered page, or Depth 2 to also scan internal pages linked from the starting page (finds more broken links but takes longer).
3. Click "Scan for Broken Links": The page opens the result section, extracts links from the page(s), and starts validating them one by one.
4. Review the results: Watch rows appear incrementally, then use the filter buttons to show only broken links (404), redirects (301/302), or errors. The summary cards give you a quick overview of your site’s link health.

Understanding Status Codes

Success (2xx)

Status codes 200-299 indicate the link is working correctly. 200 OK is the most common, meaning the page loaded successfully.

Redirects (3xx)

Status codes 300-399 mean the link redirects to another URL. While not broken, excessive redirects can slow down your site. A 301 Moved Permanently redirect means you should update the link to point directly to the new URL.

Client Errors (4xx)

404 Not Found is the most common broken link error, meaning the page no longer exists. 403 Forbidden means access is denied, and 410 Gone means the page was intentionally removed.

Server Errors (5xx)

Status codes 500-599 indicate server-side problems. These may be temporary issues, but persistent 5xx errors on linked pages should be investigated.

Scan Limits

To ensure fast results, each scan is limited to:

• 20 pages maximum crawled (for depth 2 scans)
• 200 links maximum checked per scan
• 5 seconds timeout per link check

For comprehensive site-wide audits of very large websites, consider using dedicated crawling tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Site Audit.

How to Fix Broken Links

Internal Broken Links

For links pointing to pages on your own site that return 404, either update the link to point to the correct URL, or set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the appropriate new page.

External Broken Links

For links pointing to other websites that are broken, update the link to a working alternative, find an archived version on the Wayback Machine, or remove the link entirely.

Regular Monitoring

Check your most important pages monthly. Content pages with many outbound links are especially prone to developing broken links over time as external sites change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a broken link?

A broken link (also called a dead link) is a hyperlink that no longer works because the destination page has been removed, moved, or the server is unreachable. Broken links typically return HTTP status codes like 404 (Not Found), 410 (Gone), or connection errors.

How do broken links affect SEO?

Broken links hurt SEO in several ways: they waste crawl budget as search engine bots follow dead links, they break the flow of link equity (PageRank) through your site, they create poor user experience which increases bounce rate, and Google may lower your rankings if too many broken links indicate a poorly maintained site.

What is the difference between crawl depth 1 and depth 2?

Depth 1 scans only the starting page you enter and checks all links found on that single page. Depth 2 also follows internal links found on the starting page and scans those pages too, giving you a broader view of your site’s link health. Depth 2 finds more broken links but takes longer to complete.

Why are there limits on pages and links?

The tool limits scans to 20 pages and 200 links to ensure fast results and prevent server overload. For most websites, this covers the most important pages. For comprehensive site-wide audits of very large websites, consider using dedicated crawling tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Site Audit.

What should I do when I find broken links?

For internal broken links, either fix the link to point to the correct URL or set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. For external broken links, update the link to a working URL, find an archived version on the Wayback Machine, or remove the link entirely. Regular monitoring helps catch new broken links early.

Additional Resources

• HTTP Errors and Network Errors - Google Search Central
• HTTP Response Status Codes - MDN Web Docs
• How to Find and Fix Broken Links - Ahrefs Blog