How to Find Broken Links on a Website (and Fix Them Before a Client Does)
A broken link is a link that leads to a page that no longer exists, or to a server that does not answer. Visitors hit a dead end, and search engines see a site that is not well looked after. Finding them before launch takes minutes. This guide shows four ways to do it and how to fix what you find.
What counts as a broken link
- Internal links that return a 404 Not Found because a page was renamed, moved or deleted.
- External links to sites that have closed, moved or removed the page.
- Links with typing mistakes, such as a missing letter or a stray space.
- Links to files, such as PDFs and images, that were never uploaded.
Way 1: Look in Google Search Console
If the site is already verified in Search Console, open the page indexing report and look for pages listed as not found (404). These are addresses Google tried and could not load. It only knows about pages it has seen, so it is a good starting point but not a full check. New sites can take a day or more before data appears.
Way 2: Run a free online checker
A link checker loads a page, collects the links on it and tests each one. Nyrolo has a free broken link checker for a single page that needs no account. Paste the address, run the check and read the list of links that did not load. It is the fastest way to test a page you have just finished.
Way 3: Spot check by hand
- Open the main menu and click every item once.
- Click every button on the homepage, including the footer links.
- Open each link inside your most important pages.
- Try the links in your email signature and social profiles that point to the site.
Way 4: Audit the whole site
A full audit follows links from page to page and reports every broken link in one list. Nyrolo's audit crawls up to a set number of pages (25 on the free plan, 100 on Pro), checks links, and groups the results with a readiness score. Some sites block automated checks. Links that answer with a block or rate-limit message are shown as could not be verified, not as broken, so you can check them by hand.
How to fix a broken link
- If the page moved, update the link to the new address.
- If the page was deleted on purpose, set a 301 redirect from the old address to the closest useful page.
- If an external site is gone, remove the link or replace it with a better source.
- If it is a typing mistake, correct it and test the link again.
Make it a habit
Check links before every launch and again after any redesign, since renamed pages are the main cause. Re-running a check after fixes also gives you something concrete to show a client.
Frequently asked questions
Do broken links hurt SEO?
Google does not issue a penalty for a few dead links, but they waste visitors' time and stop crawlers from reaching content. A site full of dead ends looks neglected, which is a quality problem worth fixing.
Should I redirect or remove a broken link?
If a similar page exists, redirect the old address to it with a 301. If nothing similar exists, remove the link. Avoid sending every old address to the homepage.
Why does a checker say a link is blocked when it works for me?
Some sites refuse automated requests with a 403 or 429 reply even though a browser can open them. Those links cannot be confirmed automatically, so open them yourself.
Keep reading
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