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Check your website for broken links with the Broken Link Checker developed by GUESTPOSTLINKS. Enter a URL to scan a single page or an entire website for dead links, 404 errors, redirects, and connection issues. Our online broken link checker tool helps you find internal and external link problems, view detailed reports, and export results to help you fix broken links.
What Is a Broken Link Checker?
A broken link checker is an online tool that finds links that no longer work. These links may lead to deleted pages, missing content, or websites that are no longer available.
The Broken Link Checker by GUESTPOSTLINKS lets you check a single web page or scan an entire website for broken links. It works as a dead link checker and 404 checker, helping you find links that lead to errors or pages that no longer exist.
The tool checks both internal and external links. It shows the broken URL, error code, and page where each link appears. This helps you find and fix broken links on your website.
How to Use Our Broken Link Checker Tool
The Broken Link Checker tool by GUESTPOSTLINKS helps you find broken links in a few simple steps. You can check a single page or scan your entire website for link errors.
Step 1: Enter Your Website or Page URL
Enter the URL you want to check in the input box. You can choose from two scan options:
- Whole Website: Scan multiple pages across your website to find broken links.
- Single Page: Check links on one specific web page without scanning the rest of the site.
Step 2: Choose Your Scan Settings
Select your preferred scan settings before starting.
- Crawl Limit: Choose how many pages the tool should scan.
- Check Resources: Include images, CSS, JavaScript, and media files in the link check.
- XML Sitemap: Allow the tool to find more pages through your website’s sitemap.
- Respect Robots.txt: Follow your website’s crawling rules.
Step 3: Click Find Broken Links
Click the Find Broken Links button to start scanning. The tool checks links and looks for 404 errors, redirects, server errors, and connection issues.
You can track the scan progress and stop it whenever needed.
Step 4: Review and Export Your Results
Once the scan finishes, you’ll see a report of the links found on your website.
The report includes the link URL, HTTP status code, source page, and link text. You can also:
- Filter results by link status, type, or internal and external links.
- Search for a specific URL or link text.
- View links by source page, unique URL, or crawled page.
- Download the results as a CSV file for later review.
Use these results to find and fix broken links on your website.
Key Features of Our Broken Link Checker
The Broken Link Checker by GUESTPOSTLINKS helps you find broken links and other link errors on your website. Here are the key features that make it easy to check and manage your website links.
- Whole Website and Single-Page Scanning: Check links on a single page or scan multiple pages across your website.
- Internal and External Link Checking: Find broken links pointing to pages on your website or other websites.
- 404, 5xx, and Soft 404 Detection: Identify missing pages, server errors, and soft 404 issues.
- Redirect and Connection Error Reports: Detect redirects, DNS errors, SSL issues, and connection timeouts.
- XML Sitemap and Robots.txt Options: Find more pages through your XML sitemap and choose to follow robots.txt rules.
- Image, CSS, JavaScript, and Media Link Checks: Check linked files and resources for errors.
- Advanced Filters, Search, and CSV Export: Filter results by status, link type, or internal and external links. Search URLs and export reports as CSV files.
- Live Scan Progress and Partial Results: Track scanning progress, stop a scan when needed, and review the results collected so far.
What Are Broken Links?
Broken links are links that no longer take users to the correct page or content. They often lead to a “404 Page Not Found” error because the linked page has been deleted or moved.
For example, suppose your website links to example.com/old-page, but that page no longer exists. When someone clicks the link, they see a 404 error instead of the expected content.
Broken links can appear in three main forms:
Internal Broken Links
Internal broken links are links that point to missing or unavailable pages on the same website.
For example, your homepage links to a blog post that has been deleted. When visitors click the link, they see a 404 error.
You can use our broken link checker to find these links and update them with the correct URLs.
External Broken Links
External broken links are links on your website that point to pages on other websites that no longer work.
For example, your blog post links to an external guide that has been removed. Visitors clicking that link may see a 404 error or another error message.
Checking external links helps you find outdated sources and replace them with working links.
Broken Backlinks
Broken backlinks are links from other websites that point to missing or unavailable pages on your website.
For example, another website links to your old blog post, but you’ve deleted it without setting up a redirect. Visitors coming from that website will reach a 404 page.
Our Broken Link Checker scans links found on your website. To find broken backlinks from other websites, you may need a separate backlink analysis tool.
You can fix broken backlinks by restoring the missing page or redirecting its old URL to a relevant, working page.
What Causes Broken Links on a Website?
Broken links can appear for several reasons, such as deleted pages, incorrect URLs, or server issues. Understanding these causes helps you find and fix broken links before they affect your website visitors.
Here are five common causes of broken links:
1. Deleted or Moved Pages
When a web page is deleted or moved to a new location, links pointing to its old URL may stop working.
For example, if you delete a blog post without setting up a redirect, visitors clicking its old link will see a 404 error.
2. Changes to URL Structures
Changing your website’s URL structure can break existing links if you don’t update them or add redirects.
For example, changing example.com/blog/seo-tips to example.com/seo-tips may cause the old link to return a 404 error.
3. Misspelled or Incorrect URLs
A small typing mistake in a URL can send visitors to a page that doesn’t exist.
For example, entering example.com/contcat instead of example.com/contact may lead to a 404 error. These mistakes often happen when adding or updating links manually.
4. Expired Domains or Unavailable External Sites
External links may stop working when another website shuts down, its domain expires, or a linked page gets removed.
For example, if your blog links to a website that is no longer active, visitors may see an error when clicking that link.
5. Server and Connection Problems
Sometimes, links fail because of server issues, DNS errors, SSL problems, or connection timeouts.
For example, a website experiencing server issues may return a 500 or 503 error. These problems can be temporary, so check the link again before removing or replacing it.
Why Should You Check Your Website for Broken Links?
Broken links can make it harder for visitors to find useful content on your website. They can also cause issues with site navigation and search engine crawling.
Checking your website for broken links helps you find these problems and keep your pages easy to access.
1. Improve User Experience
Visitors expect links to take them to the right pages. When they click a broken link, they may see a 404 error instead of the content they need.
Fixing these links helps visitors find information without facing errors or dead ends.
2. Help Search Engines Crawl Your Pages
Search engines like Google follow links to find and crawl pages on your website. Broken links can lead crawlers to missing pages instead of useful content.
Fixing internal broken links helps search engines reach the correct pages. However, a few broken links do not mean your website will lose rankings.
3. Keep Internal Links Useful
Internal links connect related pages and help visitors move around your website. They also help search engines understand how your pages are linked.
When an internal link breaks, visitors may miss useful pages or related content. Regular link checks help keep your website’s navigation working properly.
4. Maintain Links to Helpful Resources
Many websites link to external guides, studies, tools, and other helpful sources. However, these links can stop working when external pages are deleted or moved.
Checking external links helps you find outdated resources and replace them with working links. This keeps your content useful and helps visitors access the information they need.
How to Check a Site for Broken Links
You can check a site for broken links using the Broken Link Checker tool by GUESTPOSTLINKS. The tool offers two scanning options based on how many pages you want to check.
1. Check Broken Links on a Single Page
A single-page scan checks links found on one specific web page. It is useful when you want to check a blog post, landing page, or product page.
Simply enter the page URL and select Single Page mode. The tool checks its internal and external links for errors without scanning other pages on your website.
2. Check Broken Links Across an Entire Website
A whole-site scan checks links across multiple pages on your website. It is useful when you want to find broken links on more than one page.
Enter your website URL and select Whole Website mode. The tool follows internal links to find more pages and checks their links for errors.
You can also set a crawl limit to control how many pages the tool checks.
3. Use Your XML Sitemap to Find More Pages
An XML sitemap lists important URLs on your website. Some pages may appear in your sitemap but have no internal links pointing to them.
Enable the XML Sitemap option when running a whole-site scan. This helps the tool find more pages that might be missed when following internal links alone.
Once the scan is complete, review the results to find broken URLs, error codes, and the pages where those links appear.
How to Fix Broken Links on Your Website
Once you find broken links, the next step is to fix them. You can use the Broken Link Checker by GUESTPOSTLINKS to find the broken URLs and the pages where they appear.
Here are five simple ways to fix broken links on your website.
1. Correct Incorrect URLs
Sometimes, a broken link is caused by a simple typing mistake. Check the URL for missing letters, extra characters, or incorrect paths.
For example, if a link points to example.com/contcat instead of example.com/contact, update it with the correct URL.
2. Update Links to Moved Pages
When you move a page to a new URL, links pointing to the old address may stop working.
For example, if you move a blog post from example.com/old-post to example.com/new-post, update your internal links to point directly to the new URL.
This helps visitors reach the correct page without going through an unnecessary redirect.
3. Restore Deleted Pages When Needed
If you accidentally deleted an important page, restoring it may be the best solution.
For example, if a useful guide was removed but visitors still need it, restore the page at its original URL. This allows existing links to work again.
However, avoid restoring outdated pages that no longer provide useful information.
4. Set Up 301 Redirects Where Appropriate
A 301 redirect sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one. It is useful when a page has permanently moved.
For example, if example.com/old-guide has moved to example.com/new-guide, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one.
Use 301 redirects when a relevant replacement page exists. Avoid redirecting every deleted page to your homepage, as this may confuse visitors.
5. Remove or Replace Dead External Links
External links can break when other websites delete pages or change their URLs.
For example, if your blog links to a study that no longer exists, look for its new URL. If the study is no longer available, replace it with another reliable source.
If you cannot find a suitable replacement, remove the broken link.
Tip: After fixing broken links, run another scan using our online broken link checker. This helps you confirm that the updated links work correctly.
Common Broken Link Errors Explained
When you scan your website for broken links, you may find different HTTP errors and connection issues. These errors help you understand why a link isn’t working and how to fix it.
The Broken Link Checker by GUESTPOSTLINKS helps you identify these errors and review the affected URLs.
| Error Type | What It Means | How to Fix It |
| 404 Not Found | The requested page cannot be found. It may have been deleted, moved, or linked incorrectly. | Correct the URL, restore the page, or redirect it to a relevant page. |
| 403 Forbidden | The server refuses access to the page. | Check page permissions and server settings if you own the website. |
| 410 Gone | The page has been permanently removed. | Remove the broken link or replace it with a working URL. |
| 500 Internal Server Error | The website’s server has an error and cannot load the page. | Check server logs, website plugins, or hosting issues. |
| 503 Service Unavailable | The server is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or heavy traffic. | Try again later. Contact your hosting provider if the issue continues. |
| Soft 404 | The page appears missing but returns a successful HTTP status, such as 200. | Restore the content or return the correct 404 or 410 status. |
| SSL Error | A security certificate or secure connection issue stops the page from loading. | Check the website’s SSL certificate and settings. |
| DNS Error | The domain name cannot be resolved to a server address. | Check the domain name and DNS settings. |
| Connection Timeout | The server takes too long to respond. | Try again later or check the server’s response time. |
| No Response | The tool cannot get a valid response from the server. | Check the URL, network connection, and server availability. |
Note: Not every error means a link is permanently broken. Some errors are temporary, while certain websites block automated link checks. Always confirm the issue before removing or replacing a link.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a broken link checker?
A broken link checker is an online tool that finds links that no longer work. It helps you spot 404 errors, missing pages, and other link issues on your website.
How do I check my website for broken links?
Enter your website URL into the Broken Link Checker by GUESTPOSTLINKS. Choose Single Page or Whole Website mode, then click “Find Broken Links.”
The tool scans your links and shows any errors it finds.
What is the difference between a broken link and a dead link?
There is no major difference between a broken link and a dead link. Both terms describe links that fail to open the expected page or content. You can use a dead link checker to find these links on your website.
Can I check internal and external links?
Yes. Our broken link checker checks both internal and external links. Internal links connect pages on your website, while external links point to other websites. The tool reports errors for both types.
Can this tool detect 404 errors?
Yes. Our tool works as a 404 checker to find links that lead to missing pages. It also detects soft 404 errors, server errors, redirects, and connection problems.
Do broken links affect SEO?
Broken links can make it harder for visitors and search engines to access useful pages. They may also cause problems with internal linking and site navigation.
However, a few broken links do not always cause a drop in Google rankings. Fixing them helps keep your website useful and easy to navigate.
How often should I check my website for broken links?
Check your website for broken links at least once a month. You should also run a scan after deleting pages, changing URLs, or making major website updates. Large websites with frequent content changes may need more regular checks.
Can I download my broken link report?
Yes. Our online broken link checker lets you export scan results as a CSV file. The report includes link URLs, HTTP status codes, source pages, and other details to help you review and fix broken links.
