6 Easy Ways to Find Broken Links on a Website and Fix Them

One of the most overlooked yet crucial aspects of website maintenance and search engine optimization (SEO) is the ability to find broken links on a website and fix them effectively. Broken links not only harm user experience but also send negative signals to search engines, which can lower your site’s ranking. Whether you’re running a blog, e-commerce store, or business site, broken links are a silent SEO killer that needs to be addressed proactively.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what broken links are, why they matter, and step-by-step methods using popular tools to find and fix them.

What Are Broken Links?

Broken links are hyperlinks that lead to non-existent or unavailable web pages. They usually result in a 404 error or similar HTTP status codes like 410 (Gone) or 500 (Server Error). These dead links can be internal (linking to your own website’s pages) or external (pointing to other websites).

Types of Broken Links

Broken links come in different forms, and understanding their types can help you diagnose and fix issues more effectively. Here are the main types:

Type	What it Means?
404 Not Found	The requested URL leads to a page that no longer exists. Triggers a standard 404 error page.
Soft 404	A page that visually says “not found” but returns a 200 OK status instead of a 404 code.
Server Errors (5xx)	Pages fail to load due to server issues like a 500 Internal Server Error or 503 Service Unavailable.
Timeouts	The page doesn’t load because the server takes too long to respond, common with hosting issues.
Incorrect URLs / Typos	Links are broken due to manual input errors in the URL (e.g., wrong domain or extra characters).
Broken Internal Links	Links that point to deleted or moved pages within the same website without proper redirection.
Broken External Links	Outbound links to third-party websites that no longer exist or have changed their URLs.

Why Broken Links Hurt SEO

Broken links signal neglect and poor website health to both users and search engines. They:

How to Find Broken Links on a Website

To successfully identify and address broken links, you need to use reliable tools that mimic how Google crawls and interprets your site. Below are the most effective methods for broken links on a website, tailored for both beginners and SEO professionals.

1. Google Search Console

Google Search Console is one of the most reliable ways to find broken links on your website, especially internal URLs returning 404 errors. Since this tool reflects how Google indexes and interprets your site, it provides firsthand insight into issues affecting visibility and crawl efficiency.

Steps to find broken links on a website using Google Search Console:

1. Log into Google Search Console.
2. Select the correct property (your website).
3. In the left-hand menu, go to Pages under the Indexing section.
4. Click on Not Indexed to view URLs that are not appearing in search results.
5. Use the filter to select Reason = Not Found (404).
6. Review the list of broken pages, these are internal URLs that return a 404 error.
7. Click on any entry to see referring pages (where the broken link is located).
8. Export the data to a spreadsheet for easier link audit and fixing.

2. Ahrefs Site Audit Tool

Ahrefs offers a strong Site Audit feature that crawls your entire website to identify technical issues—including broken internal and outbound links. Unlike basic tools, Ahrefs provides detailed diagnostics and allows you to track errors over time, making it ideal for larger or SEO-driven sites.

Steps to identify broken links using Ahrefs:

1. Log into your Ahrefs account.
2. Navigate to Site Audit from the main dashboard.
3. Create a new project by entering your website URL, or open an existing project.
4. Start a full crawl, or wait for the next scheduled audit to complete.
5. Once the audit is done, go to the Internal pages section in the report.
6. Click on Issues and look for flags like “Broken internal link” or “4XX response”.
7. Click on each issue to see the affected URLs and the pages linking to them.
8. Export the data to organize your broken link fixing workflow.

This screenshot reveals issues with redirect chains that ultimately land on 404 error pages, meaning the final destination no longer exists. Even though the source links are active (200 or 301), they lead users and search engines to dead ends. This not only disrupts user experience but also weakens your website’s crawlability and link equity, making it essential to either update or remove these broken redirects

3. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a powerful desktop-based crawler that mimics how Googlebot navigates your site, revealing technical issues such as broken links. It’s especially effective when you need to find broken links on a website, since it highlights 4xx errors (like 404 pages) and shows exactly which internal pages are linking to them. This makes it a go-to tool for technical SEO audits, giving you full visibility and the ability to export detailed reports.

1. Download and install Screaming Frog SEO Spider from their official website.
2. Open the tool and enter your website URL in the search bar.
3. Click Start to begin crawling your site.
4. After the crawl is complete, go to the Response Codes tab.
5. Filter for Client Error (4xx) to view broken links.
6. Select any broken URL and go to the Inlinks tab to see which pages are linking to it.
7. Export the data for further action or reporting.

The Screaming Frog report shows that 6 out of 500 URLs (1.2%) returned client errors (4xx), such as 404 and 403, which indicates broken or restricted pages. Clicking on the red “Client Error (4xx)” section filters the data to only show these problematic URLs, making it easier to isolate issues. This step is crucial for quickly identifying and fixing broken links that hurt both SEO and user experience.

4. Check My Links Chrome Extension

Check My Links is a lightweight Chrome extension designed for quick broken link checks on individual web pages. Unlike full site crawlers, it provides instant visual feedback by highlighting valid links in green and broken ones in red directly on the page. This makes it one of the fastest ways to find broken links on a website, especially when auditing landing pages, blog posts, or product pages without the need for a full technical crawl.

Steps to use Check My Links to Find Broken Links on Websites:

1. Install the Check My Links extension from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Open the webpage you want to audit on your site.
3. Click the extension icon in your browser toolbar.
4. The tool will scan the page, marking working links in green and broken links in red.
5. Use your CMS or HTML editor to manually update, replace, or remove the broken links.

5. Siteliner

Siteliner is a free online tool that scans your website for issues like duplicate content, broken links, and overall page strength. It’s especially useful for smaller sites because it generates a clear, easy-to-read summary report with clickable insights into each broken link. If you want a fast and simple way to find broken links on a website, Siteliner is a great choice.

The free version lets you crawl up to 250 pages per month, but for larger websites, you’ll need the paid version to scan more pages.

Steps to use Siteliner:

1. Go to Siteliner.
2. Enter your website URL into the search bar.
3. Wait for the tool to crawl and generate your site’s report.
4. Click on the Broken Links tab in the results.
5. Review the list of broken internal links and export the report for fixing.

This Siteliner report shows a site scan summary where 3 broken links were found. To review them, you simply click on the “Broken Links” section in the left-hand menu, which opens a detailed list of each broken URL, its title, and link metrics. This makes it easy to see exactly which links are broken and where they appear, so you can fix them quickly.

6. Ahrefs Broken Link Checker

The Ahrefs Broken Link Checker is a free web-based tool that lets you quickly find broken links on a website domain without needing a paid subscription. It’s a lightweight version of Ahrefs’ Site Audit and is perfect for spotting dead links and their referring pages in just a few clicks. This makes it an excellent option for site owners or marketers who want a simple, no-cost way to run broken link analysis.

Steps to use Ahrefs Broken Link Checker:

1. Go to the Ahrefs Broken Link Checker.
2. Enter your website URL into the search bar.
3. Click Check broken links to start the scan.
4. Review the generated report showing broken links, their anchor text, and referring pages.
5. Export the list or note the affected pages to fix them in your CMS.

This Ahrefs Broken Link Checker report shows that the site has 4 broken outbound links, meaning it’s linking to external pages that no longer exist and return a 404 error. It’s a practical way to find broken links on a website, as it not only reveals the broken target URLs but also shows the referring pages on your site and the anchor text that provides context for each link.

Best Methods to Find Broken Links by Site Type

Choosing the right method to find broken links on a website depends on your site’s size and complexity. The table below outlines the best tools and approaches for different types of websites.

Type of Website	Best Method/Tool	Why It’s Best
Personal Blog / Small Website	Check My Links (Chrome Extension)	Quick, free, and perfect for scanning individual posts or pages without needing a full crawl.
Small Business Website (up to ~250 pages)	Siteliner (Free up to 250 pages)	Provides a clear snapshot of broken links, duplicate content, and overall health without cost.
Growing Content Site (250–1,000+ pages)	Screaming Frog SEO Spider	Desktop crawler that scales, offers exportable reports, and pinpoints internal/external 404s.
E-Commerce Store (hundreds/thousands of products)	Ahrefs Site Audit	Handles large sites well, tracks changes over time, and includes broken link analysis across products and categories.
Enterprise or News Website (10,000+ pages)	DeepCrawl or Sitebulb	Cloud-based crawlers built for scale, automation, and advanced broken link analysis with team collaboration.
Niche Affiliate Site	Ahrefs Broken Link Checker (Free)	Quickly identifies broken outbound links to affiliates or resources, preventing lost commissions and SEO harm.
Local Business Website	Google Search Console	Free and directly shows how Google sees your site, including 404 pages that may affect visibility in local search.

How to Fix Broken Links

To find broken links on a website is only half the solution. Fixing them correctly ensures search engines maintain trust in your domain and users continue to enjoy a smooth experience.

In this section, we’ll walk through the main ways to fix broken links, each with clear explanations and actionable steps.

1. Update the Link URL to the Correct Destination

When the destination page still exists but the link was input incorrectly (e.g., typos, outdated paths), you simply need to correct the URL. It’s the fastest and most direct way to fix a broken link without losing its value.

Steps you need to follow:

1. Locate the correct version of the URL (use your internal search or sitemap).
2. Access the page or post containing the broken link.
3. Edit the hyperlink and replace it with the correct URL.
4. Save and recheck the link.

2. Set Up a 301 Redirect

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that tells both search engines and browsers that a page has been moved to a new URL. This is one of the most effective ways to fix broken links because it preserves SEO value by transferring link equity from the old, broken URL to the new destination. Instead of leading visitors to a dead page, they’re automatically taken to the correct one.

How to set up a 301 redirect with Rank Math:

1. Make sure the Rank Math SEO plugin is installed and activated on your WordPress site.
2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Rank Math > Redirections.
3. Click Add New to create a new redirect.
4. In the Source URL field, enter the old (broken) URL.
5. In the Destination URL field, enter the new, relevant URL where the traffic should go.
6. Choose 301 Permanent Move as the redirection type.
7. Save the redirect, then test it in your browser or with a redirect checker tool to confirm it’s working properly.

3. Remove the Broken Link Entirely

Sometimes a broken link can’t be redirected because the page it pointed to no longer exists and there’s no relevant replacement. In this case, the best solution is to simply remove the hyperlink. This ensures users don’t land on dead pages, which improves overall user experience and prevents search engines from flagging broken links as a sign of poor site maintenance.

4. Replace the Link with a Similar Resource

When a broken link points to an article, tool, or external page that’s no longer available, the best option is to replace it with another resource that delivers the same or greater value. This way, you maintain the integrity of your content, keep the user experience smooth, and avoid losing SEO value from outbound or contextual links.

5. Fix Typos in URLs

Not all broken links are caused by deleted pages; sometimes, they’re simply the result of spelling mistakes or formatting errors in the URL. A single missing character, an extra slash, or wrong domain can lead to a 404 error. When you find broken links on a website, checking for typos should be one of the first steps, since fixing them is often the quickest way to restore a working link and improve user experience without needing redirects or replacements.

Frequently asked questions

Final Thoughts

Broken links might seem minor, but they have a compounding impact on SEO, user experience, and trust. Running regular audits to find broken links on a website with the tools we covered will help you catch and resolve them before they hurt your rankings. Pair that with proper fix strategies, updating URLs, setting up redirects, or replacing outdated resources, and you’ll maintain a high-quality, search-friendly website.

Need help with broken link audits or technical SEO? Our team specializes in identifying broken link issues that affect your performance. Contact us today.