Broken Link Checker — Free Online Link Checker | Fair Darekdari
Link Checker

Check Your Links for Free

Paste up to 50 URLs below. We will check each one for HTTP status codes, 404 errors, redirects, and server issues. You can also drop a TXT or CSV file containing URLs.

📄
Drop a TXT or CSV file of URLs
One URL per line · Max 5 MB

Checks up to 50 URLs. Uses multiple methods to determine if a link is reachable. Links showing “Likely OK” load fine but block automated checks.

Checking links…
0 / 0 checked
OK / Likely OK Redirect Broken
Link Results 0 links
Filter:
URL
Status
Note
Raw JSON (advanced)

What Is a Broken Link?

A broken link (also called a dead link or 404 error) is a hyperlink that points to a webpage that no longer exists or is unreachable. When users or search engines click a broken link, they encounter an error page instead of the intended content.

Internal Broken Links

Links within your own website that point to pages that have been deleted, moved, or renamed without proper redirects. These waste crawl budget and hurt user experience.

External Broken Links

Links pointing to other websites that no longer exist or have changed their URLs. These damage your credibility and provide no value to users.

Common Causes

Pages deleted without redirects, URL structure changes, typos in links, domain name changes, server downtime, and moved content without updating links.

Why Broken Links Hurt Your SEO

Broken links are more than just an inconvenience. They actively damage your website’s search engine rankings and user experience in multiple ways.

Waste Crawl Budget

Search engines allocate a limited crawl budget to each website. When bots encounter broken links, they waste precious crawl time on non-existent pages instead of indexing your valuable content.

Poor User Experience

Users expect to find content when they click a link. Encountering a 404 error frustrates visitors, increases bounce rates, and reduces trust in your website.

Lost Link Authority

Internal links pass authority (PageRank) between pages. Broken links create dead ends that stop the flow of authority, weakening your site’s overall SEO strength.

Negative Ranking Signal

Google and other search engines may interpret many broken links as a sign of poor site maintenance. This can lead to lower rankings across your entire website.

Lower Conversion Rates

Broken links disrupt the user journey. When visitors cannot reach product pages, contact forms, or checkout pages, your conversion rates drop significantly.

Damaged Brand Reputation

A website full of broken links looks unprofessional and neglected. Visitors may question your credibility and choose competitors with better-maintained sites.

Common HTTP Status Codes Explained

Understanding HTTP status codes helps you diagnose link issues quickly. Here are the most common codes you will encounter when checking your website links.

Status CodeMeaningImpactAction Needed
200 OK The page loaded successfully Good No action needed
301 Moved Permanent redirect to a new URL Warning Update link to final destination
302 Found Temporary redirect Warning Check if redirect is intentional
404 Not Found Page does not exist Critical Fix or remove the broken link
410 Gone Page permanently removed Critical Remove link or create redirect
500 Server Error Server failed to respond Critical Check server status or contact host
503 Unavailable Server temporarily overloaded Critical Retry later or check server health

How to Fix Broken Links

Once you have identified broken links on your website, follow these proven strategies to fix them and improve your site’s health.

Update the Link URL

If the page has moved to a new location, simply update the link to point to the correct URL. This is the fastest fix for renamed or relocated content.

Create a 301 Redirect

When a page is permanently moved, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This preserves SEO value and ensures visitors reach the right content.

Remove Dead Links

If the linked content no longer exists and has no replacement, remove the link entirely. A missing link is better than a broken one that frustrates users.

Replace with Relevant Content

Find similar or updated content on your site or a trusted external source and replace the broken link with a link to that resource.

Create a Custom 404 Page

Design a helpful 404 error page with navigation options, a search bar, and links to popular content. This turns a dead end into a recovery opportunity.

Schedule Regular Checks

Set up a monthly routine to scan your website for broken links. Proactive maintenance prevents small issues from becoming major SEO problems.

How Our Broken Link Checker Works

Our free link checker tool uses multiple detection methods to give you the most accurate results possible. Here is what happens when you run a scan.

1

Paste Your URLs

Enter up to 50 URLs in the text area, one per line. You can also drag and drop a TXT or CSV file containing your URLs for bulk checking.

2

Multi-Method Detection

The tool tries multiple proxy services to fetch real HTTP status codes. If proxies are blocked, it falls back to direct no-cors checks to determine reachability.

3

Instant Results

Each URL is analyzed and categorized as OK, Redirect, or Broken. Results display with color-coded status badges, HTTP codes, and detailed explanations.

4

Export & Fix

Export your results to CSV for easy sharing with your team. Use the filter buttons to focus on broken links or redirects, then follow our fix recommendations.

Example Scan Results

Here is what your broken link checker results will look like after running a scan. Each URL is checked and displayed with its status code and a helpful explanation.

URL
Status
Note
200
OK — page loads successfully
200
OK — page loads successfully
301
Redirect — update to final URL
404
Not Found — page does not exist
Error
Could not reach this URL

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the most common questions about broken links, 404 errors, and how to use our free link checker tool.

What is a broken link?
A broken link (also called a dead link or 404 error) is a hyperlink that points to a webpage that no longer exists or is unreachable. When users or search engines click a broken link, they encounter an error page instead of the intended content. Broken links can occur on your own website (internal links) or on other websites (external links).
How do I find broken links on my website?
Use our free broken link checker tool to scan your website URLs. Simply paste up to 50 URLs into the input field, click “Check Links,” and the tool will analyze each URL’s HTTP status code to identify broken links, redirects, and working pages. For larger sites, you can export a list of URLs from your sitemap or crawl data and paste them in batches.
Do broken links affect SEO?
Yes, broken links negatively impact SEO in several ways. They waste your crawl budget by sending search engine bots to dead pages, create poor user experience that increases bounce rates, reduce the flow of page authority between your pages, and can signal to Google that your site is poorly maintained. Fixing broken links is an essential part of technical SEO maintenance.
What is a 404 error?
A 404 error is an HTTP status code that means the server could not find the requested webpage. This is the most common type of broken link. It occurs when a page has been deleted, moved without a redirect, or the URL was typed incorrectly. When visitors encounter a 404 page, they typically leave your site, which hurts both user experience and SEO metrics.
Should I fix redirected links?
Yes, you should update redirected links (301/302) to point directly to the final destination URL. While redirects pass most SEO value, they add extra loading time, waste crawl budget, and create a less optimal user experience. Updating links to the correct final URL is considered best practice in SEO and improves your site’s overall performance.
How often should I check my website for broken links?
For most websites, checking for broken links monthly is recommended. High-traffic sites, e-commerce stores, or sites with frequent content updates should check weekly. After any major site update, migration, or content restructuring, run a broken link check immediately to catch issues before they impact your SEO and user experience.
Are broken links bad for user experience?
Yes, broken links create a frustrating user experience. Visitors expect to find the content they click on. Encountering a 404 error instead can damage trust, increase bounce rates, and reduce conversions. Studies show that broken links are one of the top reasons users leave a website and choose a competitor. Keeping your links healthy is essential for maintaining visitor satisfaction.

Your Entire SEO Toolkit.
One Free Workspace.

Join thousands of users who rely on Fair Darekdari for their SEO, image, PDF, and productivity tools. No credit card, no setup — just open and use.

No credit card required · 50+ tools available · Works on any device