# Broken link checker

> Check up to 30 links on any page for 404s, server errors and timeouts, and find links that go through a redirect. Free, no sign-up, results in seconds.

Canonical: https://atrby.site/tools/broken-link
Last updated: 2026-10-26

Open the interactive tool: [Broken link checker](https://atrby.site/tools/broken-link). It runs in the browser, with no sign-up.

## What it does

A broken link sends a visitor to an error page and a crawler to a dead end. Links break quietly: a page gets renamed, an external site closes, a typo slips into a menu.

This checker reads one page, collects the links in its HTML and requests each one. It reports links that fail with a 4xx or 5xx status or don't answer, and links that work but go through a redirect first.

## How to use it

1. Enter the address in Page URL and press Check the links.
2. Read the summary: links checked, links broken, and links that go through a redirect.
3. Use the table to find each problem by its link, anchor text and status.
4. Fix or remove each link, then run the check again.

## What the results mean

Each link is followed through up to 5 redirects, and the status shown is where it ends.

- 404 or 410: the page is gone. Link to its replacement or remove the link.
- 5xx: the other server had an error. Try again later before changing anything.
- 403 or 429: the site refused an automated request. Open it in a browser to confirm.
- Timeout or could not connect: no answer within a few seconds, or the domain no longer works.
- Redirect: the link works but takes a detour. Update it to the final address.

## How the check works

It reads links in the page's HTML, including navigation and footer, and skips mailto, tel and same-page # links. Up to 30 unique links are checked per run, your own site's first; the summary says how many were left. Links added by JavaScript aren't seen.

For a wider view, run it on the pages people reach most. When you move or delete a page, add a 301 from the old address and update your own links to point straight at the new one.

## Questions

### Does this check my whole site?

No. It checks one page per run, up to 30 links, which keeps it fast.

### Do broken links hurt SEO?

Google has said 404 errors on their own don't harm a site's ranking. Broken internal links still stop visitors and crawlers from reaching pages you want found, so they're worth fixing.

### Why is a link flagged when it works in my browser?

Some sites block requests that don't come from a browser and answer 403 or 429. Others are slow and miss the timeout.

### Should I fix links that redirect?

Yes, on your own site. Each redirect adds a round trip, and a direct link keeps working if the redirect is removed later.

## Related
- [All free tools](https://atrby.site/tools)
- [Security headers](https://atrby.site/tools/security-headers)
- [Keyword density](https://atrby.site/tools/keyword-density)