Broken links are the silent killers of your website’s SEO performance and user experience. A single dead link can frustrate visitors, waste your crawl budget, and signal to Google that your site is poorly maintained. The good news? Finding and fixing them is easier than you think.
In this practical guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to find broken links on your website using free tools, then show you the right way to fix them with redirects or replacements. Let’s dive in.
Why Broken Links Hurt Your Website
Before we get into the how-to, here’s why this matters:
- SEO impact: Search engines waste crawl budget on dead URLs instead of indexing your valuable pages.
- UX damage: Visitors who hit a 404 page often bounce, increasing your exit rate.
- Lost link equity: Internal broken links break the flow of PageRank through your site.
- Trust erosion: Outdated external links make your content look stale and unreliable.
A broken link is any hyperlink that returns a 4xx error (most commonly a 404 Not Found) or a 5xx server error when clicked.
Step 1: Find Broken Links With Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is free, official, and the first place you should look. It shows you exactly which URLs Google itself is having trouble crawling.
How to check broken links in GSC
- Log in to Google Search Console and select your property.
- In the left sidebar, click Pages under the Indexing section.
- Scroll down to the Why pages aren’t indexed table.
- Look for these error types:
- Not found (404)
- Soft 404
- Server error (5xx)
- Redirect error
- Click any row to see the full list of affected URLs and export them as CSV.
Pro tip: GSC only shows URLs Google has discovered. To catch every internal broken link, you need a crawler too.
Step 2: Run a Full Site Crawl With Screaming Frog
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is the gold standard for technical audits. The free version crawls up to 500 URLs, which is plenty for small and medium sites.
How to find broken links with Screaming Frog
- Download and install Screaming Frog from the official website.
- Open the app, paste your domain in the URL bar, and click Start.
- Wait for the crawl to complete.
- Click the Response Codes tab.
- Use the filter dropdown to select Client Error (4xx).
- Click any broken URL, then check the Inlinks tab at the bottom to see exactly which pages contain the broken link.
- Export the list to CSV for your fix list.
This method catches both internal broken links (links between your own pages) and external broken links (links pointing to other sites that no longer exist).
Step 3: Use Free Online Checkers for Quick Audits
If you don’t want to install software, several free web-based tools do the job. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Tool | Best For | Sign-up Required |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Broken Link Checker | Quick single-page or domain scans | No |
| Dr. Link Check | Detecting malicious & SSL issues too | Free tier available |
| Dead Link Checker | Scheduled automatic checks | Optional |
| BrokenLinkCheck.com | No-frills instant scans | No |
Step 4: Check Individual Pages With a Chrome Extension
For spot checks on specific pages (great when editing a blog post), use a browser extension like Check My Links or Broken Link Checker from the Chrome Web Store.
- Install the extension.
- Open any page on your site.
- Click the extension icon. Broken links will be highlighted in red within seconds.
This is the fastest method for editors who want to verify a single article before publishing.
Step 5: Fix the Broken Links
Finding broken links is only half the job. Here’s how to handle each type properly.
Fixing internal broken links
- If the page still exists at a new URL: Update the link to point to the correct URL.
- If the page is permanently gone: Set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the most relevant live page. In WordPress, plugins like Redirection or Rank Math handle this in seconds.
- If there is no relevant replacement: Remove the link entirely from your content, or replace it with a working alternative.
Fixing external broken links
- Find a replacement: Search for an updated version of the original page or a comparable authoritative source.
- Use the Wayback Machine: If no replacement exists, link to an archived version via web.archive.org.
- Remove the link: If the resource is irrelevant or outdated, just unlink the anchor text.
When to use 301 vs 302 redirects
- 301 (Permanent): Use when the move is permanent. Passes nearly all link equity.
- 302 (Temporary): Use only for short-term redirects (like a maintenance page).
Step 6: Make Broken Link Audits a Routine
Links break constantly. Domains expire, articles get deleted, and URLs change. To stay ahead:
- Run a full Screaming Frog crawl once a month.
- Check Google Search Console weekly for new 404 errors.
- Set up automated scans with Dead Link Checker or Dr. Link Check for hands-off monitoring.
- Always check for broken links before publishing new content.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Redirecting every 404 to the homepage. Google treats this as a soft 404. Redirect to the most relevant page instead.
- Ignoring external broken links. They still damage UX and credibility.
- Forgetting to update internal links when you change a URL slug.
- Using only one tool. Combining GSC with a crawler gives you the full picture.
FAQ: Finding and Fixing Broken Links
How do I find broken links on a single web page?
Install a Chrome extension like Check My Links or use Ahrefs’ free broken link checker. Paste the page URL and you’ll see all dead links highlighted in seconds.
Is a 404 the same as a broken link?
Yes. A 404 error means the linked page no longer exists, which is the most common type of broken link. Other broken link codes include 410 (Gone) and 5xx server errors.
Is there a completely free broken link checker?
Yes. Google Search Console, the free version of Screaming Frog (up to 500 URLs), Ahrefs Broken Link Checker, and BrokenLinkCheck.com are all free.
Do broken links really affect SEO rankings?
Indirectly, yes. Google has stated broken links aren’t a direct ranking factor, but they hurt crawl efficiency, user experience, and trust signals, all of which influence rankings over time.
How often should I audit my website for broken links?
For most sites, a monthly full crawl plus weekly GSC checks is ideal. High-traffic or large e-commerce sites should monitor weekly or use automated daily scans.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to find broken links on your website is a fundamental SEO skill that pays dividends in rankings, user satisfaction, and site authority. Combine Google Search Console for what Google sees with Screaming Frog for what’s actually on your site, then fix issues with proper 301 redirects or content updates.
Make it a monthly habit and your site will stay clean, fast, and competitive in search results throughout 2026 and beyond.