Guide Backlinks · 9 of 9
Broken Backlinks: How to Recover Links to Dead Pages
Recover broken backlinks: find dead pages that still receive links, prioritize them, and choose between a redirect, restoring the page, or asking for an update.
Key takeaways
- Find dead URLs that still receive links from relevant sites.
- Redirect only to a page that answers the same need.
- Add redirects to every future URL change.
A broken backlink is a link from another website that points to a page on your site that no longer works. Usually the page was deleted, moved without a redirect, or the URL was typed wrong. The other site still sends visitors your way, but they land on an error page, and the reference no longer supports the page it was meant for.
The good news is that most of the fix happens on your own site. This guide shows how to find the dead pages that still receive links, decide which to fix first, and choose between a redirect, restoring the page, or asking for an update. For an overview of backlinks and how to monitor them, see the backlinks guide.
Broken backlinks versus broken outbound links
These two problems are easy to confuse:
- Broken backlink: another site links to a dead URL on your site. You fix it on your side.
- Broken outbound link: your page links to a dead URL elsewhere. You update your own link.
This guide covers the first case: inbound links to pages that no longer exist.
Find dead pages that still receive links
You do not need a paid tool to start. Combine the free data you already have:
- Search Console Links report. The Links report lists your top linked pages. Export it and check the status of each URL. Google notes the report shows a sample of links, not every link to your site.
- Page indexing report. The Page indexing report includes URLs that return “Not found (404).” Cross-check them against the linked pages from step 1.
- Your old URL lists. Past sitemaps, migration spreadsheets, and CMS exports often show pages that were removed.
- Server logs or analytics. If your 404 page is tracked, look for error hits that arrive from other websites.
The result should be a list of dead URLs, with the external pages that link to each one where you can see them.
Decide which ones to fix first
Score each dead URL with three questions:
| Question | Higher priority when… |
|---|---|
| How many different sites link to it? | Several separate sites, not one site with many pages |
| Are the linking pages relevant and maintained? | The links come from real articles your audience reads |
| Does visitor intent still match something you offer? | You have a current page that answers the same need |
Fix the URLs with the most relevant linking sites first. A dead URL linked only from a spammy directory can be left as a 404.
Choose the right fix
| Situation | Best fix |
|---|---|
| The content moved to a new URL | Permanent redirect from the old URL to the new one |
| A close replacement exists | Permanent redirect to the replacement |
| The page was valuable and nothing replaces it | Restore the page, updated, at the original URL |
| The link has a typo in your URL | Redirect the mistyped URL, or ask the site to correct it |
| Nothing relevant exists and won’t be created | Leave it as a 404 or 410 |
Google’s redirects documentation explains that permanent server-side redirects tell Google a page has moved, and that a removed page can be redirected to send users to a new one. The key is relevance. A redirect to your homepage sends visitors somewhere they did not expect, so only redirect to a page that answers the same need.
Example: a filled recovery sheet
Fictional example. Harbor Tide is an imaginary boat maintenance software company. After a site redesign, it found these dead URLs:
| Dead URL | Linking sites | Current equivalent | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| /resources/winter-checklist-2023/ | 6 relevant blogs and associations | /resources/winterizing-checklist/ | 301 redirect |
| /blog/hull-cleaning-guide/ | 3 relevant blogs | None | Restore and update the guide |
| /pricing-old/ | 1 directory | /pricing/ | 301 redirect |
| /webinar-march/ | 1 expired event listing | None | Leave as 404 |
The checklist URL included a year, which is why it broke when the page was updated. A stable URL would have avoided the problem. The linkable assets guide covers how to design resources that keep their links.
When to ask the linking site to update
Redirects fix most cases without contacting anyone. Ask for an update only when:
- The link points to a mistyped URL you cannot or do not want to redirect.
- The link points to an old domain you no longer control.
- A redirect would send visitors to a page that only partly fits.
Keep the message short: point out the broken link, give the correct URL, and thank them. The link building outreach guide covers tone and follow-ups. If you find a site that names you but never linked at all, that is a different case, handled in the unlinked brand mentions guide.
Check that the fix works
- Open each old URL and confirm it lands on the intended page in one step.
- Avoid redirect chains, where one redirect leads to another.
- Make sure the destination returns a normal 200 status.
- Update internal links on your own site to point to the final URL directly.
- Recheck the Links report and Page indexing report after Google recrawls.
Prevent new broken backlinks
- Before deleting or moving a page, check whether other sites link to it.
- Add redirects as part of every redesign or URL change, not afterward.
- Avoid dates and campaign names in URLs for evergreen pages.
- Keep landing pages for campaigns and digital PR stories live, since coverage keeps linking to them.
- Review dead URLs with links on a regular schedule.
Recovering old links also improves future prospecting. Sites that linked to you once are good candidates for new resources, as described in the link prospecting process.
Where DEX fits
DEX publishes content connected to your products and services and tracks how pages perform in search. Its Health page check reviews a single page for on-page, technical, and content issues, which helps confirm that a redirect destination or restored page is in good shape. Redirect rules themselves are set in your CMS or server, so confirm who on your team manages them.
Broken backlinks checklist
- Export linked pages from the Search Console Links report.
- Find which of those URLs return errors.
- Score each by linking sites, relevance, and current intent.
- Redirect, restore, or leave as 404 based on the table.
- Confirm each fix lands in one step on a working page.
- Add redirects to every future URL change.
FAQ
What is a broken backlink?
+
A link from another site that points to a page on your site that no longer works.
Should I redirect broken backlinks to my homepage?
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Only redirect to a page that answers the same need. An unrelated destination sends visitors somewhere they did not expect.
When should I contact the linking site?
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When the link has a typo you cannot redirect, points to a domain you no longer control, or a redirect would only partly fit.
Sources
- Links report · Google
- Page indexing report · Google
- Redirects and Google Search · Google
Dex SEO is an AI SEO agent for small businesses. Every article here is planned from search data, drafted by Dex, fact-checked against the sources it cites, and reviewed by the team before it is published.
How this article was made: planned and drafted by Dex from search data, fact-checked by Dex (4 claims checked), then approved by the Dex SEO team.