External links checker

What the external links checker does

This tool scans a webpage and extracts links that point to other domains. It lists the external destinations, giving you a view of which sites the page links to and how those links are configured.

External links are a normal part of publishing. They support citations, references, partnerships, and attributions. Search engines treat outbound links as one signal of the page's context and trust, and they also use them to discover content across the web.

Why reviewing external links matters

Linking to reputable sources can add credibility to your content. Linking to low-quality, irrelevant, or broken destinations can harm user trust and waste the attention of readers. Regular reviews help keep outbound links accurate and appropriate.

Link attributes also matter. Links opened in new tabs should use rel="noopener" for security, and links that are effectively paid or sponsored placements should use rel="sponsored". User-generated links may warrant rel="ugc". Reviewing attributes ensures the links behave as intended.

How to interpret the result

The tool reports the external links found on the page. Check whether the destinations are relevant to the content and whether the anchor text fairly describes them. Look for links to sites that may have changed ownership or topic since they were added, since a once-relevant citation can become misleading.

Notice repeated links to the same domain and links in boilerplate areas such as footers. Footer links are common for partnerships and credits, but they can accumulate over time. Decide whether each link still serves a purpose for the reader.

Common external link issues

• Broken destinations. Links to pages that no longer exist.
• Irrelevant or low-quality sites. Destinations that do not support the content.
• Missing rel attributes. New-tab links without noopener, or paid links without sponsored.
• Accumulated footer links. Old credits and partner links that are no longer relevant.
• Over-linking. So many external links that the page becomes a link farm.

Practical workflow

Review external links on key content pages and templates. Verify that destinations still load and remain relevant. Add appropriate rel attributes, and open links in new tabs only when it genuinely helps the user. Remove or replace links that no longer serve the content, and re-check after content migrations.

Limitations

The checker extracts external links present in the HTML response. It does not verify destination quality or availability, and links added by scripts may not be included.