Kitawolf Dead Links Checker & Fixer
Find and repair broken links with a lightweight, open-source WordPress plugin. Add the separate Pro plugin when you need automation, reporting, and bulk workflows.
See a broken link become a working one.
Read the demo steps
- A resource link on a fictional WordPress page leads to a missing page.
- Start a full scan from the Kitawolf dashboard.
- The Links Explorer shows the broken URL, its source page, and a 404 Not Found status.
- Choose Edit URL, enter a working replacement, and click Update URL.
- Run a fresh scan. The dashboard now shows zero broken links, and the replacement has a 200 OK status.
- Open the repaired link to confirm visitors can reach the resource.
Find problems. Repair links. Keep maintenance manageable.
Scan published posts and pages, review broken links in WordPress, and repair or unlink individual entries. Checks run on your own WordPress server in small batches. Pro adds recurring maintenance, report filters, scan history and bulk tools.
Performant Batch Scanning
The Free plugin processes posts and pages in small, browser-driven batches with rests between requests. Keep the scan tab open until it finishes; resource use depends on your content and hosting.
Modern React Dashboard
Restructured around a modern tabbed layout featuring global stats, interactive filtering, and real-time logs styled with custom typography.
Direct Inline Repair
Edit broken URLs or strip link tags (unlinking) directly inside the explorer table without having to open individual post editors.
Pro: Scheduled Scans & Email
The separate Pro add-on schedules daily, weekly, or every-30-days background scans using WP-Cron and submits an email report when broken links are found. Timing and delivery depend on your WordPress cron and mail configuration.
Smart Exclusions List
Add as many domains or keywords as needed to the free plugin's exclusions list, avoiding rate-limiting false positives.
Pro: CSV Audit Exports
Export broken links matching your active report filters to a CSV file for client deliverables, SEO reporting, and further analysis. Formula-like cell values are escaped for safer spreadsheet handling.
Pro: Bulk Link Workflows
Select multiple broken links and recheck or unlink them in one workflow instead of processing every result individually.
Why Upgrade to Pro?
The free WordPress.org plugin is complete and unlimited for manual scanning, results, exclusions, and individual repairs. Kitawolf Pro is a separate add-on plugin that introduces scheduled scans, email reports, CSV exports, and bulk recheck/unlink tools.
| Feature | 🆓 Free Plugin | ⚡ With Pro Add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Batch Scanning | ✅ Unlimited | ✅ Unlimited |
| Inline Link Editing & Unlinking | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Link Status Detection (404, 500, etc.) | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Domain Exclusions Whitelist | ✅ Unlimited | ✅ Unlimited |
| Background Cron Scans | ❌ Manual Only | Daily / Weekly / Every 30 days |
| Email Digest Alerts | ❌ | ✅ Included |
| CSV Export Reports | ❌ | ✅ One-Click CSV |
| Bulk Recheck & Bulk Unlink | ❌ Individual Actions | ✅ Included |
| Scan History & Advanced Report Filters | Current results | 20 scans + filtered reports |
| Support Type | Community Forum | Kitawolf Priority Support |
Protect Your Site's Link Health
Free and Pro are available now. Start with the complete Free plugin from WordPress.org, then add the separate Pro plugin for business-oriented automation and bulk workflows. No external scanning service is required.
Free Plugin
An open-source plugin for on-demand link maintenance. Browse Free source (WordPress SVN).
- Unlimited Manual Scanning
- Inline Link Repair & Unlinking
- Link Status Detection (404, 500, etc.)
- Unlimited Domain & Keyword Exclusions
- WP.org Repository Updates
Pro Add-on
A separate plugin for background automation, reporting, and processing several links at once.
- Works alongside the required Free plugin
- Daily, Weekly, or Every-30-Days Scans
- Email Reports When Broken Links Are Found
- Filtered CSV Exports of Broken Links
- 20-Scan History & Advanced Report Filters
- Bulk Recheck & Bulk Unlink Tools
- Kitawolf Priority Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Will crawling slow down my website performance?
The free scanner processes published posts and pages in small, client-driven batches with short rests between requests. Pro scheduled scans also use small background batches. Actual resource usage still depends on your site size, hosting, and the response time of links being checked.
Can I edit links directly in Gutenberg/Page Builders?
The editor works with links stored as standard anchor markup in published post and page content, including normal WordPress Block Editor and Classic Editor content. Back up your site before bulk content changes; compatibility with custom page-builder storage formats can vary.
Is there a limit on how many links it checks?
No. The free plugin has no scan-count, result-count, repair, or exclusions-list quota. Pro adds workflow capabilities rather than increasing an artificial usage allowance. Your hosting resources are the practical limit because checks run on your own WordPress server.
What happens if I do not renew Pro?
The installed GPL-licensed Pro add-on continues to function. Renewal covers access to future Pro releases and Kitawolf priority support; it does not remotely disable local scanning or other installed features.
Is Pro a separate plugin?
Yes. The free WordPress.org plugin provides the scanner, results, exclusions, and individual repair tools. Pro is installed alongside it and adds its own automation, email, export, and bulk-workflow code. Neither plugin requires a Kitawolf-hosted scanning service.
How do I install Free and Pro?
You need WordPress 5.8 or later, PHP 7.4 or later, and an administrator account with permission to install plugins. Use maintained WordPress and PHP versions and back up your site first. Install and activate Kitawolf Dead Links Checker & Fixer through Plugins → Add New, or download Free from WordPress.org and use Upload Plugin. Open Tools → Kitawolf Dead Links for manual scans, and keep the scan tab open until completion.
For Pro, keep Free active. Download the Pro ZIP from View Order in your Lemon Squeezy receipt, then use Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin to upload the ZIP without extracting it and activate the add-on. Open Tools → Dead Links Pro. Under “Pro updates and support”, review the disclosure and connect the licence key from your receipt for updates. Installed features work without a connected licence.
Do I need Gmail or another email service for reports?
Pro uses your website's existing WordPress mail configuration and sends reports to the Administration Email Address in Settings → General when a Pro scan finds broken links. No Kitawolf Gmail connection is required. Run a test scan and check your inbox and spam folder; your host or preferred SMTP provider can help if delivery fails. Scheduled scans depend on WP-Cron, so low-traffic sites may need a server cron runner.
Where do I get help or manage my subscription?
For plugin help, use our support form and choose “Support for an Existing Product”. Include your plugin, WordPress and PHP versions and the steps that reproduce the problem; never send passwords or full licence/API keys. Use the Lemon Squeezy order portal to download Pro, view your licence key, and manage billing; sign in with the email used for your purchase. Subscriptions renew annually and can be cancelled there. The annual Pro plan covers updates and support for one website; disconnect its licence before moving the update connection to another site.
What does the scanner cover?
Standard anchor links in published posts and pages: HTTP/HTTPS URLs, protocol-relative URLs and root-relative paths. Custom-field/page-builder storage, links generated only at runtime, plain relative paths, custom post types and unlinked images are not comprehensively scanned. Requests use WordPress HTTP safety checks, subject to local-site allowances and site-level filters. Pro does not create automatic redirects or PDF/white-label reports.
How much does Pro cost?
Pro costs £49/year for one site. Applicable tax is added at checkout, and the subscription renews annually unless cancelled through Lemon Squeezy. Prices are displayed in GBP; Lemon Squeezy processes the equivalent payment in USD.
What happens after I replace a link?
The anchor is updated in the post while its content is preserved. The new destination stays marked for rechecking until a scan confirms its status; replacing a URL is not proof that it works. Always back up your site before bulk content changes.