Internal vs External Broken Links: Which to Fix First

Not all broken links are equal. Here is how to prioritize your fixes for the most impact.

September 3, 2026 · 3 min read · Updated September 7, 2026

Two kinds of breakage

Internal broken links point to your own pages that have moved or vanished. External broken links point out to other sites that have changed. Both matter, but they fail for different reasons and deserve different attention. Related: What a 404 Does to a Visitor, and How to Soften It

Keep reading: Why Broken Links Quietly Hurt Your SEO, How to Find Broken Links at Scale, Redirects Done Right: Avoiding Chains and Loops. See how LinkRotly helps you continuous broken link monitoring for websites.

Fix internal first

Internal broken links are fully within your control and directly affect how your site is navigated and crawled. They are the highest priority, because fixing them recaptures your own lost value immediately. Related: Why Broken Links Quietly Hurt Your SEO

Handle external thoughtfully

External links break when someone else's site changes, which you cannot prevent. Repoint them to a current source, or remove them if the destination is gone, so your content stays reliable. Related: How Often Should You Audit Your Site for Broken Links

Prioritize by traffic

Within each type, fix the broken links on your most visited and most important pages first. A dead link on a key landing page matters far more than one on a page nobody sees. Related: How to Find Broken Links at Scale

Key takeaways

Internal and external links break for different reasons
Fix internal links first; they are in your control
Repoint or remove broken external links
Prioritize fixes by page traffic and importance

Written by

Julien Jimenez

Julien Jimenez is an independent software builder based in Paris. He designs, ships, and operates focused SaaS products for small businesses and independent professionals. Read the full author page.

Frequently asked questions

Why fix internal broken links before external ones?

Internal links are fully within your control and directly affect how your site is navigated and crawled. Fixing them recaptures your own lost value immediately, making them the higher priority.

What do you do with a broken external link?

Repoint it to a current source, or remove it if the destination is gone, so your content stays reliable. You cannot prevent other sites from changing.