Broken links can wreak havoc in your Shopify store, impacting your SEO efforts. When a visitor faces the 404 error (Page not found), it leads to a higher bounce rate and poor user experience.
Stats show that about 77% of website visitors will leave the site forever, while only 23% make the effort to find the exact landing page.
Sounds like a hassle for both the page visitor and the Shopify merchant.
So, how to fix a broken link on Shopify?
Fortunately, Shopify allows you to instantly repair broken links in several ways, namely:
- Using Shopify redirects (implementing a 301 redirect)
- Bulk importing URL redirects to fix multiple broken links (CSV file)
- Using a plugin
- Inspecting by using a broken link checker
- Analysing them through Google Search Console
- Using Shopify or third-party apps
- Running regular scans
While fixing them is straightforward, finding the root problem requires some manual inspection or using broken link checkers.
Are there more ways to fix this? In this guide, we will provide in-depth solutions, analyse the issues, and discover methods and strategies to resolve the broken links on Shopify.
Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
What are Broken Links on Shopify?
Suppose you click on a Shopify link in the Google Search results. After clicking, you don’t see the desired result but a 404 error that diminishes your viewing experience.
Now, imagine a potential customer clicking on a product link that shows them the same error. Not ideal, right?
Let’s understand this from a technical perspective:
A broken link (also called a dead link) is when a link does not direct you to the correct landing page but shows an error instead. This happens because web servers detect the error or a mismatch in the URL and return an error message when a customer tries to access it.
This issue can happen due to different reasons:
- The original link gets broken when you rename or change an element or letter in the link.
- When the original URL is changed due to poor performance or a product change.
- When a product, collection, page, or blog post gets deleted or unpublished.
- The link contains typos or incorrect URL paths.
- Plugins create issues when their code is not maintained correctly.
- When there is a change in the website’s content, the URL should align with the page’s contents.
- Modifications to links due to theme customisation or app installations that impact the URL navigation.
- Pages linked to inactive external sites.
- Shifting your online store to a new domain.
Here’s an example of what happens when you click a broken link and how a “page not found” message appears:
Addressing these is vital to preserving how users interact on your website. When you don’t fix these broken links, there can be repercussions that can affect the overall performance of your Shopify store.
Let’s now look into how broken links affect your Shopify store.
How Broken Links Affect My Shopify Store?
Broken links can impact SEO and user experience negatively. This impact can drop site ranking and produce poor results. Here’s how:
- Crawling errors: When site crawlers on Google detect a broken link, it leads to a ‘crawl error.’ This error causes your website not to get fully indexed.
- Drop in link equity: When one page is internally linked to another page on your Shopify store, the internal link passes authority. This is known as link equity. But if the connected page has a broken link, the authority is not passed, resulting in poor link equity.
- Decline in webpage traffic: When users visit pages with errors, it can lead to a frustrating experience and a high bounce rate. In most cases, users may never return to your page.
- Low quality ranking: Google only ranks pages with well structured URLs that are active and have relevant content. If there are broken links in your site, Google will see it as an inactive website and drop its ranking.
How To Find Broken Links On Your Shopify Store?
Let’s now look at the list of different ways to identify broken links in your online store:
Using Shopify Launch Check
The native way to detect broken links is to run the Shopify Launch Check app. This app uses AI to detect anomalies and review your store’s data. It then creates a personalized checklist of the errors that need resolving.
This is used to pre-check for issues before launching your website. Now, we will look into how you can detect the broken links:
- On your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Launch Check. Then, click Run launch check or New launch check. Wait for the run to finish.
After running the launch, you’ll see the following checklist informing you of what passed (in green) and what needs attention (in red):
- Click the front-end dropdown. Scroll down and check for 404 errors and 301 redirects:
- Understand the cause of the issue.
Leverage Google Search Console
Another great way is to use Google Search Console to navigate broken links. The Search Console provides deep insights into your linking system. It uses “Googlebot”, a crawler that crawls your Shopify store on a regular basis.
Its job is to identify broken links and provide more accurate and valuable website reports. It finds URLs through:
- Sitemap
- Internal links – navigation menus, footers, blog posts, product descriptions, etc.
- External links
- Crawlable JavaScript-rendered content
- Old links indexed by Google
Then, Googlebot loads each URL and sends an HTTP request to your Shopify store. If the server returns a 404 error (Page Not Found), Googlebot registers and saves it as a broken link.
To access it, navigate to the left menu and select Indexing > Pages > Page indexing. You will come across the following issues:
This will help you analyse which links have 404 errors. Click on each link to see the list of links showing this error. Here is an example:
Scroll down to see all the broken links. You will find the exact source of the issue:
Once you go through the links, you can directly find the issue and resolve it. For example, you see /products/blue-shoes marked as 404, and GSC tells you it was linked from /collections/shoes. You can now go and update the link on the collection page.
You can also set email alerts when Search Console detects another crawl error. This will help you quickly find the broken URL, mistyped internal links, and incorrect external linking.
| What is Validate Fix in Google Search Console? After fixing all the link-related issues, you click Validate Fix to confirm the changes made. Once the changes are made, the issues drop to zero and move to the bottom or end of the table. This is a way to inform Google to ‘validate’ the links and index the updated versions. |
Manual Detection
You can manually search for different webpages to see their appearance in search results, on your Shopify store, etc., and whether they carry the 404 HTTPS status code.
To manually detect them, individually check the following to begin your search:
- Product pages
- Categories and collections
- Images
- Banner links
- Blogs and articles
- Pages like About us & Contact us
- Product descriptions
- Navigational menus
- Footer links
This process can be slightly tedious, but it provides a quick walkthrough of how visitors perceive your site. You can speed up this process by using web extensions such as Sitemap 404 Checker, 404 Finder, etc., for Chrome.
Now that we know how to detect these links, it’s time to resolve them. The next section talks about fixing such broken links.
How To Fix Broken Links in Shopify?
We will look into different ways to
Shopify URL Redirect
Shopify URL redirects use the 301 HTTP status code by default, informing search engines and browsers that the previous (original) URL has permanently shifted to another location. This is the native option offered by Shopify.
When we use this redirect, search engines preserve your SEO value, such as search engine ranking power, link equity, avoiding 404 errors, and domain authority. This preserved data is also transferred from the old URL to the new one.
The right time to use it depends on the merchant’s requirements. Here’s when you can apply it:
| Reminder: Redirects only work for URLs that return a 404 error (broken URLs) in your Shopify store. |
How Do You Create a 301 Redirect in Shopify?
Setting a 301 redirect is simple. Follow the steps below to execute it:
- On your Shopify admin, locate Content in the left navigation panel.
- In that, you’ll see a dropdown appear. Select Menus from it.
- From there, you will see the following webpage appear. In that, locate URL redirects.
- In that, click Create URL redirect.
- Fetch the old and new URLs in the following fields and save the changes.
After this is done, search engines can take approximately a few days or a few weeks for the changes to reflect. Other factors, such as the site’s crawl frequency, site authority, and search engine tracking, can affect when the search engines update the index.
But the redirect works immediately for your website visitors.
To speed things up, you can use the following strategies:
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console.
- Request indexing of the new URL through the URL inspection tool on Google Search Console.
Import Bulk Redirects
When you have to redirect multiple URLs, bulk redirects can help. Shopify lets you manage multiple redirects in one go instead of creating and sorting them individually.
This can be done by importing a CSV file into your Shopify admin.
When Should Bulk Redirect be Used?
You can apply bulk redirects for the following reasons:
- When you are handling hundreds or thousands of broken links at once.
- When there are multiple URLs leading to a 404 error page.
- There is a discontinued collection, and you want to redirect it to a new collection.
- Merging multiple duplicate pages into one coherent page.
- Seasonal or outdated pages.
- Redirecting query parameter URLs to clean canonical URLs.
- When you are carrying out large-scale URL structure changes, such as changing folder structures or updating URL slugs.
How Do You Create a Bulk Redirect in Shopify?
Follow the steps to create a bulk redirect in Shopify:
- First, create a spreadsheet (a CSV file) containing a list of old URL paths and new URL paths.
In that, create two columns. Old URL paths should come under ‘Redirect from’, and the new URL paths should come under ‘Redirect to.’ Something like this:
| Redirect from | Redirect to |
| /old-product | /new-product |
| /old-collection | /new-collection |
This CSV file is crucial for mapping as it helps prevent errors and ensures SEO value passes correctly.
- Next, on the Shopify admin, go to Content > Menus > URL redirects.
- In that, select Import URL redirects.
- You will be asked to +Add file to import the CSV file. Shopify also offers a sample CSV template that you can quickly add your links to and import.
Here’s how the file will look after you add it:
- Click the Upload file button. You will then be asked to Import redirects:
- Once the import is done, you will get an “Import complete” message, like this:
Shopify allows 100,000 URL redirects for all stores. For Shopify Plus plan users, the limit can reach a maximum of 20,000,000 URL redirects.
| Bonus reading:Shopify Plus vs Shopify Advanced: Which One Is Right For You?Shopify vs Shopify Plus: 8 Key Differences Merchants Should Know |
You can easily create and manage a large number of redirects without hampering the SEO and boosting overall customer experience.
| Important note: There are times when you should not apply bulk redirects. You should not use them when: – When you have to redirect only one URL. – Refrain from bulk editing all the URLs to the homepage, as it can affect the SEO. Always redirect from old URL > new URL. – This only works for 301 (permanent) redirects. |
The navigational menus on your website serve as the main pathway to guide visitors across your Shopify store. Giving it attention is crucial to avoid any negative user experience and high bounce rate. Also, poor navigation can result in lower conversions, with customers never returning.
To fix broken links in navigation, Shopify offers a streamlined approach:
- On the Shopify admin, locate Content > Menus. In that, select the menu containing the broken link. It can be the main menu or the footer menu.
- Next, select one of the options and edit the required broken URL. For example, if the label says ‘home page’ and you want to link it to your store’s home page, then there is a dropdown that let’s you select the link you want to attach to the particular navigational menu. Here’s how it will look:
- When making changes, ensure to look at the link points to a deleted collection, product, or page, and add the latest link version. If you wish to set the menu item as a header with no link, you are allowed to set the link as ‘#.’
- After adding the current URL, click Save.
If a particular navigational menu label is not required, you can click on the trash icon to remove it.
| Pro Tip: If you wish to bulk edit navigational menu links, you can utilize apps like Matrixify, which bulk edit and manage navigational links effectively. |
Update Theme Files For Coded Broken URLs
Broken links can also be resolved by fixing your site’s theme code. This is another great way to tackle the issue if the URLs have been changed due to an updated product/collection, external links no longer work, domains have been changed, or the site structure has been altered.
In order to fix coded broken URLs, you or a developer needs to access your Shopify store’s theme files. For this, identify the broken links and follow the steps below:
- On the Shopify admin, go to Online store > Themes > Click three dots in Current Theme > Edit code.
- Check the Liquid files that may contain those links. For example, you can check the following:
- header.liquid
- footer.liquid
- product.liquid
- collection.liquid
- Custom sections in sections/
- Custom snippets in snippets/
You can also search the link in the search bar.
- Next, after finding the broken link, update it. For instance:
You try to edit the footer.liquid section by changing the links:
- Broken link (before): <a href=”/collections/winter-2025″>Winter Collection</a>
Like this:
- Updated link (after): <a href=”/collections/winter-2026″>Winter Collection</a>
Like this:
In the example above, notice that we changed the year from 2025 to 2026, as it was returning a 404 error.
To fix that and match the page’s contents, the coded URL was updated to the latest version of the link, with 2026.
- Another approach to avoid manually editing the URL every time there is a change is to use dynamic Liquid code:
<a href=”{{ routes.collections_url }}/winter-collection”>Winter Collection</a>
Using Shopify’s dynamic objects, the links are automatically updated without requiring code edits. This reduces the occurrence of broken links and can be reused for different collections or products without requiring changes to the values.
- Preview the changes. Once they satisfy your needs, click Save.
- Even after saving, check the affected pages and click on the updated versions of the links to see if they are working.
- You can also run broken link identifying applications again, just to be sure.
Through Shopify Admin API’s Redirect Resource
Another way to programmatically fix broken links is to use Shopify Admin API’s Redirect resource. You (or a developer) can easily create, update, list, and delete URL directs through API calls.
It is different from editing Liquid code in theme files, as you are fixing a specific URL block, either manually or dynamically. However, this API is used to automate redirect management beyond the capabilities of the manual admin interface. This is completely dynamic in nature.
There are limitations to directly fixing URL redirects on the manual interface, such as fixed Shopify paths cannot be redirected and may require a backend approach (calling API) to resolve the issue.
To implement it, one must have the following access:
- Have access to the ‘content’ access scope. This means you need to gain access to specific data for reading/writing products, files, user accounts, and so on.
- ‘write_redirects’ scope enabled.
- Store URL, Admin API access token, and API version (e.g., 2025-10).
Know the properties:
- id – ID for the redirect
- path – Old path that is to be redirected
- target – New path where the old path will be redirected to.
- URL endpoint – /admin/api/2025-10/redirects.json.
Create a new URL Redirect
We use Shopify Admin API (REST API) to send a POST request to: /admin/api/2023-04/[redirects.json](http://redirects.json) endpoint.
The redirect details are in the request body.
Here is a sample JSON payload from the official Shopify documentation:
{
“redirect”: {
“id”: 012345678
“path”: “/old-url”,
“target”: “/new-url”
}
}
This JSON snippet helps redirect site visitors to go from’/old-url’ to ‘/new-url.’
In practice, it can look like this:
Source: Shopify developer docs
Request POST section (in cURL):
The code uses an HTTP method called POST and is used for creating a new resource. Resource essentially means an entity or data object that represents something important. For instance, in this example, the redirect is a resource.
Response section (in JSON):
This section highlights the successful creation of a redirect.
Similarly, you can retrieve, bulk redirect, or create existing link redirects using the request and response method with the Shopify Admin API Redirect resource.
Delete A Broken URL From Your Shopify Store
This method must be tread carefully, as it’s a risky decision, but it is applicable to certain situations. Most SEO experts will advise you to refrain from deleting the URL and instead redirect it.
URL deletion often results in lost link juice, site value, and permanent loss of visitor data. However, there are some situations where you can apply this method. Keep in mind that you should not always rely on it.
Deleting a broken link must only be done in the following scenarios:
- The linked content is irrelevant and has no suitable replacement.
- It has little to no site value or visitor data.
- It has spammy 404 URLs.
- Your link was hacked.
To delete the broken URLs, you can do it in two ways:
Delete Broken Link on Shopify Admin Interface
Remove the URL redirect pointing towards the broken link. Follow the process:
- On Shopify Admin, go to Content > Menus > View URL Redirects.
- Locate the URL and select the trash icon or Delete next to it.
- Save the changes.
Delete Broken Link Through Shopify Admin API Redirect
Instead of POST, as we saw in the previous section, we will use a DEL request, the DELETE HTTP method. In this, we delete a redirect resource and the redirect record with the particular ID from your Shopify store’s database.
In the response section, the empty parentheses {} indicate that the redirect has been successfully deleted, and there’s no further data returned.
Again, use the URL deletion method cautiously. It is best to use 301 redirects in the majority of cases.
Third-party and Shopify Apps
Shopify gives merchants the freedom to utilize advanced apps to fix their broken links. You can use apps outside of Shopify or those affiliated with the Shopify app store.
One such app that’s gaining traction in the Shopify world is AdNabu’s 404/301 Redirects app. It easily keeps your store’s links healthy and your customers on track with smart 404 detection and effortless redirects.
Here are its features:
- It is a Built for Shopify app.
- It automatically finds broken links and lets you create 301 redirects in just one click, all while syncing perfectly with Shopify’s native redirects.
- You can set up bulk redirects using wildcard patterns or import unlimited rules through a simple CSV upload.
- With detailed analytics for both 404 and 301 pages, you will see exactly which URLs need attention and which redirects are performing best. This will help you prioritize what matters most and keep your SEO valuable.
Other Broken Link Detection & Redirect Apps:
- Doc 404: Fix 404 Links (On Shopify App Store) – Instantly redirect users with smart client-side redirection, and set up powerful automatic 301 redirects using Wildcard or RegEx rules. Manage everything from a clean, user-friendly dashboard, and stay informed with instant email alerts whenever new 404 pages are detected.
- Redirect Ninja – AI 404 Fix (On Shopify App Store) – It automatically resolves 404 errors with AI-powered workflows and seamless 301 redirects. It also sets up bulk redirect automation using wildcard rules. You can easily apply template-based redirects for regions, languages, or site migrations. Receive weekly 404 reports with redirect suggestions and SEO insights.
- Screaming Frog – It is a powerful website crawler and SEO tool that helps you uncover and fix technical issues that could hurt your site’s performance in search results. It scans your website just like a search engine would, collecting data from every page to spot problems such as broken links, duplicate content, incorrect redirects, or missing meta tags.
- Semrush Broken Link checker – It is a part of the Site Audit tool, which automatically scans your website to find broken internal and external links. It highlights pages with errors, such as 404 errors, and provides detailed reports to help you quickly locate and resolve the issues.
Conclusion
Fixing broken links on your Shopify store is essential for keeping customers engaged and maintaining healthy SEO performance. Even a single 404 error can interrupt a shopper’s journey and hurt your store’s credibility.
Thankfully, Shopify makes it simple to repair these issues with tools like 301 redirects, bulk CSV imports, and handy third-party apps that automate the process.
By staying proactive and regularly checking for broken links, you can catch problems early, keep your site running smoothly, and create a seamless experience that builds trust and supports your store’s long-term growth.
With that, here are the key takeaways from our guide:
- Broken links cause poor user experience, increased bounce rates, and lower conversions.
- Shopify supports both manual and bulk 301 redirects for quick, permanent fixes.
- Regularly audit your site using Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Semrush.
- Wildcard and RegEx redirects simplify large-scale or patterned URL fixes.
- Apps like AdNabu, Redirect Ninja, and Doc 404 automate detection and redirection.
- Updating navigation menus and theme files helps eliminate hidden broken URLs.
- Dynamic Liquid code prevents link breaks during product or collection updates.
- Shopify Admin API allows developers to automate redirects programmatically.
- Avoid deleting URLs unless absolutely necessary—301 redirects preserve SEO value.
- Weekly reports and instant alerts make ongoing link monitoring effortless.
- Proactive link maintenance improves crawlability, link equity, and search visibility.
- A healthy URL structure ensures customers always find what they’re looking for.
FAQs
What should I do if a broken link persists after setting up a redirect?
If a broken link persists after setting up a redirect, clear your browser cache and test the redirect in an incognito window. If it’s still broken, double-check that the redirect rule is correctly configured and that there are no typos or conflicting redirects in your settings.
What causes a broken link?
Broken links usually occur when a page is deleted, a URL changes, or a website structure is updated without proper redirects in place. They can also happen if external sites you link to are moved or removed.
Which tool would you use to find broken links on a website?
To find broken links on a website, tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog SEO Spider are commonly used. These tools scan your site and identify pages that return 404 errors.
Can broken links affect my Shopify store’s conversion rates?
Yes, broken links can affect your Shopify store’s conversion rates. They create a poor user experience, lower customer trust, and can harm your SEO rankings, making it harder for potential customers to find your store.
What are some good Shopify broken link checkers?
Some good Shopify broken link checkers include Ahrefs, Broken Link Checker by Screaming Frog, SEMrush, and apps like Broken Link Manager or SEO Manager available on the Shopify App Store.
What’s the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect in Shopify, and which should I use?
A 301 redirect is permanent and tells search engines that the old page has moved permanently to a new URL, transferring most of the SEO value to the new page. A 302 redirect is temporary and is best for short-term promotions or testing new pages without affecting existing SEO signals. In most e-commerce scenarios, such as updating product or collection URLs, a 301 redirect is the best choice to maintain ranking and continuity of traffic.
Can too many redirects hurt my Shopify store’s SEO?
Yes, having too many redirects can negatively impact your site’s SEO and performance. Each redirect adds a small delay to page loading, and long redirect chains (e.g., A → B → C → D) confuse search engines and reduce link equity transfer. It’s best to keep redirect chains short and periodically audit them to remove outdated or unnecessary ones.
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