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How to Control Which Links Broken Link Checker Scans on Your WordPress Site

24 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Broken link checker

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Broken Link Checker is a powerful tool for maintaining site health, but many users need more granular control over which links are scanned. A common point of confusion is understanding how to include or exclude specific types of links from the checking process. This guide explains the available settings and workarounds for managing your link checks effectively.

Understanding the Core Function: What Gets Checked?

By default, the Broken Link Checker plugin scans links it finds in the post_content database table. This typically includes links within the content of:

  • Published Posts
  • Published Pages
  • Custom Post Types
  • Comments

Important Note: The plugin reads links directly from the database; it does not use a rendering engine to load pages. This means it will not accidentally click on ad links or execute JavaScript. However, this method also means it cannot check links generated dynamically by shortcodes or certain plugins.

Common Scenarios and How to Address Them

1. How to Exclude Internal Links or Specific Domains

If you only want to check external links, or if you need to stop checking links from a domain that consistently returns false errors (like LinkedIn), you can use the Exclusion List.

  1. Navigate to Settings > Link Checker.
  2. Click on the "Which Links To Check" tab.
  3. In the "Exclusion list" text box, add words or patterns found in the URLs you want to skip.

Example: To skip all internal links on example.com, you would add example.com to the list. The plugin uses pattern matching, so any URL containing that text will be excluded from checks.

2. How to Focus on Specific Post Statuses

You can control whether the plugin checks links in draft posts, published posts, or other statuses. The "Post statuses" setting under "Which Links To Check" applies to all post types you have selected in the "Look for links in" setting directly above it. This includes standard Posts, Pages, and any enabled Custom Post Types.

Current Limitations and User Workarounds

Based on community discussions, several highly-requested features are not currently available in the plugin. Understanding these limitations can help you manage expectations and find alternative solutions.

  • No Per-Link Schedule: You cannot set different checking schedules (e.g., daily, weekly) for individual links. The schedule (found under Settings > Link Checker > General) applies to a full-site scan.
  • No Widget or Excerpt Checking: The plugin does not currently scan links located inside sidebar widgets or post excerpts. The Broken Link Checker team has acknowledged this is a popular feature request but has not provided a release timeline.
  • No Inclusion List: There is no direct "inclusion list" to force the checking of specific URLs that would otherwise be excluded by a pattern. For example, you cannot force it to check example.com/go/ if example.com is in the exclusion list.
  • Limited Instance Visibility: When a link appears on multiple pages, the plugin's interface combines them into a single entry. It does not easily show a list of all the source pages where the link was found, which can make fixing widespread broken links more tedious.

Conclusion

While Broken Link Checker offers robust control over which links are scanned through its exclusion lists and post status settings, users should be aware of its limitations regarding widgets, excerpts, and more granular control. For most users, strategically using the exclusion list is the most effective way to tailor the plugin's functionality to their specific needs.

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