=== 404Zen – Broken Link Fixer & Monitor === Contributors: sslzen Tags: broken links, 404, link checker, broken link checker, redirect Requires at least: 5.8 Tested up to: 7.0 Requires PHP: 7.2 Stable tag: 1.1.0 License: GPLv2 or later License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html Broken link checker that finds and fixes 404s, dead links, broken images and redirect chains — fast, private, and light on your server. == Description == ## The broken link checker that grades your whole site 404Zen is a fast, private **broken link checker** for WordPress. It scans every post, page, image and menu for broken links, **404** errors, dead images and redirect chains — all on your own server, with no cloud and no account — then gives you a single **Link Health Grade (A–F)** so you know exactly where your site stands. Broken links leak visitors and tell Google your site is decaying. 404Zen helps you **fix broken links** in one click — edit the URL, unlink it, or dismiss false positives — without ever leaving WordPress. Your first scan starts automatically on activation. No wizard. No limits. ### Why site owners switch to 404Zen * ✅ **A grade, not a data dump** — one letter tells you instantly whether your links are helping or hurting you * ✅ **Runs 100% on your server** — your URLs never leave your site. Private by architecture. * ✅ **Unlimited scanning, free forever** — no monthly credits, no metering, no "250 links per month" * ✅ **Fixes, not just reports** — edit a URL, unlink, or dismiss right from the results table * ✅ **Kind to your server** — batched background checks, load-aware pausing, tuned for shared hosting *(Been burned by "free" checkers that cap your scans or force a cloud account? This one's for you.)* ### What 404Zen finds Broken internal & external links (404s) · missing images · redirect chains & loops · timeouts ### The Link Health Checklist A step-by-step checklist walks you from first scan to a clean, protected site — including making sure you're serving HTTPS. Reach 100% and your visitors never hit a dead end again. ### 404Zen Pro — set it and forget it **One-click auto-redirects** that instantly send visitors from broken URLs to working pages · CSV reports · multisite. One license, flat price, **lifetime option available** — no per-link nickel-and-diming. 14-day money-back guarantee. Built by **Zen Plugins** — the team behind SSL Zen (★4.9, 1M+ downloads). Focused plugins. Zero bloat. == External services == 404Zen makes outbound HTTP requests in exactly three situations, and nothing else: **1. Checking your own links.** During a scan, your server requests each URL found in your content (via the WordPress HTTP API) to see whether it still works. These requests go to whatever sites your posts link to; they carry no personal data — only the URL being checked and a User-Agent header identifying the plugin and your site. This is the plugin's core function and only happens when scans run. **2. Freemius (licensing and checkout).** The plugin bundles the [Freemius](https://freemius.com) SDK, used solely for licensing, checkout and license management if you choose to upgrade to Pro. It runs in anonymous mode: no data is transmitted to Freemius on activation or during normal use — a connection is only made when you interact with the upgrade, checkout or license screens. See the [Freemius Terms of Service](https://freemius.com/terms/) and [Freemius Privacy Policy](https://freemius.com/privacy/). **3. Email opt-in (only if you choose it).** If — and only if — you explicitly tick the product-updates opt-in, 404Zen sends the email address you provide to Zen Plugins (`https://zenplugins.org/subscribe.php`) so we can add you to our product-update list. Nothing is sent unless you check that box; if you never opt in, no email or personal data ever leaves your site. Data handling is described at [https://zenplugins.org/privacy/](https://zenplugins.org/privacy/). == Installation == 1. Install and activate 404Zen through the Plugins screen, or upload the ZIP via Plugins → Add New → Upload. 2. The first scan starts automatically in the background within a few minutes. 3. Visit **404Zen** in your admin menu to see results, or click **Scan now** to start immediately. 4. Adjust batch size, exclusions and the email digest under **404Zen → Settings**. == Frequently Asked Questions == = Does 404Zen send my data to a third-party service? = There is no account to create and no scanning service — all link checking runs on your own server using the WordPress HTTP API, and your URLs never leave your site. Two optional exceptions send data only when you act: the bundled Freemius SDK (Pro licensing/checkout) sends nothing unless you open the upgrade, checkout or license screens, and the product-updates opt-in sends your email only if you explicitly tick it. See the External services section for full details. = Will it slow down my site? = No. Checks run in small background batches via WP-Cron, pause between requests, and stop after a short time budget. 404Zen also monitors your server's load average and skips its run entirely while the server is busy. = What counts as a broken link? = HTTP status 400 and above (404, 410, 500, …), connection failures, DNS errors and timeouts. Links that pass through two or more redirects are flagged separately as redirect chains. = Does it check images? = Yes. Image sources (``) are checked the same way as links. You can turn this off in Settings. = Can I exclude certain URLs or post types? = Yes. Settings lets you exclude any post type and any URL pattern (simple substring match, one per line). = How do I fix a broken link? = Right from the dashboard: edit the URL inline, unlink it (keeping the text), or dismiss it if it is a false positive. You never have to open the post editor. = Does it work with WP-Cron disabled? = If you have disabled WP-Cron and use a real cron job that calls `wp-cron.php`, 404Zen works normally. Without any cron at all, scans run opportunistically on page visits like every WP-Cron task. = Is 404Zen compatible with multisite? = The free version works on individual sites of a network. Network-wide management is part of 404Zen Pro. = What does my Link Health Grade mean? = A = clean. Grades weigh broken links, redirect chains and scan freshness. The dashboard explains your grade and exactly how to raise it. == Screenshots == 1. Your Link Health Grade at a glance — the dashboard grades every link A–F and shows exactly what to fix, with a step-by-step checklist. 2. Fix broken links in one click — edit the URL, unlink it, dismiss false positives, or recheck, right from the results table. 3. Settings: choose your scan frequency, what to check, server-load protection and the weekly email digest. 4. 404Zen Pro: unlimited local scanning, one-click auto-redirects, CSV export and multisite — flat price, lifetime option. == Changelog == = 1.1.0 = * Renamed to 404Zen – Broken Link Fixer & Monitor. * New Link Health Grade dashboard and step-by-step checklist. * Scan frequency (hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly) is available to everyone. * Added an External services disclosure to this readme, covering the optional product-updates opt-in. * Prefixed the admin menu slug (`404zen` → `lgbf-404zen`) for WordPress.org compliance. = 1.0.0 = * Initial release: background link scanner, broken links dashboard with inline fixes, weekly email digest. == Upgrade Notice == = 1.1.0 = Renamed to 404Zen; adds the Link Health Grade dashboard and makes scan frequency free for all installs. = 1.0.0 = Initial release.