Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- The Internet Archive launched Link Fixer, a WordPress plugin that combats link rot by automatically archiving external links and redirecting to saved versions when originals break.
- PCWorld reports this tool addresses the widespread problem of dead links leading to 404 errors, using the Wayback Machine for restoration.
- With WordPress powering over 43% of websites, Link Fixer could significantly improve web content longevity by checking links every three days.
The Internet Archive has released Link Fixer, a new WordPress plugin that automatically handles broken links on the web, reports TechCrunch. The problem—often referred to as “link rot”—causes articles to eventually become filled with dead links that lead to 404 error pages.
According to Pew Research Group, about 38 percent of all web pages that existed in 2013 were “no longer accessible” by 2024. Yikes.
The plugin was developed in collaboration with Automattic (a major contributor to the WordPress platform’s development) and uses the Wayback Machine’s Internet Archive. It scans WordPress posts for external links and ensures that they’re archived. If a link later dies, the reader is automatically sent to a saved version instead. When the original page becomes available again, the link is restored without any manual intervention needed.
Link Fixer also archives the website’s own content and allows the user to choose how often links should be checked. The default setting is every 3 days. With WordPress powering over 43 percent of the web as of 2025, this plugin could be effective—if it catches on.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC för Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.
